Honky Tonk Kat (Kat Colorado Mysteries)

The formidable Kat Colorado comes to the aid of a childhood friend in Karen Kijewski's latest thriller, set against the backdrop of Nashville's country music scene. In the age of tabloid TV, talk-show mania, and crazed paparazzi, it's hardly unusual to hear of a celebrity being harassed by an overzealous fan. But when superstar country entertainer Dakota Jones begins receiving threatening letters, then finds dead roses on her bed, she fears it's not the work of your run-of-the-mill kook. At Dakota's urging, Kat joins her friend's tour to investigate the case. Dakota's concerned, but Kat is genuinely scared - she's seen this kind of thing before. As the pranks escalate into full-fledged violence, from explosions to murder, the threat to Dakota's personal safety becomes dire. Kat urges her friend to cut back on her performances and stay out of the limelight to protect herself and her crew. Meanwhile, Kat digs deep into their shared past, searching for clues and a lead on possible suspects. There seems to be no shortage of potential stalkers, and even Dakota's extended family is not above Kat's scrutiny, especially when long-lost relations turn up like so much loose change. There's a mysterious cousin with designs on a music career of her own; a boyfriend whose interests are not entirely altruistic; and Dakota's ex-husband, a bitter alcoholic whose own career faded as her star began to rise. It appears everyone has a claim to Dakota the celebrity - and it's up to Kat to protect Dakota the woman, her friend.