Ten-year-old Rebecca Whitman witnesses a murder in a Chicago alleyway and knows the police arrested the wrong man. A drive for justice inspires her to become a court stenographer--an unusual career path for a woman at the turn of the 20th century. Her new job takes her to Kalispell, MT, a town barely removed from its Wild West days and full of new money, community pride, and women suffragists. Kalispell's brand-new Carnegie library is led by Mark Andrews, a prominent rancher's son whose father threatens to disown him if he pursues this intellectual career. When murder comes to town, Rebecca and Mark team up to find the truth. This is a valuable author partnership merging Peterson's ("Love on the Santa Fe" series) attention to historical detail with Woodhouse's ("Secrets of the Canyon" series) cozy-mystery acumen. Strong themes of justice and redemption shine through a somewhat predictable plot. VERDICT Readers looking for a clear gospel message, as found in the novels of Janette Oke, Gilbert Morris, and Lauraine Snelling, will want to begin this new series.

The best-selling duo Peterson and Woodhouse takes readers to Kalispell, Montana, in the first installment in their Jewels of Kalispell series. In January 1904, Rebecca Whitman leaves Chicago to become the "first female court stenographer in all of Montana." She has a keen sense of justice after witnessing a crime as a child only to have no one listen to her. The son of a rancher, Mark Andrews has returned to Montana after college to become the director of the new Carnegie Library in Kalispell. His father objects to his career choice and wants him to return to ranching. Certainly Mark's newly married sister, Kate, loves working on the ranch. Rebecca's favorite novels are mysteries, so it makes sense that when a major crime occurs right in Kalispell, she enlists Mark's help in solving the case. She also passionately believes that the accused is innocent, which brings back memories of a childhood experience. Rebecca finds faith, relationships, and her calling in Kalispell. An outstanding western romance that will have readers looking forward to the next in the series.