"Blood Ties"

I just discovered Lori G. Armstrong and her PI Julie Collins series by reading the first book in the series, "Blood Ties."  Julie Collins has a lot to deal with in her past -- the death of her mother and the unsolved murder of her Lakota half-brother three years ago.  She's taken a clerical job in the Bear Butte County Sheriff's office in hopes of finding clues that might lead to her half-brother's murderer because she doesn't think anyone in law enforcement is particularly interested in solving the case.  She also works part-time as a PI in her off duty hours with her childhood friend, Kevin Wells.  He's involved in a relationship with a woman she doesn't like and she's involved herself in a dead-end relationship.  Julie seems more interested in having a warm male body in her bed than in making good choices on the romantic front.

Julie's life changes when the body of a 16-year-old white girl is discovered in nearby Rapid Creek and there are some similarities to her half-brother's death but this being a young white girl is certain to get more attention to getting it solved.  In the meantime, she and Kevin are working on the same case because he was hired by the girl's boyfriend to find her when she went missing.  As they continue their investigation, family secrets are uncovered putting additional lives at risk.

I've just downloaded "Hallowed Ground," the second book in the series on my Kindle because it's not available at my local library.  Although my preference is to sit down with an actual book, my husband's gift of a Kindle Paperwhite to me for Christmas has opened up a whole new world for me and I love having that second option!  pazt