In the aftermath of divorce and the loss of both parents, Jenn Fisher, who is suspected of killing her ailing father, finds redemption in the mountains of Idaho with the help of her two best friends and her parents’ feisty trail riding buddies.

WHILE STILL REELING from her mother Helen’s apparent suicide, recently divorced Jenn Fisher is suspected of giving a lethal dose of painkillers to her ailing father. The year that follows is a series of failed attempts at avoiding her grief and guilt. With an impulsive second marriage on the brink of ruin and a tenacious detective digging into her past, Jenn escapes to a quiet cabin on Ponderosa Lake to focus on healing. When even this isn’t enough to temper her demons, she travels by horseback and pack mules into the mountains of Idaho with her two best friends and her parents’ trail riding buddies. There, ranch women Glynis Wheeler and Barbara ‘Bo’ Simms teach Jenn the art of forgiveness as she unravels the mystery that could set her free.

Comparable titles:

The Secrets She Keeps by Deb Caletti: Three women coming to terms with love and marriage in an inter-generational, duel-timeline narrative in a western setting, with elements of mystery and the friendship of women. (Examining the past to solve a mystery. Horses/ranching backdrop.)

When I Killed My Father by Janice Byrne Barry: A thriller that addresses family-assisted suicide. This novel is about a man caught between what is compassionate and what is legal.

Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy:A woman helps her sister recover from trauma while trying to unravel a murder mystery. (Using nature to recover from trauma. Murder mystery elements. Rugged setting)

The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes: A woman’s quest for independence in landscapes requiring the use of packhorses.

Untamed by Glennon Doyle: A woman’s journey of self-discovery and empowerment after divorce/loss.

Wild by Cheryl Strayed: Exploring profound grief and healing after the author's mother dies, prompting her to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. (Incorporating nature into the healing process.)