Heir Apparent by Twist Phelan

About the book

Joe McGuinness, a recent law graduate and weekend team roper, is struggling to keep his job after his mentor's unexpected demise when Cordelia Barrett, one of the law firm's most important clients, and her son are found dead. Was it a murder-suicide? The police don't think so, and arrest Mia Ortiz, Mrs. Barrett's assistant and major beneficiary under her will.

Convinced of Mia's innocence, Joe investigates, his task complicated by a cattle rustler threatening the financial future of his aunt's ranch and a growing attraction to Mia. His sleuthing uncovers several suspects, including a prominent rancher/real estate developer and head "warrior" of the local Indian tribe. Joe also discovers Mia's recent affair with Sonny Barrett, the other victim, fueling his mounting uncertainty about her lack of guilt.

Then a firm paralegal turns up dead. Only Joe believes her death is related to the others. His discovery of hidden papers reveals a blackmail scheme aimed at firm members and leads him to the murderer's identity. It is Riley, Cordelia's nephew and Joe's roping partner. When Joe prevents his escape to Mexico, Riley kills himself.

The police pin the three murders on the dead man, but Joe isn't so sure. Another look at the evidence shows him what everyone else has missed. After leaving a message for the police he goes home to his aunt's ranch, where he reconciles with Mia and unwittingly provides the necessary clue to the cattle rustler's identity and brand-alteration scheme. Lured back to the firm, he is attacked by the paralegal's killer, a lawyer who sees murder as the way to keep his career-ending secret. A friend for the firm subdues the killer and rescues an injured Joe. After recuperating, Joe rejoins the firm, his career firmly on track.

Set in the desert resort town of Pinnacle Peak, Heir Apparent explores the consequences of preconceptions of entitlement against the backdrop of present-day interactions among cowboys, Indians, Hispanics, real estate developers, and other denizens of the still wild West.

About the author

Twist Phelan earned her bachelor's and law degrees from Stanford University, completing her undergraduate studies in two years. While at Stanford Law School, she was Note Editor of the Stanford Law Review.

Heir Apparent is her first full length novel. Its sequel, Lear's Daughter, is this year s winner in the Mystery category of the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Colorado Gold Writing Contest. Phelan is currently at work on the third book in the series, which features continuing characters but differing protagonists set in the Sonoran desert resort town of Pinnacle Peak.

Phelan's short stories have won several awards and appeared in various mystery short fiction magazines, including Red Herring, The Mystery Review, The Cozy Detective, and Kracked Mirror. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Crime Writers' Association of Australia, and Crime Writers of Canada.

Until her retirement in her early thirties, Twist was a plaintiff's trail lawyer specializing in complex cases. She is a member of several state and federal bars, including the United States Supreme Court. Phelan served as lead or sole counsel in many jury trials, and obtained several verdicts and settlements of more than a million dollars. An avid cyclist for the past ten years, she has mountain- and road-biked on four continents. A horsewoman all her life, she has competed in Western performance, hunter/jumper, and, most recently, polo.