Dead of Summer - Liz Milliron

The Laurel Highlands seem idyllic, but for Trooper First Class Jim Duncan and Fayette County assistant public defender Sally Castle, it's anything but peaceful.

Len Taylor lives for the 4-H, but he has a nasty habit. He's abrasive, abusive, and generally rubs everyone the wrong way. So it's not really a surprise when someone confronts him about it – except that the confrontation ended with Len stabbed through the throat with a hay hook. Now Jim Duncan and Sally Castle have to figure out whether a family feud, embezzlement, or poor volunteer management led to Len's untimely death – or was he just a victim of the brutal summer heat gone wrong?

This story was originally published at Mystericale.com in the April 2014 issue.