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Posadas County Mystery #27
If It Isn't One Thing . . .
A fatal road crash – a domestic incident turned deadly – if it isn’t one thing, it’s another for Undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman in this intricately plotted, warm-hearted Posadas County mystery, set in small-town New Mexico
“If you haven't yet discovered these wonderful mysteries, you are in for a treat!” Anne Hillerman, New York Times bestselling author
When a pickup truck pulling a horse trailer collides with a loaded semi, it seems like a straightforward accident. Undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman presumes the most complicated part of the clean-up will be getting thirty tons of unsplit firewood off of Posadas County’s state highway.
But the plot thickens when the mangled vehicles are wrenched apart and the pickup’s deceased driver is not who Estelle was expecting. Who is the dead man – and where was he heading with his cargo, a prized stallion whose owner is frantic to get him back?
And if it isn’t one thing, it’s another. Just as Estelle gets her teeth in the case, she’s called to a domestic incident between a local volatile couple, which has led not just to death – but to the injury of a fellow cop.
Understaffed and overworked, Estelle finds herself plunged into two tricky investigations, which will take her across the border into Mexico to find the answers – and the justice – that she seeks.
If you like C.J. Box, Anne Hillerman and Terry Shames, you’ll love this small-town mystery which combines a vivid setting, multidimensional characters who spring from the page, and meticulous plotting, full of twists and turns.
“If you haven't yet discovered these wonderful mysteries, you are in for a treat!” Anne Hillerman, New York Times bestselling author
When a pickup truck pulling a horse trailer collides with a loaded semi, it seems like a straightforward accident. Undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman presumes the most complicated part of the clean-up will be getting thirty tons of unsplit firewood off of Posadas County’s state highway.
But the plot thickens when the mangled vehicles are wrenched apart and the pickup’s deceased driver is not who Estelle was expecting. Who is the dead man – and where was he heading with his cargo, a prized stallion whose owner is frantic to get him back?
And if it isn’t one thing, it’s another. Just as Estelle gets her teeth in the case, she’s called to a domestic incident between a local volatile couple, which has led not just to death – but to the injury of a fellow cop.
Understaffed and overworked, Estelle finds herself plunged into two tricky investigations, which will take her across the border into Mexico to find the answers – and the justice – that she seeks.
If you like C.J. Box, Anne Hillerman and Terry Shames, you’ll love this small-town mystery which combines a vivid setting, multidimensional characters who spring from the page, and meticulous plotting, full of twists and turns.
- GenresFiction
216 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 4, 2025
35 people are currently reading
49 people want to read
About the author
Steven F. Havill
35 books250 followersSteven F. Havill is an American author of mysteries and westerns.
Havill lives in Raton, New Mexico, with his wife Kathleen. He has written two series of police procedurals set in the fictional Posadas County, New Mexico; along with other works.
Havill lives in Raton, New Mexico, with his wife Kathleen. He has written two series of police procedurals set in the fictional Posadas County, New Mexico; along with other works.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
November 19, 2024
Although the crime rate is high, Posadas county in New Mexico sounds like a nice place to live. If It Isn't One Thing by Steven F. Havill is another great book featuring Undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman. The only downside to this book is that former sheriff Bill Gastner has a very small role in it. I just love this and have ever since I read the first book in this series many years ago. I have said it before and I will say it again, I am a sucker for small town stories. Havill is a master storyteller and I hope we get many more books from him in the future. In this book we find out that a tragic road accident can be so much more and involve large parts of northern America and parts of Mexico as well. Well written as usual and even some humor thrown in. I really recommend this series and author. A big thank you goes to Severn House and Netgalley for supplying me with this great advance copy. The book hits the shelves in early March 2025.
March 1, 2025
3.25 stars
I love this series so much and have read every one of the prior books. I am sad to say that this one is my least favorite. The book is about an accident involving a semi truck and a truck hauling a horse trailer. What seems to be a simple drunk driving incident turns out to be something much more complex. Estelle has to coordinate with a few different states and also travel to Mexico as part of the investigation. Unfortunately, the story unfolds very slowly with too many unnecessary details that just bog the story down.
