Simply Dead - by Pat Arneson (Paperback)

About the Book

She walked away from danger. Death followed her.

Therapist Abby Maguire is no stranger to violence. After years of counseling killers and

victims, she needs a break-instead, she is surrounded by secrets, sabotage, and murder.

Book Synopsis

"I fell in love with the protagonist...and the rest of the colorful cast...Intriguing with lots of potential suspects and several non-obvious twists. I hope Abby Maguire will be back in another book..." Dean Hovey, award-winning author of the Doug Fletcher, Whistling Pines, and Pine County mysteries.

Suspenseful, deeply moving-a gripping murder mystery laced with hope, healing and laughter

She walked away from danger. Death followed her.

Therapist Abby Maguire is no stranger to violence. After years of counseling killers and

victims, she needs a break. Her new job doing Equine-assisted Therapy should have been a

stroll in the countryside-instead, she is surrounded by secrets, sabotage, and murder.

Abby struggles to escape her own past, while grappling with ghosts in the hearts of others.

Headstrong and relentless, Abby won't stop until she finds the truth-unless the killer finds

her first.

The serenity of the natural countryside captivates Abby Maguire-a life raft from a career

treating trauma that's left her with no shortage of trauma herself. But the beauty that soothes

and delights her soon proves to hide dangerous secrets. The aftereffects of Abby's career take a

continuing toll, and as she helps a new coworker navigate his own combat-related PTSD, the

destruction that unfolds around them exacerbates both. Seeking healing and finding violence,

she finds herself overwhelmed by an environment turned harsh and demanding. She doesn't

trust easily, but when the killer's sights land upon Abby herself, she doesn't know if she can

trust anyone at all.

Review Quotes

I was offered the opportunity to review Pat Arneson's, "Simply Dead." I fell in love with

her protagonist, Abby Maguire and the rest of the book's colorful cast. Abby is a

therapist who travels around the country, taking short term temporary assignments,

landing at a horse therapy ranch in rural Minnesota. The opening chapters expose you

to Abby's struggles gaining "horse experience" as she gets to know the ranch's staff and

volunteers. Then Abby literally stumbles upon a body.

Pat does a great job of creating interesting, flawed characters who held my attention.

There are scenes that made me cringe as Abby does stupid things armed only with her

trusty Maglite. Other scenes brought tears to my eyes. The mystery was intriguing with

lots of potential suspects and several non-obvious twists.

I hope Abby Maguire will be back in another book in the not too distant future.

Dean Hovey, award-winning author of the Doug Fletcher, Whistling Pines, and

Pine County mysteries.