An Encounter With Cows

by Circa24

Dr. Kayla Eastman receives word that her wife has died in a tragic accident while on a dino dig. Both worked for a bullying department chair, Nick Tenhune, at Cando University (fictional), who treats the faculty like dirt. Following the funeral, he requires Kayla to travel west to Falcon, ND, to retrieve University property and return immediately. Once there, she questions the circumstances around her wife’s death. Without tenure, Kayla must choose between continued employment and uncovering the truth about her wife’s demise and face the consequences of her decision.

169 pages, Paperback

Published February 17, 2024

About the author

Circa24 is a professor of Biology. She received a Doctorate in Zoology from The University of Toronto. For many years, she has taught classes on environmental biology and animal behavior. She has spoken at international conferences on the biological roots of cruelty, discrimination, and greed. She uses the pen name Circa24 to distinguish her creative writing from her technical and non-fiction works. Author’s comment: “Hey, if a pseudonym is good enough for Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, Mary Ann Evans, and Samuel Clements, then it’s good enough for me.”.

Reviews

[Marijo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine just learning that your wife, who works with you, has been killed in a terrible accident on a business trip three hundred miles away, and your boss dismisses your grief and tells you to go collect the corporation's property and return within three days. You might be more than a little miffed at the callous treatment.

That's the situation that Kayla Eastman encounters when her wife, a paleontologist, is killed on a cattle ranch out west. Although he relents and lets her stay for the funeral, Kayla, who lacks tenure, must comply. But when she arrives at the ranch where the "accident" occurred, she begins to have doubts about her wife's death.

The murder mystery is a good old-fashioned who-done-it with an LGBTQ twist and a dose of academic bullying. If you've ever set foot in a university or had a bullying boss, you will recognize Nick and want to reach through the pages to strangle him. I loved the way the friends pulled together and the good-natured teasing they enjoyed. And, I loved that the focus on Kayla's grief and loss of her wife as a part of their relationship.

[Ptera Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite the unpromising title, the book contained a great murder mystery with unexpected twists. It also focuses on the impact of the death on the survivors. The central character, Kayla Eastman, has lost her wife, Jackie, in a "freak accident" in the cattle country of Western North Dakota. Kayla questions the circumstances surrounding Jackie's death. Along with her desire to know the truth about the death, she must cope with the social marginalization of their relationship and a domineering, bullying boss dedicated to making the lives of his underlings a living hell. The author captures the feel of academic bullying and blends it into the story as a secondary theme. The relationships are believable, and the friendship between Jackie and her graduate student reflects many of the deep, enduring relationships I've occasionally seen develop and have experienced between talented students and their committee members.