I know, two book reviews in one week!
Nothing is worse than reading a book with horses and the text reads like this: Ashley put the halter on the stallion's head. She mounts Thunderbolt and picks up the bridle. Slowly she gallops across the meadow, black mane flowing in the breeze. She sees her true love, leaps from her red horse, and runs into Dirks awaiting arms. While we as horse people are screaming. . . it's a bridle and your picking up the reins. How exactly do you gallop slowly and I sure hope your horse doesn't break his leg in the meadow. Oh and when you leap off the the still galloping horse (of an completely unknown horse color) back into Dirk's arm, what happened to your horse. We have all read them and we all hate them right?
Going Gone is not like that. Knowing that Laura Crum is an actual real live equestrian made me really want to read her book. So when her publisher offered a copy of the book to any blogger who would read and review it. I jumped at the chance. I mentioned a few days ago that I finally picked it up and started to read. I took Going, Gone out to the pasture and started reading.
With my horses grazing around me, I started reading Gail McCarthy's adventure. She left on vacation with her family and horses to Gail's old flame's ranch. Moments after they get the horses settled and set up camp, Lonny and her childhood friend, now a deputy, Bret pull up. Bret is arresting Lonny for the murder of his girlfriend. From there Gail tries to figure out what happened. I really got into Gail's character because she does all those things I wish I could. For example, being nosier than she really should be. So I really loved going along for the ride to find out who the real murderer was. I was guessing until the end, and I have to admit, I didn't know. A lot of time I am able to catch on to who the killer is, but the end was a surprise.
Why I really liked this story though, is because the author actually knows about horses. So when she says that the horse was wearing a halter, I know he was. The horse doesn't just run, he gallops, trot, jogs, lopes, walks, and canters also. And the horse does them at the correct time. They munch on hay, nicker, whinny, and stomp away flies. When Gail is out on a trail, she does all those things that any equestrian would. In short, it is believable.
Not often do you find a good author that tells a compelling story and gets the facts right when it comes to our beloved equines. Laura Crum does and it was such a treat that I am going to be adding her first 10 books to my reading list!
