Millie knows the raucous mining town of Buckskin Joe is no place for children, but when Dom's Uncle George shows up needing help, the whole family reluctantly heads to South Park. George has been accused of murdering his mining partner, Wandering Will, and although Millie questions his innocence, she finds there are many suspects who wanted Will dead.

There's fancy-girl Queeny, Will's ex-wife, and dancehall-girl Kate, who wanted to be Will's next wife-until he dumped her. Mountain man Kootenay despised Will enough to have dispatched him and the Odd Fellows have seized George and Will's mine, claiming the gold inside is theirs. Even the local lawman might not be trustworthy, although he bakes pies so tasty Millie might kill for them.

Millie's investigation heats up when Dom volunteers to visit the local saloon for some hands-on investigating of Queeny and Kate. Interruptions from hostile Utes, the children's devilment, and the local schoolmistress chasing after Dom make this Millie's most difficult investigation-especially when the killer decides she is getting too close.

Murder at Buckskin Joe weaves a cozy murder mystery with fascinating South Park mining history and lovable, unforgettable historic characters.

J.v. L. Bell