Bluegrass State of Mind

Okay, now that the turkey has settled and we can all stay up for more than a few hours, it's time to introduce you to some more Kathleen Brooks.  You might remember my first post on this blog, about the Web of Lies series, and Ms. Brooks is the same author who wrote those.  Her first books, however, take place in the small and wonderful town of Keeneston, Kentucky.  I couldn't love this town more if I actually lived there myself.  From the small town ambiance of helping your neighbors and knowing everyone to the three fairy godmothers who run the town.  Those fairy godmothers are important and reoccuring characters, so I'm going to take a moment and mention them now.  Miss Lily Rae, Miss Violet Fae and Miss Daisy Rae Rose are triplets.  Miss Lily runs the Bed and Breakfast and Miss Violet and Miss Daisy run the Blossom Cafe.  Together the three make sure everyone is taken care of, and they run the best betting odds in town.

Bluegrass State of Mind was Ms. Brooks' first book, and it's a doozy!  Kenna Mason has fled New York City and is being chased my some unlikable characters.  There's an entire conspiracy she's gearing to bring down.  She comes to Keeneston for two reasons--First, she remembers that Will Ashton, who she met and hit it off with in her early teens, lives in Keeneston.  Second, she's applied for the Assistant District Attorney job in town.  Upon her arrival she meets the Roses, and her journey starts.  At the horse sales at Keeneland, she reconnects with Will and sparks fly between the two of them.  Between her own credentials and the recommendation of most of the town, she gets the ADA job.  There was this one question about what you do if someone is caught riding a horse drunk... Read it.  It's a funny moment.  As her job continues and she gets more entrenched in town, Kenna worries more and more about Danielle and this conspiracy that she has uncovered.  No one in town knows she's on the run.  Well, almost no one in town.  The mysterious sheikh Mohtadi Ali Rahman knows something, as does his head of security Ahmed.  When bullets start flying, will Kenna know who to trust?

In book two, Risky Shot, Dani comes home to Keeneston.  She has been hiding out in NYC gathering evidence to bring this ring down, and she finally has enough.  When she gets to town, there is an instant connection between her and Mo.  Sparks fly between them, almost literally!  However, Mo's father sees her as nothing more than a grubby little gold digger.  Little does he know that Dani is an incredibly wealthy heiress with a stubborn streak, and the daughter of his favorite Italian wine maker.  Just as all seems to come to an end and it seems like the case is coming to a close, bullets rip the peace of the town to shreds.



Dead Heat is the conclusion to this trilogy of books.  Paige has become close to Kenna and Dani (They're a bit like the Three Musketeers.  At least, that's how I think of them.)  With Dani struggling for her life and Kenna in recovery, and both under Jane Doe status (their names are not recorded for their own safety), the only person who can identify the shooter is Paige.  This makes FBI agent Cole Parker stick to Paige like glue.  Under the guise of being her boyfriend, he moves in.  But neither Paige nor Cole really wants to admit at first that they like the other person.  Between an assassin hunting them down and Cole buying Paige a vacuum--not a good idea, but he tried?--will this case finally get wrapped up?

Yes, yes it does.  And everyone lives happily ever after.

Well, up to the book we're in!! (Which is about eighteen books later.)

I love the Bluegrass books because I love the town that Ms. Brooks has created.  It's a genuine town of loving and caring that still has it's bad seeds, but manages to make you want to live there.  The townspeople take care of each other, know their neighbors, and know just the right thing to say at the right time.  I would definitely read these books, then once you fall in love, the next title to continue the story is Bluegrass Undercover.