Murder In The Winner's Circle: A Harness Racing Mystery

5 Star Review

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Editorial Book Review:

By Roxy Steph

M. J. Evans knows the backstretch the way only someone who has spent real time there can know it: the barn politics, the syndication deals, the blood testing before a big race, the particular community of people who live by a world most outsiders never get to see. That insider knowledge is the secret engine of Murder in the Winner's Circle, and it gives the book a texture that cozy mysteries set in more familiar locations simply cannot replicate.

Callie is the kind of protagonist who earns your trust early and keeps it. Newlywed, former insurance investigator, horsewoman to her bones, she is settling back into life at Liberty Racetrack when flamboyant owner Alfred Wellington collapses during his own victory celebration. What follows is a murder investigation with a genuinely crowded field of suspects: an unhappy wife, a secretive trainer, a resentful former spouse, and a business partner whose polished manner conceals serious trouble. Evans manages this ensemble with the assurance of a writer who knows exactly where each thread leads and how to make each suspect feel genuinely possible without tipping her hand too early.

What distinguishes this series from the wider cozy mystery landscape is how specifically rendered the harness racing world is. The racing sequences have real energy. The barn scenes feel comfortable and specific in ways that only come from authentic knowledge. And Callie's bond with her horse Sunny gives the novel an emotional center that carries through the investigation and into the epilogue with genuine warmth. Literary Titan gave it five stars and called it a mystery that delivers a clever crime, a memorable sporting world, and characters whose company feels as welcome as a familiar barn at sunrise.

For readers who love their mysteries steeped in a richly specific world, populated by characters who feel genuinely alive inside it, this series is building into something very satisfying indeed. Evans has found a corner of the cozy mystery genre that belongs entirely to her.

About the Author

M. J. Evans

M. J. Evans is a graduate of Oregon State University, a lifelong equestrian, and a former secondary school teacher. She lives in Colorado with her husband, Tom, their five children, three horses, and two standard poodles.

A lifelong lover of writing and imagination, Evans has always enjoyed creating stories and memorable characters, many of which are inspired by her deep love of horses. Her work includes the nonfiction equestrian trail guide series Riding Colorado, Riding Colorado II, and Riding Colorado III, as well as her fantasy novels.

Evans is the author of The Mist Trilogy, a series centered on noble and extraordinary horses who become unicorns in the afterlife. The trilogy includes Behind the Mist, Mists of Darkness, and The Rising Mist. She is also the proud recipient of a first place award in the Purple Dragonfly Book Awards for North Mystic, her allegorical novel inspired by the American Revolutionary War.

Throughout her life, Evans has known and loved many remarkable horses, inspiring her to create a blog dedicated to sharing the stories of famous and beloved horses. She also enjoys riding trails through the beautiful Colorado mountains and competing in Dressage.

When she is not at her computer creating her next story, Evans can most often be found in the saddle.