I love Undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman both on the job and when she is with her family. There are few too brief mentions of her mentor and friend retired sheriff Bill Gastner. Their interactions were always the highlight of this series for me. I can understand why the elderly Bill wouldn't be out on the job with her anymore, but there still could have been more conversations with him at her home or his.
Things pick up a bit as things start coming together in the case. However, then the book ends so abruptly I thought I had somehow missed some pages at the end. Even though this has been one of my favorite procedural series, I can only give this one 3.25 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for the opportunity to read an advance copy.
I love this series so much and have read every one of the prior books. I am sad to say that this one is my least favorite. The book is about an accident involving a semi truck and a truck hauling a horse trailer. What seems to be a simple drunk driving incident turns out to be something much more complex. Estelle has to coordinate with a few different states and also travel to Mexico as part of the investigation. Unfortunately, the story unfolds very slowly with too many unnecessary details that just bog the story down.
I love Undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman both on the job and when she is with her family. There are few too brief mentions of her mentor and friend retired sheriff Bill Gastner. Their interactions were always the highlight of this series for me. I can understand why the elderly Bill wouldn't be out on the job with her anymore, but there still could have been more conversations with him at her home or his.
Things pick up a bit as things start coming together in the case. However, then the book ends so abruptly I thought I had somehow missed some pages at the end. Even though this has been one of my favorite procedural series, I can only give this one 3.25 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for the opportunity to read an advance copy.
November 26, 2024
Review: I want to be very, very clear. This is not a mystery. If you are thinking of curling up and reading a mystery/thriller, and working your way through the catacombs of mental fuckery, this is not it. There are no covert connections in partial reveal to send you down the whodunnit road.
What the novel is, is pages and pages of police procedures with sudden infusions of how cutesy grandkids are, and how giving and overworked the Guzmans are, and how beautiful Estelle is and how brilliant their kids are. Blah dee blah blah. Oh sure, I wanna read about dinner around the table and little scamps making chocochip cookies. Yes, he wrote "chocochip".
This novel will leave you frustrated and angry that you wasted your time on complete blather. OR, you can get into well written scenarios, flip through the familial shjt as it has no bearing on anything, and admire well crafted characters. Your choice.
I received this ARC for an honest review.
2.7/5
What the novel is, is pages and pages of police procedures with sudden infusions of how cutesy grandkids are, and how giving and overworked the Guzmans are, and how beautiful Estelle is and how brilliant their kids are. Blah dee blah blah. Oh sure, I wanna read about dinner around the table and little scamps making chocochip cookies. Yes, he wrote "chocochip".
This novel will leave you frustrated and angry that you wasted your time on complete blather. OR, you can get into well written scenarios, flip through the familial shjt as it has no bearing on anything, and admire well crafted characters. Your choice.
I received this ARC for an honest review.
2.7/5
December 13, 2024
Steven Havill is an expert at drawing the reader into the lives of Posadas County, New Mexico, law enforcement characters. I have been reading Havill books since the very beginning in 1991 with Heartshot, where we first met Undersheriff, William Gastner, who at 60 was nearing retirement. Over the many years and 27 books in the series later, Gastner’s deputy, Estelle Reyes-Guzman, is now the Undersheriff and set to retire in a few months in Havill’s latest book, If It Isn’t One Thing.
One thing I like about Havill is that he keeps the characters you grow to love involved in the series. Gastner is now in his 80’s but still available for advice for Estelle. Estelle’s husband is still the likeable surgeon in the county, and her two boys have grown into wonderful young men. The other sheriff’s department characters have changed positions, or moved on but are still in town, and you catch up with most of them in each of the books.
In If It Isn’t One Thing we ride along with Estelle as she goes through about 48 hours of incidents – a fatal road crash involving a horse trailer and loaded semi where the driver is not who anyone expects, a domestic incident turned deadly where who-shot-who first must be determined, and the thief of large machinery working at the fatal road crash where over the Mexican border finesse must be used. If it isn’t one thing, yes, it’s another.
The characters and the setting are the stars here. I especially love to read Havill on cold winter MN days when I feel the heat from New Mexico coming off the pages of his books. Though not a classic mystery, this police procedural has all the components of a thriller with plot twists and turns. Havill is such a satisfying read. Calming. Riding with Estelle as she goes from one problem to another, solving the issues with intelligence and wisdom, leaves the reader hoping that Posadas County has another Undersheriff coming up for us to ride along with when Estelle retires, like Gastner before her.
My rating: 4 of 5
This ARC title was provided by Netgalley.com at no cost, and I am providing an unbiased review. If It Isn’t One Thing will be published on March 4, 2025.
One thing I like about Havill is that he keeps the characters you grow to love involved in the series. Gastner is now in his 80’s but still available for advice for Estelle. Estelle’s husband is still the likeable surgeon in the county, and her two boys have grown into wonderful young men. The other sheriff’s department characters have changed positions, or moved on but are still in town, and you catch up with most of them in each of the books.
In If It Isn’t One Thing we ride along with Estelle as she goes through about 48 hours of incidents – a fatal road crash involving a horse trailer and loaded semi where the driver is not who anyone expects, a domestic incident turned deadly where who-shot-who first must be determined, and the thief of large machinery working at the fatal road crash where over the Mexican border finesse must be used. If it isn’t one thing, yes, it’s another.
The characters and the setting are the stars here. I especially love to read Havill on cold winter MN days when I feel the heat from New Mexico coming off the pages of his books. Though not a classic mystery, this police procedural has all the components of a thriller with plot twists and turns. Havill is such a satisfying read. Calming. Riding with Estelle as she goes from one problem to another, solving the issues with intelligence and wisdom, leaves the reader hoping that Posadas County has another Undersheriff coming up for us to ride along with when Estelle retires, like Gastner before her.
My rating: 4 of 5
This ARC title was provided by Netgalley.com at no cost, and I am providing an unbiased review. If It Isn’t One Thing will be published on March 4, 2025.
March 9, 2025
If It Isn’t One Thing… A Posadas County Mystery by Steven F. Havill is the latest read in the excellent and long running series. I have loved this series for decades now and a new read is always big time celebrated in this house. This one is another mighty good book and strongly recommended.
In a more far less traveled part of Posadas County, New Mexico, an 18-wheeler and a horse trailer have collided and the crash is very bad. Trapped in the mangled wreckage is what remains of a truck that was towing a horse trailer. In the crash, the horse was ejected and has a severe gash down a rear leg. The horse is hurt, but alive. The same can not be said for the driver of the truck who very clearly is dead. He was crushed in the crash and it is going to take a long time and a lot of work.
The 18-wheeler was hauling a full load of fire wood. That driver is clearly drunk as he wanders around the wreckage. A scene made worse by the fac that the entire cargo of firewood is now dumped up and down the highway.
Six miles north of the village of Posadas, New Mexico, the only thing really out there is the local landfill which closed hours ago. It is the middle of the night on a cold November night, so nobody should really need to come through on that road. But, thanks to police scanners and the local grapevine, folks are showing up in large numbers thereby making things far more complicated than Posadas County Undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman expected.
So too is the backstory of what was going on with the vehicles and their drivers in the days leading up to the brutal and tragic collision. It wasn’t just the fact that one driver clearly ran a stop sign. There were dominoes that fell in order leading up to the crash which also soon caused a significant ripple effect beyond the fate of the two drivers. As the soon to be retired Undersheriff discovers, death was a part of things long before this grisly scene. The case will reach into the Dakotas, down into Mexico, numerous places in-between, and tax her and her small department in many ways.
This latest in the long running series is another great read. As I have said, this series has been a favorite of mine going back decades. As it was for my parents who were also major fans of it as they eagerly read every installment long ago. At some point, I know it will end, but I hold out hope that a series that has literally provided a comfortable escape from the real world, will continue for more books. I need them. We all need them.
My reading copy came by way of the publisher, Severn House, through NetGalley and with no expectation of a review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2025
June 26, 2025
Steven F Havill is still the master of the small-town police procedural…
As I’ve said a time or two before, Steven F Havill’s Posadas County mysteries have been one of my favorite police procedural series, literally for decades. First Undersheriff Bill Gastner, and now his successor - and protégé - Undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman, find and follow clues, and figure cases out, while I just get to read along, and pretend I could have solved the mysteries too! As a bonus, the books are set in the wide-open expanses, forested mountains, and small towns of New Mexico, which Havill brings to life so eloquently. Of course, in those small towns, everybody knows everyone else’s business, which provides endless opportunities for mischief. And If It Isn’t One Thing has plenty of that.
There’s the tragic accident between a logging truck and horse trailer (complete with injured stallion and companion puppy) that leaves one person dead, and left me feeling a bit as if I were in a Dick Francis novel. The person driving the horse trailer doesn’t seem to be the person who should have been driving it, and the trailer isn’t where it should have been either. After all, Posadas County, on the southern border of New Mexico, is a long way off any reasonable route from Lexington, Nebraska to Colorado Springs. And there’s the domestic violence incident that leads to another death, and also to an injured officer. Neither of the cases are as simple as they seem on the surface, with leads to follow in New Mexico, in other US states, and in Estelle’s hometown on the Mexican side of the border. With a short-staffed department, Estelle gets to deal with it all, which she does with her usual aplomb.
If It Isn’t One Thing is the twenty-seventh book in the Posadas County series, which started in the 1990s with Gastner as the protagonist and then pivoted after his “retirement” to Estelle as the lead, albeit with frequent contributions from Gastner. Now, the series is facing Estelle’s own imminent retirement. I have my fingers crossed that there will be another book or two still to come, but fear there may not be. But even if there aren’t any more, it has been a great ride, and my sincere thanks go to Havill for each and every book. Including this one, which gets five-stars from me.
As I’ve said a time or two before, Steven F Havill’s Posadas County mysteries have been one of my favorite police procedural series, literally for decades. First Undersheriff Bill Gastner, and now his successor - and protégé - Undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman, find and follow clues, and figure cases out, while I just get to read along, and pretend I could have solved the mysteries too! As a bonus, the books are set in the wide-open expanses, forested mountains, and small towns of New Mexico, which Havill brings to life so eloquently. Of course, in those small towns, everybody knows everyone else’s business, which provides endless opportunities for mischief. And If It Isn’t One Thing has plenty of that.
There’s the tragic accident between a logging truck and horse trailer (complete with injured stallion and companion puppy) that leaves one person dead, and left me feeling a bit as if I were in a Dick Francis novel. The person driving the horse trailer doesn’t seem to be the person who should have been driving it, and the trailer isn’t where it should have been either. After all, Posadas County, on the southern border of New Mexico, is a long way off any reasonable route from Lexington, Nebraska to Colorado Springs. And there’s the domestic violence incident that leads to another death, and also to an injured officer. Neither of the cases are as simple as they seem on the surface, with leads to follow in New Mexico, in other US states, and in Estelle’s hometown on the Mexican side of the border. With a short-staffed department, Estelle gets to deal with it all, which she does with her usual aplomb.
If It Isn’t One Thing is the twenty-seventh book in the Posadas County series, which started in the 1990s with Gastner as the protagonist and then pivoted after his “retirement” to Estelle as the lead, albeit with frequent contributions from Gastner. Now, the series is facing Estelle’s own imminent retirement. I have my fingers crossed that there will be another book or two still to come, but fear there may not be. But even if there aren’t any more, it has been a great ride, and my sincere thanks go to Havill for each and every book. Including this one, which gets five-stars from me.
July 27, 2025
Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.
If It Isn't One Thing . . . is the 27th Posadas County mystery by Steven Havill. Released 4th March 2025 by Severn House, it's 224 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links.
This is an ensemble returning cast and a solid western mystery. The central players have a long and varied history together. There are familial and generational connections (and not always in a positive manner). Despite being the 27th (!!!) book in this series (which is a spinoff of an earlier series), the author is a technically adept writer and sufficient backstory is written in to provide readers who are new to the characters without info-dumping. Readers coming in to the story will be able to keep up without problems, though the long history the returning characters have will give spoilers for some earlier developments.
There will be inevitable comparisons to the Longmire mysteries, and though they're both western law enforcement mysteries (and not procedurals) based around the sheriff's department, they're clearly distinct from one another and neither is derivative. (The fan base likely has a large overlap though).
The plotting is loosely interwoven with a few main subplots which had a tendency to meander a bit, but reached a satisfying/surprising denouement. The book is distinctly character driven and for fans familiar with the series, it will feel like catching up with old friends.
Well written and no-frills engaging. Four and a half stars. It would be a good choice for public or home library acquisition, or a short-or-long binge/buddy read project. These are good stories for readathons as well, engaging but not too demanding or depressing.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
If It Isn't One Thing . . . is the 27th Posadas County mystery by Steven Havill. Released 4th March 2025 by Severn House, it's 224 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links.
This is an ensemble returning cast and a solid western mystery. The central players have a long and varied history together. There are familial and generational connections (and not always in a positive manner). Despite being the 27th (!!!) book in this series (which is a spinoff of an earlier series), the author is a technically adept writer and sufficient backstory is written in to provide readers who are new to the characters without info-dumping. Readers coming in to the story will be able to keep up without problems, though the long history the returning characters have will give spoilers for some earlier developments.
There will be inevitable comparisons to the Longmire mysteries, and though they're both western law enforcement mysteries (and not procedurals) based around the sheriff's department, they're clearly distinct from one another and neither is derivative. (The fan base likely has a large overlap though).
The plotting is loosely interwoven with a few main subplots which had a tendency to meander a bit, but reached a satisfying/surprising denouement. The book is distinctly character driven and for fans familiar with the series, it will feel like catching up with old friends.
Well written and no-frills engaging. Four and a half stars. It would be a good choice for public or home library acquisition, or a short-or-long binge/buddy read project. These are good stories for readathons as well, engaging but not too demanding or depressing.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
February 18, 2025
If It Isn’t One Thing… by Steven F. Havill is a fast-paced police procedural.
Undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman is busier than ever investigating crime in the small-town of Posadas, NM. She goes straight from a domestic dispute between volatile couple, Raul & Mindy Cardona, to a high-speed crash between two vehicles. At the crash site, one driver is dead, a load of chopped wood covers the highway, and an injured horse is on the side of the road. By morning, one of arguing couple is dead, and that case is quickly complicated by unexpected evidence. Then another violent act takes Estelle to Mexico where she and Mexican police wrap up the case.
If It Isn’t One Thing…is a clever police procedural with a compelling storyline. The cast of characters are three-dimensional and most are likable. Estelle is a dedicated law enforcement officer who has great rapport with local and Mexican law officers. The glimpses of her personal life are few but heartwarming. The investigations into the various cases are intriguing and take unanticipated turns. The New and Old Mexico settings vividly spring to life. Steven F. Havill brings this latest addition to the long-running Posadas County Mystery series to an adrenaline-laced conclusion.
Undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman is busier than ever investigating crime in the small-town of Posadas, NM. She goes straight from a domestic dispute between volatile couple, Raul & Mindy Cardona, to a high-speed crash between two vehicles. At the crash site, one driver is dead, a load of chopped wood covers the highway, and an injured horse is on the side of the road. By morning, one of arguing couple is dead, and that case is quickly complicated by unexpected evidence. Then another violent act takes Estelle to Mexico where she and Mexican police wrap up the case.
If It Isn’t One Thing…is a clever police procedural with a compelling storyline. The cast of characters are three-dimensional and most are likable. Estelle is a dedicated law enforcement officer who has great rapport with local and Mexican law officers. The glimpses of her personal life are few but heartwarming. The investigations into the various cases are intriguing and take unanticipated turns. The New and Old Mexico settings vividly spring to life. Steven F. Havill brings this latest addition to the long-running Posadas County Mystery series to an adrenaline-laced conclusion.
March 9, 2025
Book #27 in the Posadas County series. I cannot praise this series any higher. Set in Posadas County, New Mexico, just a few miles from the border with Mexico, the community and cast of characters have become highlights in my reading, I eagerly await each new book to find out what Undersheriff Estelle Guzman and company have found to bedevil their lives this time. From the first book, Heartshot, where we meet Undersheriff Bill Gastner who hires a young Estelle, to IF IT ISN'T ONE THING, which could be close to the end of the series, Steven Havill continues the excellent writing that pulls readers into their world and keeps their attention as the mysteries wind through so many familiar roads that I'm pretty sure I'd recognize these small towns were I to drive through them. No two books are alike, each one portrays a different character and the unlikely situations they find themselves in. What's more important, each book is an easy 5 star read, including this one. If Havill lets Estelle retire in the next book, it will break the hearts of his many fans, including this one.
November 28, 2024
Long-time readers of this police procedural series have been through the old sheriff, now retired, and Undersheriff Estelle, who is now thinking of leaving. She says she's had enough.
This story involves a fatal accident between a drunk semi driver and a pickup hauling a horse. The horse survives but won't load into a new trailer until they find a puppy in the wreck who was his traveling companion. It turns out the horse was supposedly enroute to Colorado for veterinary treatment but somehow wound up near the Mexican border. The owner has no idea what is happening and the foreman traveling with the valuable horse is missing.
Undersheriff Estelle is a strong character. She is tough, calm and smart and is bilingual and can navigate more than one culture.
The ending felt a bit weak and leaves you wondering about the future of the series. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This story involves a fatal accident between a drunk semi driver and a pickup hauling a horse. The horse survives but won't load into a new trailer until they find a puppy in the wreck who was his traveling companion. It turns out the horse was supposedly enroute to Colorado for veterinary treatment but somehow wound up near the Mexican border. The owner has no idea what is happening and the foreman traveling with the valuable horse is missing.
Undersheriff Estelle is a strong character. She is tough, calm and smart and is bilingual and can navigate more than one culture.
The ending felt a bit weak and leaves you wondering about the future of the series. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 13, 2025
This one and its predecessor had great story lines, description, twists and turns, clever procedurals. Oddly, this one wasn't wrapped up completely in Posadas, but other jurisdictions (Mexico, North Dakota, Nebraska) had pieces of the pie.
It's November and Undersheriff Guzman is due to retire 31 Dec. I was afraid this would be the end of the series. Even Padrino got no real speaking parts. I'm anxious if there will be one more to wind up the series and the characters we've come to love and trust.
My worst criticism was for Estelle's perfect sons and husbands, but they mostly took a back seat in this book. I'm still amused that all the characters, even the bad guys, have manners and speak respectfully. And I do miss the line drawing maps that appeared in many previous stories.
I hope it's not a whole year to wait. Thanks to my public library for the book.
It's November and Undersheriff Guzman is due to retire 31 Dec. I was afraid this would be the end of the series. Even Padrino got no real speaking parts. I'm anxious if there will be one more to wind up the series and the characters we've come to love and trust.
My worst criticism was for Estelle's perfect sons and husbands, but they mostly took a back seat in this book. I'm still amused that all the characters, even the bad guys, have manners and speak respectfully. And I do miss the line drawing maps that appeared in many previous stories.
I hope it's not a whole year to wait. Thanks to my public library for the book.
December 2, 2024
The only thing wrong with finishing the latest Steven Havill book is having to wait for the next one. If It Isn't One Thing was absorbing from the first page and the description of the highway wreck of a pickup truck and horse trailer, complete with injured horse, and a semi loaded with firewood, had me rereading it to try to make sense of the mess. Then most of the usual characters are here and they are still as interesting as when they were first introduced. This is one of the best books I have read this year and if unfamiliar to readers of good mysteries, I suggest starting with number one and bingeing them!
June 17, 2025
I enjoyed this book, a gift to me, as I do all of Havill's books. The story unfolds in a compelling dialogue that keeps me engage right to the end of the book. I leave a Havill book wanting to know how the characters will continue in their lives. This book did not disappoint my wish to find out how my friends in Posadas County were succeeding in their lives. I am looking forward to the next book and the next stage in the careers and lives of the many characters of Havill's stories.
July 6, 2025
I love New Mexico, and I have enjoyed all 27 of the wonderful Posadas County books because they take me there. Although Posadas is a fictional location, I have no problem visualizing the town and its inhabitants. I have enjoyed watching the characters age, the kids grow up, and the changes in the county. In this book, what seems to be a simple accident involves a mystery of what really happened, in two different situations.
July 21, 2025
A Posadas mystery never disappoints!
I believe this is the 27 th Posadas mystery. I’ve never read one I didn’t love. By the way, I’ve read them all. In reality, Posados does not exist. In my reality, however, it’s as real as my own hometown. The folks are as realistic as anyone’s next door neighbor. Get to know the good folks of Posado
NM. And the not so good ones too. You won’t regret it.
I believe this is the 27 th Posadas mystery. I’ve never read one I didn’t love. By the way, I’ve read them all. In reality, Posados does not exist. In my reality, however, it’s as real as my own hometown. The folks are as realistic as anyone’s next door neighbor. Get to know the good folks of Posado
NM. And the not so good ones too. You won’t regret it.
December 17, 2024
Solid police procedural set in rural New Mexico. A semi full of logs collides with a pickup hauling a horse trailer, setting in motion a series of unfortunate events and uncovering several other crimes. Undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman, barely a month from retirement, is kept busy putting all of the pieces together.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 12, 2025
After dealing with a fatal accident involving a trailer loaded with logs and a semi pulling a horse trailer, overworked and understaffed Undersheriff Estelle Guzman rapidly gets called out on several other cases including a police involved shooting.
This is a police procedural with strong well written characters but not much mystery. I felt that it was one of the weakest books in the series.
This is a police procedural with strong well written characters but not much mystery. I felt that it was one of the weakest books in the series.
November 23, 2024
I could not get interested in this book. I read over a third of the way in and there was nothing that grabbed my attention. I wanted to like this book, but I just couldn't.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book for my honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book for my honest review.
March 4, 2025
I love this series!
Another wonderful book in this series with the usual cast of characters. If you enjoy nonstop action and ethical law officers and their families this is a wonderful series to read and enjoy. Who said small towns are boring!
Another wonderful book in this series with the usual cast of characters. If you enjoy nonstop action and ethical law officers and their families this is a wonderful series to read and enjoy. Who said small towns are boring!
March 5, 2025
Another strong story in the Posadas County saga
Fascinating story with lots of puzzles and action. A great addition to the series with lots of depth and character information.
Fascinating story with lots of puzzles and action. A great addition to the series with lots of depth and character information.
March 13, 2025
Great
This a wonderful book. Once you start reading you can't put it down. So many twists and turns. Waiting for the next one.
This a wonderful book. Once you start reading you can't put it down. So many twists and turns. Waiting for the next one.
March 15, 2025
Just another great read by Steve. Always a solid story of New Mexico Under Sheriff Guzman.
April 29, 2025
Interesting and fast paced
February 14, 2025
If It Isn't One Thing... by Steven F. Havill is a highly recommended procedural/mystery and the 27th book in the series set in Posadas County, New Mexico.
A pickup truck pulling a horse trailer collides with a semi loaded with firewood. One driver is dead, both were drunk, and, miraculously, the horse, a prized stallion, survived the horrific accident. As Undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman is investigating the accident, and discovers the driver of the pickup is not who she is expecting, a volatile domestic incident escalates, resulting in a death and two injured, including one officer. This kicks off 48 hours of nonstop action for Estelle.
This is a well-written, fast-paced, intricately plotted procedural. After the accident, the action is incessant right to the end and the investigations become increasingly complicated. All of the regular characters in the long running series make an appearance too, which was a bit overwhelming to this first time reader, but the investigation keeps racing forward with new developments holding my complete attention. The short page count makes this a book you can easily read quickly.
Fans of the series are going to be thrilled to read If It Isn't One Thing... Thanks to Severn House for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2025/0...
A pickup truck pulling a horse trailer collides with a semi loaded with firewood. One driver is dead, both were drunk, and, miraculously, the horse, a prized stallion, survived the horrific accident. As Undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman is investigating the accident, and discovers the driver of the pickup is not who she is expecting, a volatile domestic incident escalates, resulting in a death and two injured, including one officer. This kicks off 48 hours of nonstop action for Estelle.
This is a well-written, fast-paced, intricately plotted procedural. After the accident, the action is incessant right to the end and the investigations become increasingly complicated. All of the regular characters in the long running series make an appearance too, which was a bit overwhelming to this first time reader, but the investigation keeps racing forward with new developments holding my complete attention. The short page count makes this a book you can easily read quickly.
Fans of the series are going to be thrilled to read If It Isn't One Thing... Thanks to Severn House for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2025/0...
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