BOOK REVIEW: Cow Crimes and the Mustang Menace 

 

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by Laura V. Hilton

Dancing Word Reviewer

 

Title: Cow Crimes and the Mustang Menace

Author: Sharon Dunn

Publisher: Kregel Publications

May 2005

ISBN: 0-8454-2490-9

Genre: Inspirational/Mystery

Ruby Taylor’s place of employment has been robbed twice in as many weeks—and other local farm supply businesses and ranches are targeted too. The thieves are following a pattern –robberies are occurring every Thursday night without fail. Ruby and her boss hide in the feed store to try to catch the thieves themselves, but even so, the robbers come and get away with several items, among them Ruby’s boss’s cat, Her Majesty.

Ruby and her friend, Wesley, are supposed to baby-sit Wesley’s sister’s kids, but soon after they start, Wesley disappears, leaving Ruby to attempt to control the kids herself. Peanut butter painted walls and several messes later, Wesley’s sister finally comes home, and Ruby starts looking for Wesley to give him a piece of  her mind. But his vehicle is parked along side of the road, and there are blood stains in the seat. Is it Wesley’s blood or someone elses? Does his disappearance have anything to do with the recent robberies?

Even though Cow Crimes and the Mustang Menace is the third book in Ms. Dunn’s Ruby Taylor Mysteries series it easily stands alone. However readers will want to read the first two books in the series just to be brought up to speed on when certain events happen in Ruby’s life. Ruby is a delightful real character and I couldn’t wait to see what happens next. She seems to land in scrapes without much effort and is able to make friends easily when she gets caught. I admire that about her.

Since the book is written in first person, I didn’t connect with Wesley or other characters as much as I would have liked, but they are still authentic. Ms. Dunn kept me on the edge of my seat from the first page of Cow Crimes and the Mustang Menace all the way to the final pages. I highly recommend this book. 284 pages. $12.99.