RELEASING THE REINS
Catherine Matthews
In the dawning of summer, the rugged landscape of rural Alaska sets the stage for a tale of determination and dark secrets. Headstrong Bunny O’Kelly arrives on the sprawling expanses of Buck Miller’s horse ranch, with the fiery ambition to make a name for herself. Against the backdrop of wild horses and unchecked wilderness, she embarks on a grueling journey to prove her worth, not just as a ranch hand, but as a woman in a world that doesn’t want her.
But when Bunny stumbles upon the shattered remnants of Katie Miller’s life, the ranch transforms into a web of lies. Katie’s fatal accident, long unexamined, whispers of hidden truths and cloaked motives. As Bunny delves deeper, she uncovers a sinister layer to the tragedy and finds herself caught in a dangerous game where her quest for justice could unravel the very fabric of her newfound haven…yet silence could enshrine a killer’s freedom.
Releasing the Reins spurs you to unravel its mysteries. Can Bunny O’Kelly expose the truth when trust shatters and daylight reveals the deadliest secrets?
“It takes writing chops to create a women’s fiction/mystery/modern western mash-up like Releasing the Reins, but author Catherine Matthews does it seamlessly. Set in the wild expanses of Alaska farmland, this debut novel honors the majestic landscape, explores the power of the human/animal connection, and exposes the destructive force of family secrets. Bunny O’Kelly is an intriguing protagonist: smart-witted, strong, stubborn, and a little lost. Her journey to unravel a hidden truth is also a hard path of self-discovery—readers will love her, fear for her, and root for her to find the answers she desperately needs. An up-all-night page-turner.”
– Carla Damron, award-winning author of Justice be Done, The Orchid Tattoo,
and The Stone Necklace.
“Catherine Matthews shines in her debut novel about a young woman taking on gender bias and tackling her past in the ranching world of Alaska. Matthews’s characters are richly drawn, and the book is fast-paced with an edge of danger. A definite page turner. I highly recommend!”
– James D. Shipman, bestselling author of Before the Storm, Beyond the Wire,
and Irena’s War
“Fierce, vivid, and utterly captivating, Releasing the Reins is a must-read for anyone who enjoys hidden truths, rugged wilderness, and characters who are never quite what they seem.”
– S.G. Prince, author of To Poison A King
“Evocative. Suspenseful. Lush. Matthews paints the world of an Alaskan horse ranch with unsurpassed skill, as she takes the reader deep into the tundra, and into the dangerous world of Bunny O’Kelly, a female ranch hand in a world of men. As Bunny fights to carve out a home for herself in this unforgiving terrain, she stumbles upon a mystery that she just cannot leave alone. Does a murderer walk free in this close-knit community? Readers will find themselves devouring pages deep into the night as they join Bunny on her suspenseful quest for the truth and for self-discovery. 5 Stars!”
-Heather E. F. Carter, award-winning author of The Black Unicorn
As I do every morning, I got in my Jeep yesterday, buckled up, and drove off. I was maybe a block from the house when the seatbelt alarm went off. I jammed the tab in with no effect. I unbuckled and re-buckled. Nothing. And then I looked in the passenger seat where my backpack was…
