The Sea Horse Trade (Nikki Latrelle Horse Racing Mystery, #3) by Sasscer Hill

The Sea Horse Trade (Nikki Latrelle Horse Racing Mystery, #3) Reviews

• 
  Sheila

  A racehorse who fits his demonic name, a dead body, buckets of horsefeed and buckets of blood, and I’m only 20 pages into Sasscer Hill's The Sea Horse Trade. The dead girl has a sea horse tattooed on her arm. The intrepid Maryland jockey has horses arriving soon in Florida. The friend’s long-lost daughter is missing. And a curious stranger knows entirely too much.
  
  Quick spare descriptions bring racecourse and town to life with well-chosen details. Nikki Latrelle’s personable voice and comfortable narration invite the reader in, even when she’s visiting the “hokey” home of that stranger with curious sight. And this “trouble magnet” is resourceful, on and off the track. She’s got history, and friends. And she cares about horses, even devilish ones, about dead girls, and about loyalty and commitment. She trusts her old friend Mello’s sight, and she soon learns to trusts this stranger too as a trail of horseraces, drugs, missing girls, underage vice and more begins to jell around common threads.
  
  Hints of romance and undercover danger entice the reader as clues and mysteries combine in a thrilling climax, and the story ends comfortably—good people and good horses getting on with their lives. The Sea Horse Trade is a thoroughly enjoyable thoroughbred mystery with just the right amount of authenticity, emotion and mystique.
  
  Disclosure: I received a free ecopy of this novel when I invited the author to be a guest on my blog.
  
• 
  Angela

  Once again I was taken back by the talent of this Sasscer Hill as an author! In this installment of the Nikki Latrell Mystery Series Nikki takes her horse racing adventures to Florida. She is hoping to have a great run, even though the races here take her away from her home and her cat. She knows she is in for a rocky ride when her first morning there she witnesses a murder of a young girl in the street. Why would people kill an innocent and very young girl? Nikki can't get the tattoo on the girl out of her mind either, a beautiful sea horse with a sparkling eye. What does it mean? Or is it just a cute tattoo that a young girl got? Nikki's love for horses and racing is amazing and she would do anything to make the horses feel wanted and comfortable. This ideal of hers is tested when she gets the horse from hell brought to her barn. Diablo, means Devil, and he lives up to every bit of his name. Nikki's first meeting with the horse was when she saw him chewing on a man's arm in his trailer before being unloaded. Yikes, how will she ever take care of him, much less ride him? Diablo's owner is not much better when Nikki meets him. Currito seems to have a genuine care for his horses, but there is something about him that unsettles Nikki, and it's not just his horrid scar on his face and leaky eye. What is Currito hiding? Or is he just a creepy owner? Nikki's Florida stay only gets weirder when she gets a call from her best friend Carla saying that there is a secret she has been hiding for years that she needs to tell Nikki...NOW. How could Carla keep anything from Nikki? When Nikki hears the details about the secret she is put into a whirlwind of helping her find what is so very important to Clara to find after all these years...her daughter. WOW! Can these women find Jade, Carla's daughter, before something bad happens to her? Does Jade want to be found or did she just run away? What messes Nikki seems to get into...a shooting, a devil horse, a mean owner who really does have more to him than just being rude, a best friend who keeps secrets, a boss who is acting weird, a friend who would love nothing more than to be more than friends with her, and more mysteries than she can count. Will she figure out what Curitto is hiding before it's too late and something bad happens? Is there more to Jade than just a missing girl? Can a fortune telling friend of Mello's be right when she says she sees danger and many bad things in Nikki's future? Will she be sorry for trying to help find the killers of the young girl in the street? Nikki soon finds there is much darkness to the world that she chose to never see. Will she survive being a "nosey nellie" and looking into things she should let others handle? (So much happens in this book, but I don't want to give it all away)
  
