{"product_id":"girls-and-their-horsesisbn-9780593438886","title":"Girls and Their Horses","description":"\u003cb\u003e“The thriller of the summer.”\u003cbr\u003e—Today.com\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSet in the glamorous, competitive world of showjumping, a novel about the girls who ride, their cutthroat mothers, and a suspicious death at a horse show…from the author of \u003ci\u003eGood Rich People\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen the nouveau riche Parker family moves to an exclusive community in the heart of Southern California, they believe it’s their chance at a fresh start. Heather Parker is determined to give her daughters the life she never had—starting with horses. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eShe signs them up for riding lessons at Rancho Santa Fe Equestrian, where horses are a lifestyle. Heather becomes a “Barn Mom,” part of a group of wealthy women who hang at the stables, drink wine, and prepare their daughters for competition. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt’s not long before the Parker family is fully enmeshed in the horse world—from mean girl cliques to barn romances and dark secrets. With the end of summer horse show fast approaching, the pressure is on, and these mothers will stop at nothing to give their daughters everything they deserve. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBefore the summer is over, lies will turn lethal, accidents will happen, and someone will end up dead.\u003cb\u003ePraise for \u003ci\u003eGirls and Their Horses\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Calling all former horse girls: This is the thriller you've been waiting for.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eGood Housekeeping\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"In this whodunnit set in the elite show-jumping scene, new money clashes with old, while mean girls and competetive moms abound. Brazier gets everything right about how the horse world can go wrong.\"\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePeople\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"The complex motives, class divisions and nice-nasty backbiting among the “horse girls” and “barn moms” brings to mind the competitive female environments in Megan Abbott’s novels, but Brazier’s experience as a horsewoman and deep knowledge of that world could make her the next Dick Francis.\"\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eLA Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Tensions have always run high in the elite (and usually, rich) equestrian world. \u003ci\u003eGirls and Their Horses \u003c\/i\u003edials up the intrigue by several degrees, embedding a new-money family into an insular and highly competitive horseback riding community—where deceit, romance, and even murder aren't out of the question in pursuit of a blue ribbon.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eHarper's Bazaar\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e“Brazier imbues her commentary on the elite snobbery of the equestrian community with universal observations of what it’s like to be a young girl trying to fit into an exclusive club and how little changes once these young girls grow up.”\u003cb\u003e \u003cbr\u003e—\u003ci\u003eGlamour\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e“Big Little Lies \u003c\/i\u003egoes equestrian in this lacerating, steamy thriller.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Oprah Daily\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A propulsive, addictive read, there are moments where \u003ci\u003eGirls and Their Horses\u003c\/i\u003e feels like it was engineered in a lab to be read poolside by bookclubs everywhere.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Paste\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Horse mothers put stage mothers to shame in this wildly entertaining thriller.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e (starred review)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“[A]n engrossing read about competitive moms — and horse girls…If in your youth you came across the intense energy of sports moms, then this book will certainly resonate.\"\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eShondaland\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I am obsessed with this fun and twisty read featuring gorgeous manes and dastardly deeds…Come for the diabolical intrigue and stay for the vicious infighting. And the horses. Did I mention horses?\"\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eCrimeReads\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“[I]rresistible… enough mean-girl drama and emotion to fill a horse barn…a blue-ribbon story of the haves and have-nots.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eKirkus\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A wickedly delicious deep dive into the world of horse-crazy girls, whiskey-soaked barn parties, and high-octane show-jumping circuits....But the cutthroat competition turns lethal when a corpse turns up at the summer show, and both mother and daughters must wrestle with what’s truly important…a fabulous ride!”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eKate Quinn\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThe Diamond Eye\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“At turns hilarious and heartbreaking, \u003ci\u003eGirls and Their Horses\u003c\/i\u003e has Brazier’s razor sharp insight and blistering social commentary, combined with a plot so subtly tense you’ll hold your breath for whole chapters.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eKiersten White\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eHide\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Does for horse girls what Megan Abbott’s \u003ci\u003eDare Me\u003c\/i\u003e did for cheerleaders…A powerful, searing novel of hierarchy, desire, and desperation, told by a brilliant storyteller unafraid to take risks.”\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eAshley Winstead\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Last Housewife\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Dark and deliciously twisted, this is the thriller of my equestrian dreams . . . or nightmares. You’ll never look at horse girls the same way.”\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eJessica Burkhart, \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003ebestselling author of the Canterwood Crest series\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Deliciously full of soapy, simmering tension, manipulation, toxic female friendships, wealthy power dynamics and backstabbing a plenty…it’s \u003ci\u003eBig Little Lies\u003c\/i\u003e meets \u003ci\u003eDallas\u003c\/i\u003e, but even lustier and laced with Brazier’s pitch-black humor. I couldn’t put it down!”\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eMay Cobb\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Hunting Wives\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“With stylish, incisive prose and laser-sharp commentary, this is a story that will draw readers in and hold them completely under its hypnotic spell...a reading experience as powerful, beautiful, and unsettling as the horses at its core.