Cowboy PI by Clair Poulson

 Ken Jensen has just completed six years as military investigator and is eager to start the next part of his life.  He wants to ride broncs in the rodeo circuit, but he knows that isn't a great long-term career plan. When a local private investigator, Dallas Walsh, offers to hire him as an assistant, he jumps at the opportunity.  Dallas is trying to investigate some cattle rustlers but their case soon turns into a murder mystery when a body is found at one of the ranches. Ken befriends a local waitress, Kamry, who is the daughter of one of the victimized ranchers, and soon romance blooms between the two young people. But life is not all a bed of roses. Soon the rustlers become more bold and Ken and Kamry find themselves dodging bullets. 

I started to listen to a different book, but I found it too heavy and depressing, so I turned to Clair Poulson.  I can always find an available title by Poulson, and the stories are predictable and nonoffensive.  I have written about Poulson before.  His writing is totally B- level, especially the dialog, but I find it fun that the settings in his books are in my home state, and are places I recognize. I also like the systematic way that Poulson characters work through a case, checking out all the suspects, going to their homes and interviewing them, carefully gathering evidence and working with local law enforcement. These books are written with a male POV and the romances are really simplistic. There is never any real relationship conflict, and both characters grow to care for each other at the same time and rate. Of course, there is always a happy ending, despite the body count. (240 p. 2022)