Death Rides the Desert

The Haunted Ranch Mysteries, Book 1

De: Sara Bourgeois

Narrado por: Sarah Setzer

Claire Caldwell's life is in ruins. Fired from her corporate job and dumped by her boyfriend, she drives to Arizona to settle her great-aunt's estate, planning to sell the ranch and slink back to Chicago.

But Whispering Saguaro Ranch has other plans.

First comes the fox... a peculiar creature with copper fur and knowing eyes that leaves gifts on her doorstep.

Then come the ghosts. Translucent cowboys in her barn. A woman making tamales in her kitchen who's been dead since 1985. They've been waiting for her, because Claire has inherited more than land and livestock. She's inherited the ability to see the dead.

When the most hated man in Perdido Springs dies on her property and the sheriff dismisses it as an accident, only Claire can find the truth... Someone in this peaceful desert town is a killer, and in a place where the victim threatened half the population's livelihoods, everyone's a suspect.

With only a mystical fox, a house full of chatty spirits, and the ruggedly handsome veterinarian who tends her animals on her side, Claire must solve a murder nobody wants solved... before she becomes the next ghost haunting Whispering Saguaro Ranch.

Welcome to the desert, where the dead don't rest and the living keep dangerous secrets.

©2025 Sara Bourgeois (P)2026 Sara Bourgeois

Nice story but……

Fun story, but the narrator, YIKES!! Absolutely Awful! Someone needs to redo the narration as it’s a detriment to the authors cute story.

Waiting for the next one to drop!

I have become a fan of Sara Bourgeois over the last several months. This book started out kind of slow about 3/4 of the way through. It really picked up by the end of it I was hooked and now I can’t wait for the next one!

Fun story; annoying narrator

The story is fun but I’m really struggling with the narrator. She frequently inflects a word or two in most sentences like the word is a question and it’s not usually at the end but in the middle of the sentences. She also pauses in places I wouldn’t as a reader. I don’t normally have an issue with the narration but this is one I’m really struggling to get past. I might confine myself to just reading these vs listening because I find it unusually distracting.

Murder in the desert and ghosts among us

I just finished listening to Death Rides the Desert by Sara Bourgeois, the first book in the Haunted Ranch Mystery series, and thoroughly enjoyed it! This cozy mystery takes listeners into the Arizona desert, where a seemingly peaceful setting becomes the backdrop for murder, secrets, and an investigation filled with twists and surprises. The combination of desert atmosphere, intriguing characters, and a steadily unfolding mystery kept me engaged from beginning to end.

The story was especially enjoyable because it balances suspense with the charm and personality of its setting. As clues emerge and questions multiply, I found myself eager to keep listening and see how everything would come together. It’s a fun, entertaining start to what promises to be a wonderful series.

I also want to give special recognition to narrator Sara Setzer. She did a phenomenal job bringing the characters and story to life. Her narration added so much to the listening experience, giving the book energy and helping me stay completely immersed in the mystery.

I understand Sara Setzer will be narrating the rest of the series, and I couldn’t be happier about that. I’m already moving on to the second book, Bones and Cactus Blooms, and can’t wait to see where the story goes next.

If the rest of the series is as entertaining as Death Rides the Desert, I’m definitely going to be along for the ride. I’m looking forward to listening to the future books!

Highly recommended for cozy-mystery and audiobook listeners! 🎧📚