Review by Sharon Marchisello
Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win an ebook copy of the book and a link to purchase it.
Murder at the Horse Auction is book #6 in DonnaRae Menard’s Never Too Late historical mystery series featuring Katelyn (Katie) Took, who manages a farm she inherited from her grandmother. She does odd jobs to make ends meet, including taking in boarders and serving as her rural Vermont community’s animal control officer. The story takes place in the mid-1970s. Because this novel is part of a series, many characters appear without much introduction, so it can take a while to figure out who’s who and how everyone is connected.
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In the past, Katie has found her share of dead bodies, investigated murders, and butted heads with the local sheriff. This time, she has promised Marlie to keep her amateur sleuthing on the sidelines. Nevertheless, her curiosity gets the best of her, and she presses Marlie for information about the case.
Katie’s relationship with Marlie is undergoing some tension in this installment. Apparently, Marlie used to live with Katie at the farm, but now she’s moved into a house in town to take care of her elderly grandmother, Sally. Katie suggests that Sally start spending time at the farm while Marlie is at work, bonding with Ruth and Rick, the elderly couple who are like surrogate parents to Katie. Not only does this plan help Sally come out of her shell and feel more useful, it provides more opportunities for Katie and Marlie to see each other—albeit without much physical contact since the people in their lives frown on same-sex romances.
Because Katie has vowed to stay out of the murder investigation, many chapters just detail her life and work on the farm, her interactions with boarders, and her animal control experiences. But eventually, she gets back to sleuthing and makes more progress than Marlie or her colleagues.
The victim, Matthew Paine, is a troubled young man loosely connected with the Amish community who has been dating an “English” girl, despite it being forbidden. The Amish clam up, refusing to answer questions from law enforcement, and Matthew’s girlfriend disappears. Katie tracks down the girlfriend and interviews her, and she befriends the bishop’s wife by fixing some of her feral cats for her. Of course, Katie takes the opportunity to speak with other members of the household, including Matthew’s two sisters and the bishop’s son, Samuel, who was a friend of Matthew.
But Katie pushes too far, and as she gets close to the truth, she finds herself in a fight for her life. This was a complex mystery with multiple suspects, culture clashes, and a few twists to keep the reader guessing.
To enter to win an ebook copy of Murder at the Horse Auction, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "horse auction,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen October 10, 2026. US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via comment please include your email address so we can contact you. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section in Kings River Life and in our mystery category here on KRL News & Reviews. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. And check out our new mystery podcast which features mystery short stories and first chapters read by local actors!
You can click here to purchase this book.
Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.Sharon Marchisello is the author of the DeeLo Myer cat rescue mysteries published by Level Best Books, starting with Trap, Neuter, Die (2024). Her other mysteries were published by Sunbury Press: Going Home (2014), Secrets of the Galapagos (2019), and Murder at Leisure Dreams – Galapagos (2025). She has also written a nonfiction book (Live Well, Grow Wealth - 2018), travel articles, and short stories. She earned Master’s in Professional Writing from the University of Southern California and is active in Sisters in Crime. Sharon lives in Peachtree City, GA, where she does volunteer work for the Fayette Humane Society and the Fayette County Master Gardeners.
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