This is what happens after happily ever after. Kentucky Roses picks up where Dekker Malone’s first book, Nashville Gold, ended. Happily ever after isn’t quite the case when we re-enter the world of cowboys, jockeys, Payne, Skeeter, and Co. In the book, you meet the country music star, an achin’ jockey, a tired cowboy, and a nasty desperado who badly wants revenge.

Take a ride back into the beautiful Texas Hill country, experience the excitement of the Churchill Downs, and take quick stopovers in other cities. Malone, through his characters’ eyes, shows the reader why each one loves what they love and how they’re motivated by that love.

Sequels have the habit of starting a book by repeating details from the original to get people up to speed. Yes, the book helps jog the memory if you haven’t read the first in a long time, but Malone does it subtly throughout the book instead of wasting the first couple of chapters recapping past adventures.

Payne and his buddy, Skeeter, have gone home to Texas to start their own stable for breeding and racing thoroughbreds. Despite a few troubles, the hard work pays off in the form of two contenders for the Kentucky Derby. What’s a cowboy book without the baddie? Red Phillips won’t let anything get in the way of his tracking down those who put him in jail. If you think Red is bad, wait until he encounters a P.I. who turns Red’s hatred into absolute vehemence. Hell hath no fury like a Red scorned.

Readers who can’t help but predict what will happen will be knocked for a mini-loop. Those predictions are prone to be off the mark. It was gratifying to see the story progress with unexpected curves. Just when you think it’s safe or to relax, a twist comes along to throw you off the racetrack.

Readers who encounter Kentucky Roses first can follow the story as if there were no other book. Those who enjoyed Nashville Gold are guaranteed to ride off into the pretty sunset again with the likable and not-so likeable characters. Once more, Malone has written an enjoyable and engrossing story that moves smoothly as silk.

Title: Kentucky Roses
Author: Dekker Malone
Publisher: Booklocker.com
ISBN: 159113160X
Date: June 2002
Format: Paperback
Pages: 312
Cover Price: USD: $17.95 Amazon: $17.95

Country music, horse racing, and the beautiful Texas hill country set the scene of Dekker Malone’s Nashville Gold. A surprised Payne McCarty hears country music’s hottest singer, Rusti King, singing the song he wrote on the radio. Payne and his horse jockey best friend, Skeeter, head to Nashville to the offices of Sure-Star Publishing to find out why they stole Payne’s song. Before he can get an answer from unprincipled publisher Roger Durwood, Durwood has Payne arrested and thrown into county jail, where he spends ten miserable days for assault.

Undeterred, Payne returns home to New Braunfels, Texas, where he writes songs and plays with the local band Nova-Scotia at Heidi’s Roadhaus owned by Casey, a strong, colorful woman. Since his music isn’t exactly lucrative, Payne supplements his income by working as a carpenter for Jerry. Ragina, Jerry’s daughter, who has known Payne for years, is crazy for Payne.

Other happenings to keep the story moving include a flood pulsing through the Texas town washing Payne’s Nashville troubles out of his mind. But when the band eventually finds itself invited to play at Willie Nelson’s 4th of July picnic and Payne meets the singer behind his song.

Meanwhile, Skeeter has his own problems dealing with Red Phillips, the crooked horseracing bookie who fixes the races and fuels the jockeys with drugs to keep them in racing form. Red is a powerhouse not to be crossed and even has the local law working with him at the races. With a character like Red, there’s bound to be a murder in the story to keep things hopping.

Dekker Malone has given the characters distinctive personalities that provide the book with its charm. Those who aren’t fans of country music and Texas cowboys should not write off the book. As a Texan, but no fan of country music, I appreciate laughing with the characters and was eager to know what happens next. We city types are constantly trying to prove we’re not all “cowboys” and “country,” but at least readers can get an inside look at the picturesque Texas country. Finishing the book leaves the reader wanting more of these likeable folks and happy to know that Malone has a second novel planned called Kentucky Roses. The book receives an old-fashioned Texas yee-haw to Dekker Malone for striking gold with his first book.

Title: Nashville Gold
Author: Dekker Malone
Publisher: Booklocker.com
ISBN: 1931391386
Date: September 2001
Format: Paperback
Pages: 281
Cover Price: USD: $15.95 Amazon: $15.95