  This book reads like a horse jumping out of the starting gate at a horse race and racing to the finish! It takes off with action, adventure, and mystery right away and only gets faster in the action as the book goes on with an ending that is neck and neck adventure until it finishes with a photo finish! This book had my full attention from the first page. Hill wasted no time jumping into the mystery of it all in this book and it made it an amazing read. There were characters from the last book that I was so glad to see and watch develop more AND there were great new characters that I couldn't wait to read more about and watch grow into great characters. There were a few things going on in this plot, but they meshed very well and worked great together to make the read that much more enjoyable and fast paced. Nikki is such a wonderful character that I just love her more and more as I read more of the series. I also keep reading to watch her relationship with Will, they are such good friends and are awkwardly growing into more than that in their own ways and time. They seem to love each other so much, but are so afraid to act on it. Nikki just doesn't trust men enough to let Will get too close, but I'll be darned if he don't keep trying anyway for the hope that some day she will "crack" and let him in. I loved the action of this book, the characters, the plot, the writing, the....well I just loved EVERYTHING about this book!! I must say that Hill has quickly become one of my favorite authors and I can't wait to see what she writes next. Some things are said to be too great to be true, this is how I feel reading Hill's books. I feel like they were written just for me and my personal tastes in books and what I want in and out of a book. I am very glad that when it comes to an author I seem to have found my "too good to be true/real" author that is VERY real! I really hope Hill keeps writing for many years to come because this is one reader that will be first in line for anything she writes. I think her personal love of things comes through in her writing and that is what really makes it great, she brings pieces of herself to every book.
  
  5/5 Stars!! I would put this book higher, but I only have a five star rating system :-)
  
  Received free for honest review.
• 
  Gary Vassallo

  Another great Nikki Latrelle mystery. A great fast paced climax that had me unable to put the book down until I finished it.
• 
  Melissa

  *This book was received as a Free Advanced Review copy*
  
  The Sea Horse Trade is the gritty, hard-hitting third book in the Nikki Latrelle Racing series. As a third book, it's probably best to read the other two first, but I think if you're willing to sacrifice a bit of background story, this book could probably be read as a stand-alone.
  
  Nikki has barely settled in near the racetrack in Florida when she witnesses a murder at the bus stop. The young girl, dressed provocatively for her age, is shot after being dumped from a van. To further add problems, Nikki is also dealing with a suspicous new horse owner and his temperamental horses and has a friend flying in who's searching for her daughter that she had given up at birth. Like usual, Nikki is further embroiled in all the mystery and intrigue despite just wanting to be with the horses.
  
  Nikki is a very strong character. Really, she's what pushes this series along, which is a good thing considering the series is named after her. But she's such a pleasure to read about as she seems so realistic. Like you can imagine that somewhere out there, there is a Nikki Latrelle on the racetrack. Her friends are a little more suspect. They seem to love to cause trouble for her and I was actually curious that there were quite a few that didn't show up from the second book, although a few had a mention or two. Carla was the prominent friend here and she was a focused character that had a lot of determination and a little less sense. The only character I really didn't like was the psychic. She seemed unnecessary and it could have been just as good a book without her. She just added an element that didn't flow as nicely with the rest of the book.
  
  I described this book as gritty, and it is. A murder is described in the first few pages and the rest deals with drugs, sex trafficking and a myriad of other disturbing topics. And what really makes it scary is that all of it could probably happen in real life. Except maybe the thing with the psychic, I'm still undecided on that one. And as I said before, the scenes involving her detract from the book rather than add to it. But if you ignore the psychic there's a good story here. I actually couldn't put the book down and even though I started it late at night, I went ahead and read it in one sitting. Hill just has a way of writing that grips you and keeps you wanting to know what happens next. And even though this book didn't have as much about horses in it as the last, there was still a lot of detail only someone with the racetrack would be familiar with, and it drew you in like you were part of that world. And since you feel for Nikki, you have to see how her story ends up. And this one had an ending that was quite the shocker.
  
  I have no big complaints about the series from what I've read. I like the characters and the books always keep me hooked. This is a series to look for.
  
