Bitter Roots: Police Procedural Mysteries by C. J. Carmichael is Book 1 of 4 of the “Bitter Roots Mysteries” series. The contemporary story takes place in the fictitious small town of Lost Trail, western Montana.

On Halloween night, a young woman’s body is found in an alley behind the town’s medical center. Not much is known about her other than she worked at the Masterson Christmas Tree Farm. She apparently lived out of her car and wasn’t known to socialize with any of the townspeople.

Dispatcher Zak Waller prefers working behind the scenes at the Sheriff’s Office. But when the brutal death of a young woman is reported, he feels compelled to investigate. The sheriff is quick to pin the death on an unknown outsider, but Zak feels there’s more to the story than what the Sheriff is saying.

After losing her CPA job in Seattle, Tiff Masterson has been traveling for the past few months. After her funds run out, she reluctantly returns home to her family’s tree farm. The farm just isn’t the same since both her father and older brother died, and she finds her mother in ill health.

Tiff and Zak are old school friends, and once together they start comparing notes about the young woman’s death. It’s not easy to gather facts in this tight-knit community, but between them and another high school friend, they discover some surprising truths.

Bitter Roots is a compelling mystery that paints a believable picture of small town loyalties. The author’s descriptions of life in Lost Trail with its hushed secrets is realistic. I found the sheriff’s investigation was, unfortunately, believable as he seemed more concerned about antagonizing future voters than solving the mystery of a relatively unknown woman. Bitter Roots is an intriguing read, and the series is off to a good start.