Fatal Refuge — Sharon Sterling

The old Wild West town of Yuma, Arizona is again the site of murder and mayhem in this present-day mystery-thriller. A beautiful but troubled Apache woman, Kim Altaha, her search-and-rescue dog Zayd and psychotherapist friend Allie Davis are embroiled in a set of gristly killings. Action rushes from nearby Kofa National Wildlife Refuge to Yuma Proving Grounds, then dashes for the Mexican border while top-secret, drone-mounted laser weapons complicate the horror. The Colorado River, an infamous casino and the Old Town Yuma barrio are unique, historical settings for encounters between players in this intense drama. Between the pages and among lines of suspense, a romance blooms, a friendship deepens and lives are transformed by cowardly and heroic acts. The action keeps churning until the end, when readers will know why, as well as "who done it."