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eLaurie Elizabeth Flynn\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Girls Are All So      Nice Here\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"This recommended, well-written suspense poses questions about the cost of parents living vicariously through their children.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A slow-burn suspenseful read with plenty of drama.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eMystery \u0026amp; Suspense\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\"If ruthless moms, tyrannical trainers, mean horse-girls and pimped-out heartthrobs sound like a murder-suspect dream team to you, you'll soak this book up like a self-medicated barn mom throwing back a flute of champagne. I certainly did.\"\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eTertulia\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Brazier’s fine eye for detail and all-consuming passions does for the horse world what Megan Abbott’s incisive behind the scenes novels did for ballet (‘\u003ci\u003eThe Turnout\u003c\/i\u003e’), gymnastics (‘\u003ci\u003eYou Will Know Me’\u003c\/i\u003e) and cheerleading (‘\u003ci\u003eDare Me\u003c\/i\u003e’).”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—South Florida Sun-Sentinel\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A deftly woven tale of families and horses, money and betrayals, emphasizes the constant abuse of young people and horses by those who seek money, fame, and power.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eFresh Fiction\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“...[B]rilliantly mixes a coming-of-age with a crime thriller where every character is the lead.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eCriminal Element\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePraise for\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e Good Rich People\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"The rich live differently than the rest of us, and that's never more evident than this chilling account of one family that plays a sick and twisted game with their tenants.\"\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eGood Housekeeping\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “With writing that truly embodies the raw evil of greed, Brazier crafts cunning characters whom readers will be so excited to hate.”\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eShondaland\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Taut, chilling, and completely original…elegantly explores the chasm between the haves and the have-nots.”\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eEllery Lloyd, \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThe Club\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"A novel that's equal parts edge-of-your-seat suspenseful, bitingly funny, and wholly original.\"\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eChandler Baker\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThe Husbands\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “[A] page-turner of the highest order.”\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003ePopSugar\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Wickedly sharp, deviously hilarious, and flawlessly executed.”\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eKiersten White\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eAnd I Darken\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Fizzy and hilarious, dangerous and outrageous. It’s like chugging a flute of champagne that’s been lit on fire. I loved the hell out of it.”\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eStephanie Perkins\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThere’s Someone Inside Your House\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “The most vicious thrill ride I’ve been on in years—a satirical, dead-eyed look at class and money in a world frighteningly like ours, but with just enough askew to feel deeply unsettling.”\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eAmy Gentry\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003eGood as Gone\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Dark, adrenaline-fueled, and wickedly funny...a compulsive tale of privilege and survival that grabs you from the first page and keeps you guessing breathlessly until the very last.”\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eEmma Rous\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003ci\u003eUSA Today\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThe Au Pair\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Full of fast cars, designer clothes, and pulse-racing cinematic thrills, this is a sharp-edged look into the lives of zip code 90210 residents.”\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \"[A]n intelligent and thought-provoking page-turner that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end.\"\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eCriminal Element\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Fiendish…Readers with a taste for the idiosyncratic and the macabre will find much to relish.”\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/b\u003e (starred review)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “A deliciously savage, viciously sharp-edged thriller.”\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eJesse Q. Sutanto\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003eDial A for Aunties\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “I dare you to not become obsessed.”\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eLaurie Elizabeth Flynn\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Girls Are All So Nice Here\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Haunting and ingenious.”\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eAmber Garza\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003eWhen I Was You\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\"Meticulously plotted and masterfully executed, this story delivered on all its promise...Brazier's voice is killer.\"\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eJustin A. Reynolds\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003eOpposite of Always\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e“[A] little creepy, but in a good way.\"\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eBetches\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\"This fresh, modern thriller hits the sweet spot between satire and horror.\"\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eDeadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eEliza Jane Brazier\u003c\/b\u003e is an author, screenwriter, and journalist. Eliza entered the horse world at the age of 5 and has worked as a rider, horse trainer and riding instructor. She currently lives in California with her horse and dogs, where she is developing her books for television.one\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMaple\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMaple's mother had insisted she wear riding clothes to the horse stable, even though they weren't there to ride. They were there to feed the horses carrots. They had brought a big bag of them. The stable was only a mile away from their new house. It had been part of the promise of moving to California.