Wind and Bones by Kristin Marra

Publisher:       Bold Strokes Books

Jill O’Hara returns reluctantly to her hometown in Montana to oversee her father’s funeral and settle his estate.  This is meant to be a quick trip, but she is caught up in a land battle with local survivalists that drags out her stay.  She also becomes involved with two different women.  One is Annie Doyle, her first love, who betrayed her many years before, but seems intent on reeling Jill back in.  This is especially complicated since Annie is married to one of the leaders of the extremists.  The other woman is the local sheriff, Rae Terabian, who has a fondness for riding around on a motorcycle in her black leathers.  Each woman represents her own type of danger.  Jill has to decide which woman is more appealing while maneuvering through the frightening political situation in the area.

Wind and Bones is Kristin Marra’s debut book.  The characters are fairly well drawn and the story moves along at a good pace.  One of the most interesting characters is the treacherous Annie.  Trying to figure out exactly what her game is makes up a good part of the book.  The suspense plays out well and some good love scenes are included.  The descriptions of Montana are important components of the story.  Anyone who has visited that state will recognize the environment and the wildness of the area contributes to the plot.   

Marra has written an entertaining book.  While it’s not unique for the genre and not a sophisticated or demanding book to read, it is fine for a few hours of escapism.