  Racing From Death
  Copyright 2013
  
  Review by M. Reynard 2013
  
  More of my reviews can be found at
  www.ifithaswords.blogspot.com
• 
  Mandy

  I received The Sea Horse Trade in return for an honest review from the publisher. Nikki is back for another adventure only this time she’s down in Florida during the winter. Will Marshall the jockey from prior books who has a thing for Nikki is also in town. On the first day in town Nikki witnesses a murder of a young girl on the streets which send her into a world filled with drugs and sex trade. She also has three new horses in the barn owned by a Cuban man who has a nasty scar, one being a high strung black colt the others two filly’s. When Nikki has the chance to race colt she’s thrilled at the chance the pair even when but before they can celebrate the horse tests positive for cocaine having Jim thrown off the track. Nikki has to deal with the horses, while he returns to Maryland until his name can be cleared from doping the horse.
  
  As if Nikki doesn't have enough with Jim gone and the three new horses her friend Carla is on a mission to find the daughter she put up for adoption fifteen years earlier. While her private detective found the family in Florida before Carla can meet them the parents are murdered and her daughter is taken. Nikki also decides to give Will a chance. Carla and Nikki set out to find her daughter before it’s too late with the help of Mello’s cousin.
  
  The Sea Horse Trade is another success in the Nikki Latrelle series. The story captivates you right from the start keeping you hooked till the very end. I love Nikki she’s just one of those characters who steals your heart. The story if filled with mystery, horse racing, adventure, and a little romance. I love how the author creates a complex story that mixes mystery with horses which have been a love of mine since I was a kid. The Sea Horse Trade is full of twists and turns that kept me guessing till the very end. I look forward to reading more books in the Nikki Latrelle series.
  
• 
  Jesse Kimmel-Freeman

  Wow! She's done it again. I've only read pieces of her other works, but when I did I loved her amazing craft with words. This book doesn't disappoint- even if I read it in manuscript format which is big and clunky.
  
  This is a fast paced book. I mean, you're totally thrown into the world of Nikki and the insane things she seems to get herself sucked into. And I swear, I would never work with a horse called Diablo. I mean it is like saying that the beast is a devil.
  
  The entire time you're reading it, it's like you're a horse in a race for your life and the only way to slow the world down is get to the end- but then you're just left wanting more from the writer.
  
  Hill really knows what's she's talking about. She's obviously taken the time to research and invest in her characters. I really love her character arcs and I really love how it's done in first person. I'm a big fan of that. I write the same way.
  
  I recommend this for those that love a good mystery, suspense, thriller, book of awesomeness.
• 
  Barbara Sullivan

  Unable to sleep due to pre-race jitters, our hero Nikki Latrelle is out walking in the predawn hours when the thrumming sounds of rap emerge from the dark behind her. Nikki takes cover and watches as a black SUV coasts to a stop a handful of feet away. A rear door opens. A scantily clad girl is shoved out the back door. Losing her balance and breaking a leg as she falls, the girl collapses on the sidewalk.
  
  A heavily accented voice coarsely shouts down at her. Other men laugh at his ugly words. Shots are fired! And another Sasscer Hill Racing Mystery is off to a page-turning start.
  
  This easy read has all the right ingredients to please mystery buffs: a great main character, a carefully thought out plot, and a satisfying ending. We may all know who will win the race, but the wild ride on this familiar track is the thrill we all want. My only question is why haven't you read it yet?
• 
  Kathleen Kelly

  The Seahorse Trade is another addition to the Nikki Latrelle Racing Mystery series. I had not read any of the series at all and I am always a bit reluctant to start a series after the 1st or 2nd book. I always feel that I will lose part of who the main character is. I did not feel this way at all. From the first sentence on the plot takes off. A story about horse racing from the stables to the winner's circle. Throw a few murders into the mix and you have a story well worth the read. From reading the bio of Sasscer Hill, it is very recognizable that she knows what she is writing about. Believable characters, a great murder mystery and a lesson in horse racing, all rolled into a very readable book. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
• 
  Kait Carson

