Fatal Descent

Fatal Descent

Beth Groundwater

Mystery & Thrillers

Between a rock and a hard paddleMandy Tanner and her fiancé Rob are leading an offseason rafting-climbing trip in Utah’s remote Canyonlands. Experienced guides, Mandy and Rob know they have to keep their cool after one of their group, Alex Anderson, appears to have become bear bait. Walled off from the outside world with eleven shell-shocked clients and miles of Colorado River whitewater ahead, Mandy’s nerves threaten to unravel when she learns that Alex’s death was not the work of a homicidal grizzly. Whether it was a crime of passion or the random act of a psychopath, Mandy fears that if they don’t root out the river rat among them, another camper will be running the rapids in a body bag.Praise:“A remarkable book by an author who clearly knows and loves her territory. Don’t miss it!”—William Kent Krueger, New York Times bestselling author of the Cork O’Connor series“Once again, Groundwater, mixing mystery with outdoor adventure, comes up with an excursion that will please most comers.”—Kirkus Reviews“A thrilling journey . . . filled with river lore, vivid descriptions . . . and loving depictions of the varied characters.”—Alfred Hitchcock Mystery MagazineAbout the AuthorBeth Groundwater (Colorado Springs, CO) was an avid "river rat" in the 1980s. Her book, A Real Basket Case (Five Star Publishing), was a 2007 Agatha Award finalist for Best First Novel. She is the author of several award-winning stories and holds key positions in local chapters of Mystery Writers of America and other writing associations.Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.Open publication - Free publishing
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A Real Basket Case

A Real Basket Case

Beth Groundwater

Mystery & Thrillers

From BooklistClaire Hanover, a Colorado Springs housewife who has started a gift-basket business, is feeling lonely and unloved by her work-obsessed husband. Her best friend, Ellen, divorced and bitter, urges her to attend an aerobics class. When the handsome instructor, Enrique, flirts with Claire, Ellen tells her to have an affair with him. Claire agrees only to a massage. After Enrique is shot and killed while giving Claire the massage, the police arrest her husband, Roger. Claire realizes that she has jeopardized her marriage and her husband, whom she still loves. She is sure that someone has framed him and sets out to prove it. As she investigates, she learns that there are many people who could have killed Enrique, ex-girlfriends and drug-dealing cohorts among them. Spying on drug dealers, confronting angry aerobics classmates who are now suspects, and screwing up gift-basket deliveries, not to mention a breaking-and-entering charge, complicate Claire's life, but she carries on, determined to save her husband and marriage. This will appeal to Desperate Housewives fans and those who like cozies with a bit of spice. Barbara BibelCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reservedAbout the AuthorBeth Groundwater (Colorado Springs, CO) was an avid "river rat" in the 1980s. Her book, A Real Basket Case (Five Star Publishing), was a 2007 Agatha Award finalist for Best First Novel. She is the author of several award-winning stories and holds key positions in local chapters of Mystery Writers of America and other writing associations.
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Deadly Currents

