All The Pretty Dresses

Question: Can a 31-year-old single mom, the first ever female deputy hired in her county, actually pull of her unexpected appointment as the honest-to-god Sheriff of Nicholas County? Some in her department don't think so. It is a question Cass Rosier must answer for them, for the citizens of Nicholas County, and most of all--for herself. At issue: Someone is killing beautiful young women, all of whom are wearing expensive evening gowns when found, and leaving their bodies randomly scattered around her county. When Sammantha (Sam) Martin, now a highly successful New York Attorney and Cass's best friend from childhood, suddenly shows up in Summersville fleeing a nasty divorce, Cass immediately recruits her to work on the case as a special investigator. Together Cass and Sam must deal with Sam's abusive ex-husband, Ricky, Cass's budding romance with Dr. Gary Coleman, the county Medical Examiner, and unravel the harrowing twists, turns and surprises they encounter while trying to solve the mystery of the evening gown murders.

All The Pretty Dresses is a gritty, fast/paced mystery/thriller that would do the likes of James Patterson and Agatha Christie proud. Cass Rosier is a thirty-one-year-old single-mom and the first ever female deputy hired by her county. When she catches the current county sheriff with an underage high school student, in desperation, the county fathers unexpectedly appoint her as acting sheriff until the next election. Can she pull off the job? Some in her department don't think so. But Cass is determined prove them wrong and answer the question for the citizens of Nicholas County, but more important--for herself. At issue: Someone is killing beautiful young women, all of whom are dressed in expensive evening gown when found, and leaving the bodies randomly scattered around the county. Their apparent beauty when found belays the horrible truth behind how they were killed. Solving the mystery is critical to Cass being able to keep her job. When Samantha Martin, a highly successful New York Attorney and Cass's best friend from Childhood, suddenly shows up in Summersville fleeing a nasty divorce, Cass convinces her to work on the case as a special investigator. Together Cass and Sam must deal with Sam's abusive ex-husband, Ricky, Cass's budding romance with Dr. Gary Coleman, the county Medical Examiner, and unravel the harrowing twists, turns and surprises they encounter while trying to solve the mystery of the evening gown murders.

Steven J. Clark is the former editor-in-chief and publisher of a national trade newspaper for the manufactured housing industry who has written extensively for local and regional newspapers. All The Pretty Dresses is the first of three books that will be published by Mr. Clark in 2014. Born and raised in Central Utah, Mr. Clark has spent most of his adult life in California, Texas and Tennessee. He and his wife, Lauri, currently reside in a tiny town in a high mountain valley in Central Utah.