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Rancho Santa Fe has horses,\" Maple's mother had told her, like there weren't horses everywhere in Texas. \"The first thing we're going to do is find you a new place to ride.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHeather sometimes seemed to genuinely believe that Maple loved horses just as much as she did. It wasn't that Maple didn't like horses; she just thought they were a little scary, especially the horses at this barn. They were huge and immaculate, nothing like the unkempt quarter horses in Amarillo.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMaple was turned out in breeches, a Cavalleria Toscana shirt and gleaming tall boots. Her mother had taken her to Mary's Tack and Feed yesterday and selected thousands of dollars' worth of riding clothes.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Anything you want,\" she had kept saying.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMaple had had no idea what she was supposed to want. Her mom ended up picking, which satisfied them both.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut now Maple felt silly, dolled up in a stranger's barn-her hair was even in two French braids-like she was auditioning for the role of rider. What if someone saw them? Not only was she overdressed, but they were breaking the rules. There were signs everywhere that said not to touch the horses.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Those are just for people who don't know horses,\" Heather said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHeather herself wasn't exactly a pro. She had taken lessons in her youth. She had told Maple the story hundreds of times. How she had been the best rider, until her dad left and she was forced to quit. She'd had to sell her horse. She'd had to stop going to the barn.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMaple had been told that story so many times it had imprinted itself on her psyche, become an integral part of how she saw her mom-hair in two braids, shiny black boots, sitting outside the arena while the other girls rode their fantasy horses, out of reach.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt wasn't fair. The world owed Heather horses.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMaple's mother could have ridden herself now. She had even taken a few lessons, but she always ended up frustrated. It wasn't the same. It wasn't what she wanted. It didn't fix that event, as if the only way into her past was through her daughters' future.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHeather preferred to watch her daughters ride horses. First Piper, who had been a natural but who had quit when Heather pushed too hard. And now Maple, who was talentless and slightly fearful but willing.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMaple had always been a little captivated by her mother, who was beautiful, who was made even more beautiful by her strange, specific dreams. Heather wanted Maple to ride horses. She wanted her daughter to dress a certain way. She wanted Maple to have the right friends. She didn't care about the things other moms seemed to care about-grades and morality and even happiness.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"No one's happy,\" she had once assured Maple, offering a crooked smile-frown. \"Don't worry about it.\" She had pressed her daughter's hair down. \"I wish someone had told me that when I was your age. Then maybe I wouldn't have thought I was missing out.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMaple knew her mom had intended to make her feel better, to make her think about her own life, but instead it had made her think about her mom. When Heather kissed Maple's dad, when she grinned on vacation, when she had congratulated Maple at her elementary school graduation, Maple thought: She's not really happy. She just seems happy.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRight then Heather seemed happy, climbing up the rungs of a pipe corral to get a better look at a horse whose name was Desi, according to the engraved plaque outside his stall.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"You should ride this one,\" Heather said. \"It would look so good with your hair.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDesi was huge, probably over seventeen hands-in horse measurements, a hand was four inches, or the width of a hand. He looked a little spicy, prancing around the far end of the stall, showing the whites of his eyes. He was wrong for Maple in every conceivable way except one-his golden palomino coloring-and that was all her mother saw.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHeather stretched her palm out, which seemed to make Desi more nervous. The gelding tossed his head, swishing his golden mane.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"He's perfect for you.\" Heather hopped down, startling the horse.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHeather adjusted her outfit and scanned the deserted aisle. She had dressed herself in discreet wealth. Everything expensive was slightly hidden: slivers of diamond earrings tucked beneath her hair, no logos on her leather purse. Her shirt was floral, simple. She could have gotten it from Walmart, but she hadn't. She had gotten it at a boutique in Santa Fe for eight hundred dollars.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I thought more people would be here. It's Monday.\" Heather placed a hand over her perfectly made-up eyes and peered off toward a row of trailers. She had found a housekeeper who could also do her makeup. She loved telling people this, like it was somehow exceptional. \"I'm going to see if I can find anyone to ask about lessons. You can stay with the horses, if you want.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMaple could tell that her mother wanted her to want to stay with the horses, so she nodded and dragged their enormous bag of carrots toward another barn.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMaple stepped into the cool shade of the breezeway. The horses stuck their heads over the doors and watched her. One noticed the carrots and whinnied. Then they all started whinnying, pacing around their stalls and tossing their heads. One even bucked and cantered a tight circle. They were freaking out. It was kind of scary.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMaple had a sense, always, that something terrible was about to happen now. Right now. She called it prophecy; her therapist called it generalized anxiety disorder.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"What are you doing?\" A girl slipped out of a stall and into the aisleway.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eShe seemed older than Maple, but she was small and delicate. She was wearing a bright red coat, like a girl marked for death in a horror movie. But she had the face of the killer.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"You can't be here,\" the girl continued. \"Didn't you read the signs?