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Saddle Creek #2
Mystery at Saddle Creek
Summer vacation has finally started, and Bird is looking forward to an extended stay with her Aunt Hannah at Saddle Creek Farm. But before she can settle into a normal routine of riding Sunny and preparing for shows, the community is thrown into chaos. A neighbourhood woman is brutally attacked on a local side road, and when the police don't act fast enough to satisfy the demand for justice, the situation goes from bad to worse - with neighbour accusing neighbour, and a bent-on-revenge vigilante group springing up to take matters into their own hands. Although she starts by observing the fuss from the sidelines, Bird quickly finds herself embroiled in the mystery. Who had reason to attack Sandra Hall? Does the strange man Bird and Sunny met in the woods have something to do with the crime? And how does her grandfather's reappearance fit into the picture? As Bird struggles to get to the bottom of the mystery, she learns more than she bargained for about her community, her past, and human nature.
310 pages, Paperback
First published May 4, 2010
149 people want to read
About the author
Shelley Peterson
21 books57 followersShelley Peterson is the best-selling author of numerous young adult novels, including DANCER, ABBY MALONE, SUNDANCER, and MYSTERY AT SADDLE CREEK.
She was born in London, Ontario, and was trained in theatre arts at the Banff School of Performing Arts, Dalhousie University, and the University of Western Ontario.
She works as a professional actress, and has more than 100 stage, film, and television credits to her name. Peterson has had a lifelong love of animals big and small, with particular interest in horses.
She divides her time between Toronto and Fox Ridge, a horse farm in the Caledon hills, which she shares with her husband, three children, and the family dog.
She was born in London, Ontario, and was trained in theatre arts at the Banff School of Performing Arts, Dalhousie University, and the University of Western Ontario.
She works as a professional actress, and has more than 100 stage, film, and television credits to her name. Peterson has had a lifelong love of animals big and small, with particular interest in horses.
She divides her time between Toronto and Fox Ridge, a horse farm in the Caledon hills, which she shares with her husband, three children, and the family dog.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 25, 2014
Just a short review.
Quick note on writing style: I find it very direct and rushed in parts, however I loved tanbark's thoughts at the beginnings of the chapters. I thought they were the most engaging, in-character elements of the book.
This book started out really good. I thought the plot was interesting and it seemed fresh and different from the previous book. However, soon I started to feel thematically it was very similar in parts to the last book, and I started to like the characters less. There wasn't very much development, and Bird didn't feel as unique to me.
The end bothered me. It felt preachy, like the author was pushing a message forcibly onto her readers. I am not a fan of hammer-over-head messages at all, and this really turned me off and left me feeling dissatisfied with the book at the end (and the actual ending, the very last pages, I thought was cheap, cliche and overly romantic, which is not the reason I read this book). Sundancer was unique and dealt with serious topics. This felt more horse-book cliche.
However, Sunny is still amazing and sarcastic, and I did like the development for Cody. There was good continuity between these books and it didn't feel like a sequel that was made just to get money, even though I didn't like it as much as the first. It made logical sense that this would follow the other book. There are also some very intense parts on edge-of-your-seat suspense.
Overall, it was enjoyable, but I was expecting Sundancer-quality story, and that is probably why I was disappointed.
Quick note on writing style: I find it very direct and rushed in parts, however I loved tanbark's thoughts at the beginnings of the chapters. I thought they were the most engaging, in-character elements of the book.
This book started out really good. I thought the plot was interesting and it seemed fresh and different from the previous book. However, soon I started to feel thematically it was very similar in parts to the last book, and I started to like the characters less. There wasn't very much development, and Bird didn't feel as unique to me.
The end bothered me. It felt preachy, like the author was pushing a message forcibly onto her readers. I am not a fan of hammer-over-head messages at all, and this really turned me off and left me feeling dissatisfied with the book at the end (and the actual ending, the very last pages, I thought was cheap, cliche and overly romantic, which is not the reason I read this book). Sundancer was unique and dealt with serious topics. This felt more horse-book cliche.
However, Sunny is still amazing and sarcastic, and I did like the development for Cody. There was good continuity between these books and it didn't feel like a sequel that was made just to get money, even though I didn't like it as much as the first. It made logical sense that this would follow the other book. There are also some very intense parts on edge-of-your-seat suspense.
Overall, it was enjoyable, but I was expecting Sundancer-quality story, and that is probably why I was disappointed.
August 7, 2016
I enjoyed this book. It is a good read, especially for older children (the target audience).
May 25, 2025
This is a sequel to Sundancer, which I haven't read, but it used to come up in my Goodreads recs a lot and looked cute. This one, though, I picked up at a library sale and was enthusiastic enough to just jump in. 3.5 rounded up because it's definitely for a younger audience, what with Bird's ability to telepathically communicate with animals, but I feel like my preteen and even teenage self would have eaten this up with a spoon. I mean, that's the dream when you're a kid who loves animals, right?
Anyway. The titular mystery turns to be a murder mystery, which seems kind of dark for a kids' series, especially when the first one looks like a straightforward horse book?, but at least it's not especially graphic. I also love the little embellishment illustrations every few chapters. Sometimes they illustrate scenes from the plot, like Bird hiding in a truck bed or a threatening letter, but other times they're just a single item -- a horse, a piece of tack, a matchbook, etc. They're so well-drawn and detailed that turning the page to find one was a pleasant little pick-me-up every time.
The writing style itself is quite good. I immediately loved how warm the characters were (human and animal alike! including the friendly local wild coyote), even though it was a bit hard to orient myself at first, and the sense of place at Saddle Creek Stables is very strong.
