El Rancho Rio

Mady Wilson married her wealthy boss as a matter of connivence, his connivence, to provide some stability for his troublesome daughter. During a visit to his isolated Nevada ranch, she discovered a body next to a trail on the ranch. The man had been murdered, hit over the head with a commemorative railroad spike from her husband's dining room. During a snowstorm an unwelcome visitor arrived, and not long later, a stranger. The plot thickened, and another murder occurred. A high level of suspense is maintained throughout the story. El Rancho Rio is a good read, with strong characterizations and a well-developed plot. Mignon G. Eberhart, who during her most productive years was referred to as "America's Agatha Christie," was a master of suspense.