Welcome back to another episode of Saturday Spotlight!
Today's guest is not new to our blog, although it has been a few years so please say "Hello" to L. R. Trovillion as she shares her latest release with us!
Thanks for visiting our blog today, LR. Tell us more about The Devil's Luck and yourself...
I appreciate the opportunity to share with your followers, Pam!
A body in the trough. A message meant for her. And a killer hiding in plain sight…
Pia Murphy thought she’d finally turned the corner—reviving her family’s struggling horse farm, training for a new career as a private investigator, and daring to believe her luck might be changing. But hope vanishes the morning a corpse is discovered in her horse’s water trough, plunging her back into a nightmare she can’t outrun.
As her equine therapy farm is shuttered and federal agents crowd her fields, Pia is forced into a dangerous game of cat and mouse. The victim wasn’t just dumped—she was left as a message. One that ties to a shadowy figure known only as the Money Man, and a conspiracy that stretches from rural Maryland to the highest levels of federal power.
With her livelihood in ruins and her allies under scrutiny, Pia must decide who to trust. Because the killer might not be lurking in the shadows—he might be standing right beside her.
Fast-paced, gritty, and full of heart, The Devil’s Luck is a mystery for fans who love fearless heroines, buried secrets, and a race against time.
The Devil's Luck is a traditional mystery without the graphic violence, but with a touch of romance and humor.
Grab your copy now—before Pia’s luck runs out for good @Amazon (FREE on Kindle+)
Excerpt: The horse approached his water trough. He stretched out his neck, snorted, then bolted. His sides were dark with sweat.
“Just my luck when I’m late.” Pia slammed the car door. “I hope he’s not colicking.” She strode down the long strip of grass between the fenced pastures toward the farthest field that ran along the edge of the woods. Her heels sank into the wet grass and the hem of her pants became soaked by the morning dew.
Hillary dogged her heels. “I can take care of him. If you have to get to work—”
“Thanks, but I can’t leave you with a sick horse.” Pia noticed Hillary struggling to catch up but said nothing. Despite her rail-thin frame and muscular arms, Pia had to admit her barn help—and good friend—was getting older. Hillary lived alone in the guest trailer along with an assortment of rescue dogs she claimed were all the company she needed.
When they reached the pasture gate, Bourbon Ball rushed to them like rescuers. His eyes were wild, the white showing, as he glanced back at the pasture as if the devil himself were after him.
“That’s not the normal I’m anxious to come in for breakfast behavior. He’s acting like he’s terrified of something,” Hillary said and lifted his halter off the hook beside the gate.
“Coyotes or something, you think? I’ve heard they’ve been spotted in places around here lately.” Pia looked to the woods as if one would magically appear and make sense of all this.
Hillary gave a one-shoulder shrug and slipped the halter on the frightened horse. “Hang on there, Seabiscuit, and we’ll get you back to your stall.”
By now the horses in the other fields were watching, frozen, heads high and sniffing the air.
“There’s definitely something out there.” Pia ran her hand over the horse’s chest. It came away sticky with damp sweat and hair. “Can you manage him okay?” she asked Hillary. “I want to take a look around his field in case there’s a dead animal or something.”
Hillary waved off Pia’s concern and led the horse back to the barn. Pia stood and watched the big thoroughbred dancing and leaping like a kite on the end of his lead rope. Not like easy-going BB at all. She slipped through the gate, managing to smear rust on her coat sleeve. Sheltering her eyes, she scanned the field. Nothing leapt out at her as strange—no mysterious lumps lying in the grass, no broken fence boards, no fire breathing dragons ready to strike.
“Horses.” Pia signed. “Always something.” As she walked farther into the field, an odd scent rode the morning breeze and was gone. Pia lifted her chin and sniffed. Maybe there was a dead animal around. She followed the fence to the water trough where Bourbon had been acting strange. A smell like something rotting at low tide. Ugh, if some animal climbed in the trough and couldn’t get out, that would be an ugly job to clean up.
Pia approached the trough and looked down into the water. A face stared back at her. Eyes open. Black hair, like seaweed, swirled around a gray, bloated mask.
Pia staggered backward. “My God!”
She squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them, hoping to clear the vision. It made no sense. It couldn’t be real. Her heart slammed against her breastbone. A throbbing pulse roared in her ears. She straightened her back and walked two steps closer.
A body, with knees curled to chest, hovered near the bottom of the trough, a look of surprise frozen on its face.
Reason I wrote The Devil's Luck: I want to create mysteries that explore social issues and crimes without the graphic violence so often associated with suspense novels. The Devil’s Luck exposes the epidemic of human trafficking as an international crime—something that greatly concerns me.
Her stories explore complex characters, often driven by secrets, ambitions, and the need for redemption, drawing readers into mysteries that are as riveting as they are heartfelt. Whether delving into a tense mystery or following characters through personal transformations, Trovillion’s books promise page-turning excitement for fans of suspense and horse lovers alike.
Find and follow her through her Website, Substack, Facebook & Instagram: @lrtrovillion & Pinterest.
Wow, LR, human trafficking concerns me too and this sounds like an amazing story! We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with it.
Hope you enjoyed today's spotlight, friends. Check out LR's previous visit HERE and com back next week for another episode featuring a great author and his or her book!
Until next time, take care, God Bless and Happy Reading.
PamT