There's also plenty of detail about horse shows and showjumping, which is kind of funny because I swear I didn't mean to read this immediately after an older duology about showjumping, my whims just ran that way. Those books even included occasional 3rd-person-omniscient POV to indicate what the horses thought of their training, though in less conversational English than the horses here.
Basically, I feel like at 11-14, I would have had full-on extensive daydreams about being Bird and spending my summer on a horse farm like this.
P.S. As for Schizophrenic "Wild Man" Tanbark, his paranoia and mood swings are simply annoying and I will spend no time on him today even if he is integral to the plot.
Anyway. The titular mystery turns to be a murder mystery, which seems kind of dark for a kids' series, especially when the first one looks like a straightforward horse book?, but at least it's not especially graphic. I also love the little embellishment illustrations every few chapters. Sometimes they illustrate scenes from the plot, like Bird hiding in a truck bed or a threatening letter, but other times they're just a single item -- a horse, a piece of tack, a matchbook, etc. They're so well-drawn and detailed that turning the page to find one was a pleasant little pick-me-up every time.
The writing style itself is quite good. I immediately loved how warm the characters were (human and animal alike! including the friendly local wild coyote), even though it was a bit hard to orient myself at first, and the sense of place at Saddle Creek Stables is very strong.
There's also plenty of detail about horse shows and showjumping, which is kind of funny because I swear I didn't mean to read this immediately after an older duology about showjumping, my whims just ran that way. Those books even included occasional 3rd-person-omniscient POV to indicate what the horses thought of their training, though in less conversational English than the horses here.
Basically, I feel like at 11-14, I would have had full-on extensive daydreams about being Bird and spending my summer on a horse farm like this.
P.S. As for Schizophrenic "Wild Man" Tanbark, his paranoia and mood swings are simply annoying and I will spend no time on him today even if he is integral to the plot.
January 20, 2017
This series was a childhood favorite of mine! I loved it as a kid and it made me appreciate books more and that's what matters.
July 15, 2013
Let me start by saying, I LOVED Sundancer. It is one of my all-time favourite books.
So when I discovered there was a sequel, I was overjoyed.
Unfortunately, this book, like many sequels, does not live up to expectations.
It felt like Bird when through an entire personality switch. She was too interested in boys and not enough in horses. Her thoughtfulness and depth was abandoned when she began to speak.
I also didn't really like the plot of the book. The mystery was not engaging and I felt that it poorly portrayed people with mental illness.
It also brought back Keith Bradley, a character I have always felt is a bit flat.
Like Sundancer, the huge conflicts somehow all end up with a slightly unbelievable happy ending.
Sundancer was a work of art. Mystery at Saddle Creek just isn't.
So when I discovered there was a sequel, I was overjoyed.
Unfortunately, this book, like many sequels, does not live up to expectations.
It felt like Bird when through an entire personality switch. She was too interested in boys and not enough in horses. Her thoughtfulness and depth was abandoned when she began to speak.
I also didn't really like the plot of the book. The mystery was not engaging and I felt that it poorly portrayed people with mental illness.
It also brought back Keith Bradley, a character I have always felt is a bit flat.
Like Sundancer, the huge conflicts somehow all end up with a slightly unbelievable happy ending.
Sundancer was a work of art. Mystery at Saddle Creek just isn't.
July 21, 2010
YA is not my reading choice, normally, but my aunt Shelley's books are awesome. She creates real characters with real struggles and complexity, and she tells a damn good story.
Each book is a new adventure as well as an exploration of character. I love that her latest, Mystery at Saddle Creek, is also a murder mystery.
She has three very different protagonists in her 5 books so far. Bird (in Sundancer and Mystery at Saddle Creek) is my favorite. She's quirky, competitive, and kind. And she has a wonderfully adventurous spirit.
I recommend all of Shelley's books to anyone who loves YA fiction, horses, or curling up with a comfort novel and a cup of tea.
Each book is a new adventure as well as an exploration of character. I love that her latest, Mystery at Saddle Creek, is also a murder mystery.
She has three very different protagonists in her 5 books so far. Bird (in Sundancer and Mystery at Saddle Creek) is my favorite. She's quirky, competitive, and kind. And she has a wonderfully adventurous spirit.
I recommend all of Shelley's books to anyone who loves YA fiction, horses, or curling up with a comfort novel and a cup of tea.
January 14, 2011
This book was a complete joy to read. The story of a courageous girl who can communicate with animals kind of sounds like it would be a tacky book for kids, but it really is amazing how Shelley Peterson makes it so addicting to read. I love how the animals each have their own personality: Cody the wise wolf, Lucky the rambunctious puppy, Sabrina the sassy pony, and of course Sunny the energetic gelding. The whole story had me hooked right until the twists at the end. A must read for horse-lovers and bookworms alike.
March 2, 2016
I remember reading this years ago when I was much younger in a hotel room after the rest of my family had gone down to the pool. I felt so important and old that my Mom left me alone in the room, even if I was a little bit scared. I was in a really horrible mental state at the time, and this book was just such an amazing escape. This just transported me to Saddle Creek with it's sunshine. I can't forget Bird, or the wonderful effect she had on me in that moment.
April 28, 2010
I have been a huge fan of Shelley Peterson's books since I was a young teenager, and this love for her books has continued on into adulthood. Her books delve into the world of amateur horse showing with gusto all while providing a strong plot line that is both fun and intriguing.
I highly recommend this book and its predecessors to horse lovers young and old! =]
I highly recommend this book and its predecessors to horse lovers young and old! =]
October 2, 2013
3.5 stars
September 5, 2013
Highly entertaining with educational horsey snippets in between plot points
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews