Breakaway
A
Gail McCarthy Mystery
Laura
Crum
St. Martin's MInotaur (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-312-27181-6 (0312271816)
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-27181-7 (9780312271817)
Publication Date: July 2001
List Price: $22.95
Synopsis
(from
the publisher): Veterinarian Gail McCarthy has been working with horses
for years and will take over the practice when her boss retires. She
has seen many different problems, but nothing could have prepared her
for her newest call.
Early on a Saturday morning, Gail receives a disturbing phone call from
a local woman, Nicole, who believes that her mare has been sexually
violated during the night. Gail confirms Nicole's suspicions and urges
her to call the police. Whoever would do this to a horse is clearly a
dangerous person and shouldn't be at large, but Nicole refuses to take
any action.
However, the situation turns more dangerous. One night when Gail and
her best friend, Kris, return from dinner, Kris finds her
fifteen-year-old daughter knocked unconscious and their horse violated.
Gail is determined to find answers before more lives are put a risk. It
takes some ingenuity and the help of a friend on the police force to
discover the perpetrator, who may also be wanted for murder.
Review:
Breakaway
by Laura Crum is the sixth book to feature Santa Cruz horse
veterinarian Gail McCarthy and is more of a character study than a
mystery.
Gail is depressed, and the author spends a significant number of pages
detailing her condition and her reluctance to deal with it. Between
bouts of depression, Gail makes her rounds, tries to maintain her
interpersonal relationships, and gets involved with a crime against a
horse and ultimately a murder.
Crum maintains an adequate level of suspense throughout the book,
especially when Gail is alone on horseback, but the mystery itself is
unsatisfactory and the perpetrator of the crime a minor character.
This mystery series has, to date, been a fine one. It's possible that Breakaway is just a
disappointing stumble in Gail McCarthy's journey.
Review Copyright © 2001 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved.
Mysteries in this series ...
Cutter
St. Martin's Press (Hardcover), July 1994
ISBN-10: 0-312-10960-1 (0312109601)
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-10960-8 (9780312109608)
Hoofprints
St. Martin's Press (Hardcover), January 1996
ISBN-10: 0-312-13983-7 (0312139837)
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-13983-4 (9780312139834)
Roughstock
St. Martin's Press (Hardcover), August 1997
ISBN-10: 0-312-15643-X (031215643X)
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-15643-5 (9780312156435)
Roped
St. Martin's Press (Hardcover), September 1998
ISBN-10: 0-312-19325-4 (0312193254)
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-19325-6 (9780312193256)
Slickrock
St. Martin's Press (Hardcover), October 1999
ISBN-10: 0-312-20910-X (031220910X)
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-20910-0 (9780312209100)
Breakaway
St. Martin's Minotaur (Hardcover), July 2001
ISBN-10: 0-312-27181-6 (0312271816)
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-27181-7 (9780312271817)
Hayburner
St. Martin's Minotaur (Hardcover), January 2003
ISBN-10: 0-312-29047-0 (0312290470)
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-29047-4 (9780312290474)
Forged
St. Martin's Minotaur (Hardcover), June 2004
ISBN-10: 0-312-32327-1 (0312323271)
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-32327-1 (9780312323271)
Moonblind
Perseverance Press (Trade Paperback), September 2006
ISBN-10: 1-880284-90-1 (1880284901)
ISBN-13: 978-1-880284-90-2 (9781880284902)
Chasing Cans
Perseverance Press (Trade Paperback), March 2008
ISBN-10: 1-880284-94-4 (1880284944)
ISBN-13: 978-1-880284-94-0 (9781880284940)
Omnimystery keywords for Breakaway ...
Location(s) referenced: Santa Cruz, California.