Deadly Currents

Beth Groundwater

Mystery & Thrillers

A new series from award-winning author Beth GroundwaterThe Arkansas River, heart and soul of Salida, Colorado, fuels the small town’s economy and thrums in the blood of river ranger Mandy Tanner. When a whitewater rafting accident occurs, she deftly executes a rescue, but a man dies anyway. Turns out, it wasn’t the rapids that killed him—he was murdered. Tom King was a rich land developer with bitter business rivals, who cheated on his wife, refused to support his kayak-obsessed son, and infuriated environmentalists.       Mandy’s world is upended again when tragedy strikes closer to home. Suspicious that the most recent death is connected to Tom King’s murder, Mandy goes on an emotionally turbulent quest for the truth—and ends up in dangerous waters.Praise:"Groundwater's novel is filled with river lore, vivid descriptions, and loving depictions of the varied characters who make up the tight-knit community."—ALFRED HITCHCOCK MYSTERY MAGAZINE"A remarkable book by an author who clearly knows and loves her territory. Don’t miss it!"—NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author WILLIAM KENT KRUEGER "Comes rushing at you from the first page like roiling whitewater, and culminates in a riveting climax that lives up to this book's name. If you like outdoor adventure and gripping characters, this one's a must-read."—SANDI AULT, Mary Higgins Clark and WILLA Award-winning author of the WILD Mystery series“A heart-racing debut with as many twists and turns and unexpected upsets as a ride through the rapids itself.”—MARGARET COEL, author of The Silent SpringFrom Publishers WeeklyThis enjoyable first in a new cozy series from Groundwater (To Hell in a Handbasket) introduces Mandy Tanner, "a brand new seasonal river ranger" on Colorado's Arkansas River. When Mandy goes to the rescue of two people swept overboard while whitewater rafting, she manages to save only one. The death of real estate developer Tom King, of an apparent heart attack, threatens the viability of Mandy's uncle's rafting business, which provided the guide and equipment King used. Determined to prove that King's death wasn't her uncle's fault, Mandy is vindicated after the autopsy reveals that the developer was poisoned. Plenty of people wanted King dead, including his wife, upset by his philandering, and a business rival. The authentic details of whitewater rafting compensate for the routine detection and the less than compelling vicissitudes of Mandy's love life. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved. From BooklistGroundwater (A Real Basket Case, 2007) launches a new, action-packed series featuring white-water guide Mandy Tanner. Mandy, a river ranger at her uncle's white-water rafting business, pulls a man from the river as part of her first day on the job. The man dies, but he did not drown. The victim, Tom King, was a real-estate developer with lots of nasty rivals. He also cheated on his wife and refused to support his son, an avid kayaker. He managed to make many environmentalists very unhappy, too. When Mandy's uncle dies suddenly, she suspects something more than a heart attack and wonders whether the two deaths are related. Her independent investigation leads her through some very rough water. Readers who enjoy fast-moving stories and wilderness environments will keep turning the pages of this promising series debut. --Barbara Bibel
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To Hell in a Handbasket

To Hell in a Handbasket

Beth Groundwater

Mystery & Thrillers

It's snow accident when a young woman's icy demise sends Claire's vacation to hell in a handbasketSkiing with her family in Breckenridge, Colorado, gift basket designer Claire Hanover hears a terrified scream cut the frigid mountain air. She is horror-stricken to find Stephanie Contino, the sister of her daughter's boyfriend, dead on the slopes. While everyone else assumes the death was an accident, Claire is suspicious of the extra ski tracks that cross dangerously into Stephanie's path. But the police are skeptical of foul play, even as more signs point to murder.When incriminating clues put her daughter Judy in danger, Claire investigates and finds trouble around every mogul. Between interviewing a daredevil snowboarder and giving ski lessons to a drug boss, she uncovers a chilling conspiracy that could turn deadly for her family.Praise: "Groundwater's second leaves the bunny slope behind, offering some genuine black-diamond thrills." - Kirkus Reviews"Will appeal to Desperate Housewives fans and those  who like cozies with a bit of spice." - Booklist
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Wicked Eddies

Wicked Eddies

Beth Groundwater

Mystery & Thrillers

Book two in the RM Outdoor Adventure Mystery series by Agatha Award finalist Beth Groundwater.Fly fishing is dangerous? River ranger Mandy Tanner had no idea until days before a huge tournament in Salida, Colorado. True, the Arkansas River can be a man-eater, but the rapids weren’t responsible for driving a hatchet into the neck of would-be competitor Howie Abbott—a secretive man who may have been cheating. While casting about for suspects, Mandy seeks clues from Abbott’s family members, including her best friend, bartender Cynthia Abbott. But when Cynthia becomes the prime suspect, Mandy realizes that trolling for the true killer has plunged her way too deep into wicked eddies.About the AuthorBeth Groundwater (Colorado Springs, CO) was an avid "river rat" in the 1980s. Her book, A Real Basket Case (Five Star Publishing), was a 2007 Agatha Award finalist for Best First Novel. She is the author of several award-winning stories and holds key positions in local chapters of Mystery Writers of America and other writing associations.
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