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UNEQUALLY YOKED

In UNEQUALLY YOKED, Marilyn Meredith provides an interesting story that is hard to put down. Much to her minister husband Hutch's dismay, Tempe is drawn into the mystical customs of her American Indian heritage while trying to find a missing child. Hutch tries to be supportive but their disagreement drives a wedge between them as Tempe goes against his wishes and takes part in an Indian ritual that it is hoped will help locate the little girl. The intriguing mystery takes you into a world of Indian culture that few of us are familiar with. The conflict between Tempe and her husband provide an interesting side plot."

              Lorie Ham, author of MURDER IN FOUR PART HARMONY, reviewer for Suite 101.

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UNEQUALLY YOKED -- The author comments:

Unequally Yoked explores the differences between Hutch's religious beliefs and Tempe's. Because they have a great marriage based on love, it is a great way to explore tension in their relationship. Throwing in a bit of jealousy on Hutch's part toward Nick Two John also spices things up.

In this book, Tempe takes part in a Native American ceremonial that has been documented as a grieving ceremonial used by the branch of the Yokut Indians that lived in this area many years ago.

Reviews:

"The fast paced mystery of Unequally Yoked takes place against a backdrop of the ordinary challenges a law enforcement officer faces in balancing work and family. Sheriff's Deputy Tempe Crabtree answers a call to help find three year old Vicky who is missing at a California State Park. After a search of the park fails to recover the child ,she begins to fear the child has been abducted. Tempe is committed to solving the mystery of the missing child and willing to risk everything to find the person responsible for the child's disappearance.

Her husband assumes the household responsibilities while Tempe must work an erratic and intense schedule to solve the crime. The issue is further complicated when Tempe's work takes her to a deeper experience of her own Native American culture and spirituality, creating a conflict with her husband's Christian views. Tempe and her husband must find a balance between his religious beliefs and her need to understand her own heritage.

Marilynn Meredith paints a compelling and realistic picture of a female law enforcement officer. Tempe is a courageous, determined and extremely competent sheriff's deputy, whose resolve to find the truth prevents an innocent man from being punished for a crime he did not commit. Unequally Yoked grabs the reader's attention and keeps it until the shocking conclusion. This is a beautifully written book filled with suspense and action. A wonderful book for anyone who likes a story they can't put down untill it's finished."

--Rev. Marie Davies, Director of Chaplains, Maryland State Police

"Resident deputy of Bear Creek in the Southern Sierra, Tempe Crabtree responds to a report of a missing child at a Lake Dennison campground. At the scene, Jan Leaphorn explains that her three year old daughter is missing. A search yields nothing so a neighbor organizes a manhunt with the cooperation of the authorities. That proves futile too. A few days later, a fisherman on the other side of the lake finds the body of a little girl.

Jan identifies the corpse as her child. Tempe notices that a footprint near the crime scene matches that of the mother's boyfriend, Andy Muldock, who has done time for child abuse. The police arrest Andy for murder, but at an Indian mourning ceremony, Tempe realizes that the prime suspect could not be the killer. Now to prove that and identify the real culprit is going to require luck and skill.

Although there are many potential suspects besides Andy, Tempe uses deductive reasoning and her instincts to insure justice prevails. Her perseverance, dedication, and guts (especially in light of her superior's position that the case is solved) demonstrate Tempe is a role model for anyone to follow. The mystery is well drawn and the supporting cast adds realism to the entertaining story line. Unequally Yoked is a topnotch police procedural that sub-genre fans take pleasure in reading."

--Harriet Klausner

****Excellent

"Deputy Tempe Crabtree returns and is once again involved in a murder case, though this time with only temporary permission. Still trying to balance work and family, she struggles to find a missing three-year-old child despite her husband's demands she drop the case. Even after being removed from the case, Tempe finds she can't walk away from the mystery and pursues it on the sly.

As Tempe uncovers more and more suspects, she also turns to her Native American heritage for answers, using an ancient ritual to ask the spirits for help. This infuriates her husband, not because it involves her Native American heritage but because he believes it's too dangerous. Will their marriage survive this? Or will it be the final straw?

Marilyn Meredith has done an excellent job with this story. Blending just the right amount of mystery and intrigue, happiness and heartbreak, she creates a light read to relax with-something that you can kick back and escape the real world with."

-Tracy Eastgate, Tracy's Book Reviews

"--Each book has been entertaining and fast-paced, to date, Unequally Yoked is my favorite. It is a little grittier and hard-boiled. There is more tension. A knot was in my stomach, chapter after chapter, anxious to see what would happen. The good thing, though I finished this fine mystery thriller, is that I still have Intervention to read--the fourth book in the Tempe Crabtree series."

--Phillip Tomasso III, author of Johnny Blade & Third Ring