  Loved this book. First, it's set in Florida, and in my old backyard (figuratively speaking). Second, the action explodes on page one and won't let the reader go until the last page. Hill is a genius at setting the scene, and deftly closing all the loopholes. It's not until the final scenes (and I'm not giving it away - I couldn't do it justice) that you realize how inevitable the ending is and how skillfully the story is told. By the time I finished this book I was as breathless as if I'd ridden the Florida Derby. A fantastic summer, fall, winter, spring read!
• 
  Sue

  Fast-paced, with interesting and believable characters. My favorite parts of this (and the previous two) book(s) are the interactions between Nikki and the horses, particularly the difficult ones, and the race descriptions. In fact, one thing I missed and was surprised at here is that Jim did not bring down Nikki's filly Hellish to Gulfstream.
• 
  Debra

  Quite worthy to be shelved with the best Dick Francis, Sasscer Hill's Seahorse Trade combines a realistic sounding look at thoroughbred racing, a strong character in jockey/trainer Nikki Latrelle with suspenseful action involving drug lords and the sex trade.
  
  I have enjoyed all her books, but this one is easily the best.
• 
  Jackie Ross

  Lynda Sasscer Hill has become one of my favorites. If you miss Dick Francis, you like complicated heroines and an author who isn't afraid of doing of twists (I mean, would you think this was about white slavery from the title) then Sassier Hill is for you.
• 
  M.J. Payne

  Take a deep breath and dive in. This fast-paced, well-crafted mystery by Sasscer Hill deals with some subject matter that will send chills up and down your spine. Will you ever feel safe again? It gave me goose bumps. The storyline winds around Nikki Latrelle, career jockey and stable assistant to Jim Ravinsky. Energetic Nikki witnesses a girl being thrown out of a van and shot. This leads to an ever escalating string of events regarding underage girls. A mysterious man with a ghastly scar, Currito Maldonista has his horses vanned in to Ravinsky’s barn at Gulfstream Park early. Among his horses is a barely controllable stallion, an ill-tempered son of Dynaformer. The resourceful Nikki is forced to manage and ride him after somebody dopes the monster with cocaine. Nikki scratches her head as to why somebody would dope the bombshell that way. As a result of cocaine being found in the horse Ravinsky takes the blame after Diablo runs and wins a scorching race and must leave the track with Nikki in charge of the horses and the often three-legged Diablo. This is obviously written by a professional horsewoman with in-depth knowledge of the thoroughbred racehorse world. The ambiance of the book evokes the smell, feel, and activity of life at a racetrack so the reader feels right there. I loved the solution to who ponied Diablo to the starting gate – a part draft horse gelding who was only too happy to bump Diablo to keep him in line when necessary. The book sports some very sexy scenes between Nikki and Will, her love interest. Nikki’s friend Carla has a problem that interacts with the plot sending it shooting along to a wild surprise ending. The gallery of sinister and strange characters will have you biting your nails and sail you into a satisfying ending.
• 
  William F Lesshafft

  Great Read
  
  Being a huge fan of horse racing this is a great mystery which grabs you from the start.
  
  Only issue is the ending is rather clumsy, needs to spend more time wrapping everything up.
  
  
  
• 
  Rebecca Lloyd

  I enjoyed this 3rd book in the series but found it to be a bit far-fetched. The first two books were much more believable. In this one, the author took more liberties to create a story line that is hard to find realistic. Overall, though, I enjoyed Nikki's foray into Florida racing.
• 
  Nancy Christie

  I thoroughly enjoyed THE SEA HORSE TRADE. Sasscer Hill is excellent at providing not only a plot full of twists and turns and characters that you learn to care about but also the kind of descriptions that make the setting come alive. I look forward to reading more of her novels!
• 
  Janet

  Here we have a heroine who is really TSTL and it's very evident in this third book in the series. Add in some other typical plot devices, such as the villains who can come and go unmolested, and you have a poor entry in this series.
• 
  Laura Burroughs

  Another fast-paced mystery. The best writing is about the horses and events at the track.