“An outstanding mystery…a compelling portrait of a quiet little town’s big secrets.” Midwest Book Review

1956. Nestled in the picturesque Texas hill country, Colinas is a charming little town where everyone knows everyone, or thinks they do.

When the body of wealthy businessman Sonny Guthire is discovered in an abandoned quarry, suspicion immediately falls on Gilberto Munoz, a resident of the Little Mexico neighborhood.

The investigation falls to Sheriff Hutch Joyner, a quiet, principled man shaped by hardship. A survivor of a brutal WW2 POW camp and a widower still grieving his loss, Hutch believes in justice tempered with mercy. With his faithful golden retriever Friday at his side, he begins to pull at the town’s carefully-knotted secrets. But his inquiry has barely begun when Munoz is found floating in the Big Stone River with a knife in his back.

As accusations and suspicions multiply Hutch finds solace in his deep friendship with Ruth Harnett, a young war widow who owns the town newspaper and is bringing up her young son alone.

Caught up in the case are Guthrie’s enigmatic widow, Sarita; a nightclub dancer with a secret lover; a beloved football hero who has something to hide; and a retired Texas Ranger whose idea of justice leaves little room for restraint.

Hutch’s investigation of a double murder soon becomes something deeper: a reckoning with prejudice, buried loyalties, and the cost of silence in a town determined to protect its image.

This is a richly- textured historical mystery, a tender love story, and an intimate portrait of a man and a town suspended between the past and the future. With immersive detail, emotional depth, and unforgettable characters, it’s a story that lingers long after the final page.

“Dorothy Love transports readers with her captivating storytelling and meticulously-researched details.” Nicky Flowers, Indies Today