Ranger McIntyre: Unmentionable Murders

Set during the Prohibition era soon after the creation of Rocky Mountain National Park, this fun series launch from western author Work (the Keystone Riders series) introduces a lead character who resembles a smarter version of cartoon Mountie Dudley Do-Right. Stalwart Ranger Tim McIntyre is perfectly happy to flirt with cute photographer Doris Killian over a hearty breakfast—though he’d be even happier wading out in a trout stream. Their conversation is interrupted by the news that the body of a man wearing only underpants has been found under a waterfall. It’s bad enough when McIntyre figures out that the death was a murder, but the subsequent discovery of a young woman’s semi-nude body suggests that a serial killer is loose in the park. As the twisted murderer prepares for another crime, McIntyre sifts the evidence and reflects that detective work is a lot like trout fishing. Quirky characters amble through the deceptively makeshift plot to an ending that will leave readers eager for more. (Sept.)