Once out on the trail an old friend of Mama’s falls dead after eating his famous Cow Hunter Chili. Doc Abel pronounces it natural causes, and everyone knows Lawton Bramble’s heart wasn’t all that good, but Mace isn’t sure. Trophy wife Wynonna plays the part of the grieving widow well, son Trace, on whom Mace had a crush in high school, goes on a week-long bender and daughter Belle appears to withdraw into her photography, but something still doesn’t seem right to Mace. 

When her two sisters, Maddie and Marty show up, plus Mama's fiancé Sal and Mace’s former love Carlos in town, things start to get complicated. Trace is showing Mace some extra attention, making Carlos jealous, even though he and Mace are officially no longer together. Mace and her sisters are getting to know Sal and are getting comfortable with him, even though Mace once thought him to be a murder suspect. Mace is persistent, though and when Doc is shot, she is even more certain that Lawton’s death was murder, she’s just not sure of the motive. 

Mace is a very strong-willed character with a good, if somewhat sarcastic, sense of humor. She tries very hard to be independent, but finds it tough with hunky Carlos around and high school crush Trace finally paying her some attention. The setting of “the other Florida” is very interesting, as the rugged history of the state is easily woven into the plot. 

A mystery that starts out looking very easy to solve develops some twists and turns along the way that will keep the reader guessing about at least some aspects of it until the end. Mace’s sisters and Sal add to the hilarity, though given Mama’s track record, no one had better get to used to him. Rattlesnakes and swarming bees round out this view of Florida off the beaten path.                               

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry