Synopsis
When Jack Mercy died, he left behind a lot of enemies . . .and a ranch worth nearly twenty million dollars. Now his three daughters - each born of a different marriage, and each unknown to the others - are gathered to hear the reading of the will.
Willa, the only one who knew her father, boldly expects that everything will be hers. Tess, who has reluctantly flown in from Hollywood, just hopes to fly back with as much cash as possible - as soon as possible. And Lily Mercy would be grateful for anything; she has learned to expect disappointment, even cruelty, from men.
But the women are shocked to learn that before any of them can inherit, they must live together on the ranch for one year. They are sisters . . .and strangers. Now they face a challenge: to put their bitterness aside and live like family. To protect each other from danger - and unite against an enemy who threatens to destroy all. And finally, to weave together three very different worlds in this beautiful and isolated place called Montana . . .
Publishers Weekly
Having published 100 novels in 15 years, Roberts (True Betrayals) just keeps getting better. In life, Jack Mercy, owner of the 25,000-acre Mercy Ranch, garnered more enemies than friends. His death promises to do the same, since his will forces his three grown daughters, half-sisters and virtual strangers to one another, to live together at the Montana ranch for a year or forfeit his estate, worth up to $20 million. If any die during the year, the survivor(s) will inherit the fortune, assuming they last the 12 months. Giving it a go are bossy Willa, part Blackfoot Indian, the only sister who lived on the ranch and is capable of running it; Tess, a sassy Hollywood scriptwriter who wants money but balks at a family reunion; and meek, divorced Lily, grateful for refuge. As the siblings settle in, someone begins committing barbaric acts against animals and then humans: Are these the random crimes of a psychopath? Or are they a devious distraction in a sinister game plan? Roberts balances the tension and sometimes gruesome action with three romances, crackling dialogue and a snappy infusion of humor. Setting her rich narrative against majestic scenery integral to the plot, she again demonstrates why, in 1986, she was the first author inducted into the Romance Writers of America's Hall of Fame.