CRY OF THE WOLF - Elaine Barbieri
Leisure
ISBN-10: 0-8439-6013-2
ISBN-13: 978-0-8439-6013-6
June 2008
Historical Romance, Western

New York City; Oklahoma; Texas - Nineteenth Century

Letty Wolf hired the Pinkertons to search for her three estranged daughters. She offered to reinstate them in her will if they will return to New York City. So far, the two eldest were found, but both have refused her proposal. The youngest daughter, Justine, seems to have disappeared off the map, but Letty is praying that the agent will be able to find her soon.

Camille Marcel, a.k.a. Justine Fitzsimmons, has just taken a job as cook-housekeeper for old Pop Cooper on his cattle ranch. He felt sorry for her circumstances after she was left behind by the acting troupe she'd been traveling with -- left to pay off all of their debts. What Justine doesn't tell Pop is that she hasn't the foggiest idea how to clean a house, let alone cook for him and his cowboys. They find out soon enough after blackened meal after blackened meal hits the table. So when Pop runs into a cowboy in town who seems interested in helping out, he hires him, unaware that the man is working for a Pinkerton agent who is looking for Justine.

Ryder Knowles owes his friend, otherwise he'd never be stuck in this kitchen with a drop-dead beautiful woman trying to teach her how to cook. There is something mysterious about her, though, as she claims to have heard a wolf howling, and Ryder is pretty sure there aren't any wolves in the territory. But when he, too, hears and sees the wolf the night "Camille" is injured, Ryder begins to wonder just what he's gotten himself into.

In the meantime, back in New York City, Mason Little, Letty Wolf's heir if all three of her daughters refuse her offer, is determined to get his inheritance sooner, rather than later. He plots with local thugs to try to kill Letty's last lover, and when that fails, to get Letty committed to a sanitarium because of her claim to hear wolves howling. Little will stop at nothing, including murder, to get "his" money.

Lots of characters filter in and out of this story as Justine struggles with dealing with her visions as well as getting back to her sisters. Ryder, strong, handsome, and determined to protect Justine, is only sure of his feelings for her, and that he'll find an answer to the howling wolf and to her search. Justine's sisters and their men are heading towards Texas with the hope that they can reunite and find the source of the wolf and the visions they all have. And Letty just wants some closure to the foolish decisions she made as a young woman.

CRY OF THE WOLF is an interesting, thought-provoking story where villains eventually get their comeuppance, excitement abounds, and the power of love is sure to prevail. Nicely written, this book concludes the story of the three sisters that began with SIGN OF THE WOLF and NIGHT OF THE WOLF, although this novel can easily stand alone.

Jani Brooks