Competition can certainly be a killer! Set in southern California in the equestrian sport of Eventing, Emily arrives at the barn to find her boss dead in a stall. Not a great way to start the day, especially when she has to defend the innocent horse being blamed as the murderer to the handsome homicide detective, Justin. Emily and Justin team up to find the true killer, all the while she tries to hide her own secrets. This story has everything you’d want in a mystery—action, suspense, and an amazing cast sprinkled with quirky fun and danger. “Cause for Elimination” is a must-read page-turner.

Cause For Elimination by Marla A. White tells the story of Emily Conners, a horse lover. Emily’s boss, Pamela Yates, has been viciously murdered, and Emily is determined to prove it. Justin Butler is a detective that happens to be handsome and wealthy. He wants to solve the Pamela Yates case, but things aren’t easy, and his interest in Emily isn’t helping.

The characters in the story are wonderfully written and have the reader questioning their motives and wondering just what they might do next. Emily’s character has depth and an engaging storyline that has you wondering about the things people get up to when you are not looking. The secondary characters are superb. Lottie, Emily’s best friend, easily makes the story more light and fun. Dennis, Justin’s colleague, and friend is the perfect voice of reason and usually brings Justin to his senses. The characters provide enough entertainment to keep you turning the pages.

The story’s setting is set in such a way that it’s a stunning backdrop for mystery and adventure. Emily’s love for horses brings a lovely element to the story. Horse lovers will cheer and gasp at the interesting way horses are woven into the story. Those new to all things horses might find themselves curious about these magnificent animals. The story also has another case, besides Pamela Yates’s murder, that brings friction and mayhem, which is interesting and keeps the reader glued to the story. Marla A. White has created a story that explores the lengths people will go to hide things. She’s written a tale many readers will enjoy and remember after closing the book.

Cause for Elimination by Marla A. White is a wonderful and entertaining read and perfect for those who love a riveting murder mystery with a dash of romance.

I love everything about this book! I only wish I could give it six stars. Marla White has expertly fashioned a mystery set in the horse world which focuses on a young woman, Emily, who works as a trainer. She is struggling mentally and physically to recover from a prior horrific jumping accident and the author treats the character's dependence on painkillers with informed compassion. I was hooked from the moment I started Chapter One and read Emily's thoughts to herself as she finds her boss murdered at their stable. The introduction of a handsome police detective and his snarky partner launch us right into the mystery, while also learning a great deal about the main players. The author cleverly weaves together each successive chapter building suspense throughout the book as Emily and Justin work overtime with her hilarious best friend and his sarcastic police detective partner to unravel the enigma of two murders at Emily's barn—and repeated efforts to harm several of the main players. The characters are wonderfully written—with intelligence, humor, and real world troubles. The dialogue is snappy and believable; I would love to meet any of them in real life. I could not stop laughing when the protagonist asked her love interest if he "noticed every time we get together at least one of us ends up requiring medical care?" In particular, my compliments to the author on her extensive horse knowledge which she threads skillfully into her story—and her marvelous descriptions of the eventing world with all the surface glamour and hard work that goes on behind the scenes at the barns. Ms. White revealed the details related to the central mystery and the "bad guy" deftly and cleverly, with just the right amount of information to help you solve the puzzle right at the end. I highly recommend this extremely engaging book to anyone looking for an action-packed equine adventure with a strong dollop of romance; it is impossible to put down. I really hope to see these characters in another mystery soon! In the meantime, I am off to order the author's latest book.