She may be an heiress, but she’s no debutante
Miss Ruffles Inherits Everything by Nancy Martin St. Martin's Press Minotaur Books Pub Date Nov 3, 2015 Description Sunny McKillip moved to the small town of Mule Stop, Texas, to take a position as a professor's assistant at the local university. Shortly after she arrives, however, the professor is fired, leaving Sunny desperate for work. Still, she's not quite prepared for the odd job she winds up taking: personal assistant to Honeybelle Hensley, Mule Stop's wealthy, elderly matriarch. Sunny isn't quite sure what her job description is, but a lot of it seems to involve taking care of Miss Ruffles, Honeybelle's incorrigible dog, who'd just as soon eat your shoes as look at them. But Sunny's job becomes even stranger when Honeybelle dies and leaves all her worldly fortune to Miss Ruffles...and leaves Miss Ruffles in Sunny's care. Sunny is rightfully concerned for Miss Ruffles' safety, but as she learns more about Honeybelle's last days, Sunny also begins to wonder if there was more to Honeybelle's death than meets the eye. Sunny quickly finds herself deeply embroiled in the politics of a small town and its ruling family, with a cowboy lawyer scrutinizing her every move and a killer on the loose...a killer who might be coming after Sunny next. Review Miss Ruffles Inherits Everything is a fun, fast-paced novel certain to delight animal and mystery lovers alike. Filled with humor, excitement, more than a little over-the-top Texas crazy, and an amazing canine lead, Nancy Martin’s newest novel is a winner. Everything is bigger and bolder in Texas, and the residents of Mule Stop take their reputation seriously, particularly Honeybee Hensley. The richest woman in town, she has her finger in every pie. Her constant companion is Miss Ruffles, a Texas cattle cur with a liking for mischief. When Sunny moved to Mule Stop, she expected a position as an administrative assistant at the local university. The position disappeared when her prospective boss was fired, leaving her desperate for a job. As Honeybelle’s personal assistant, her main responsibility is to care for Miss Ruffles, who treats finding trouble as an art form. When Honeybelle dies unexpectedly and her fortune is left to Miss Ruffles - who Sunny is to continue caring for, few are more shocked than Sunny. But riches don’t come easily, and there are those who might harm Miss Ruffles in order to gain her inheritance. Furthermore, the circumstances surrounding Honeybelle’s death seem suspicious. Was she murdered? Is someone close a killer? When Miss Ruffles is dognapped, Sunny is desperate to rescue her, but doesn’t know who she can trust. Texas cattle cur is a broad term for a group of similar working breeds who are used for hunting and herding. Working dogs are intelligent and high energy, frequently finding unique ways to entertain themselves when they aren’t given enough physical and mental stimulation. Miss Ruffles is mischievous and more than willing to nip someone if she thinks they deserve it, but she isn’t an aggressive dog. Miss Ruffles Inherits Everything is a mystery that dog lovers will greatly enjoy. Even if you aren’t an animal aficionado, the wild antics and over the top characters make for an enjoyable read. 5/5 I received a copy of Miss Ruffles Inherits Everything from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. —Crittermom http://muttcafe.com/2015/11/miss-ruffles-inherits-everything/