\" She noticed the carrots. \"Oh my God! Are you giving the horses carrots? Don't you know you can't do that? They could have Cushing's disease. Or bite you. I know this girl, and her mom got her finger bitten off by their horse, and the horse swallowed it. Seriously, I'm not fucking kidding.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMaple dropped the heavy bag on the ground. Her whole face burned. She wanted to run, but her legs felt weak. She was dizzy. She wished her mom were there.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHeather never seemed to be bothered by drama. In fact, she often seemed drawn to it. If there was a kerfuffle at a restaurant, if gunshots rang out, Heather drifted steadily toward it, clutching her purse and smiling benignly. Can I help?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"My mom-,\" Maple started.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"You need to leave,\" the girl said. \"Seriously, you're actually trespassing. And why are you wearing riding clothes? It's Monday.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMaple burned up even more. She'd tried to warn her mother about this, when she had dressed Maple up like a doll.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA woman who must have been the other girl's mom appeared. She shared her daughter's red hair.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"What are you doing here?\" she said. She also shared her attitude.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"My mom's here,\" Maple said, not answering the question. \"I have to go get her.\" She took off like a lunatic toward the offices. She abandoned the carrots in the barn aisle.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Hey!\" the girl yelled after her. \"You can't run around horses!\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMaple found her mom practically in the middle of breaking and entering. It would never have occurred to Heather that the office wasn’t hers to open.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Why are you running?\" Heather asked, trying a combination on the lock. \"I was thinking I could write them a note. I think this is the main office. I've already left seven voice messages.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHeather had been trying to contact this barn since before the move. Instead of giving up, she got only more determined.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMaple was breathing hard. She was on the verge of tears. \"They said we can't be here!\" Her voice rose precipitously. \"They said we're trespassing.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHeather perked up. \"Who said that? Is someone here?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHeather started in the direction Maple had come from, but then the red-haired woman appeared, matching daughter in tow. When she saw Heather, she smiled so fast it was like a quick draw in a shoot-out.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Why, hello there!\" Her eyes ran fast over Heather, like she was calculating the value of everything she saw-Heather herself included. \"I'm Pamela and this is my daughter, Vida.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I'm Heather. Parker. And this is my daughter Maple.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I was just telling your sweet girl that unfortunately this barn isn't open to the public.\" Pamela was holding Vida's hand, their fingers laced, like they were best friends instead of mother and daughter.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Oh, we're not the public,\" Heather said. They had been rich for a short amount of time, but Heather had adjusted beautifully. \"We're here to sign up for riding lessons.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"It's Monday,\" Pamela said. \"No one comes in on Mondays. And this isn't a lesson barn. They don't have school ponies or summer camps.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHeather stepped forward, crossed her arms neatly. Since she had become rich, Maple's mother had changed, although not completely. The root of what she had always been was still there. But she had become more herself.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"We just bought a house a mile from here,\" Heather said, as if that had anything to do with it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut Maple could see Pamela's expression change. It softened a little, like the Parkers were closer to belonging not just there but everywhere.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"How lovely! That makes us neighbors,\" she said. \"But I will warn you, this probably isn't the barn for you.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMaple knew the woman couldn't have tempted her mother more.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"There's a good riding school in Olivenhain. I can give you their number.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"No, thank you. I like this one. It's closer to our house. I want Maple to be able to walk to the barn if she wants to,\" Heather said. As if Maple would ever walk a mile. \"Would you mind taking my number? Then you can pass it along to the owners for me. I've been trying to reach them.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Kieran Flynn,\" Pamela said, like the name meant something to everyone. \"He's the owner and the head trainer.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePamela clearly didn't want to take her number, but Heather just waited. Pamela finally took out her phone. She typed Heather's number in quickly.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThen she added, \"This is a show barn. Last year, we outperformed every barn at the Southern California International Horse Show. We demand total commitment to the program. We're a very tight community. You have to have your own horses, and your horses have to be in the training program. That means all of your rides are supervised by a trainer, and your horse is schooled by a Professional rider. It's really not a place for fun.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Good,\" Heather said, taking Maple's hand like she was aping Pamela. \"We don't want to have fun.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThere was nothing Heather loved more than the word no.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003etwo\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePamela\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePamela kind of liked Heather. She didn't know what it was about her-possibly her real estate. She even liked Heather enough to Google her.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePamela was sitting on a tack box in the A barn. She and Vida had commandeered the carrots Maple left behind. Vida was feeding them to all the horses that could have carrots.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNo one, except the stall cleaners and the feeding crew, came in on Mondays. Pamela and Vida-who were at the barn every day of the week-loved Mondays for that reason. They could be alone with the horses. Just the dry California air and the smell of pine shavings and the warm animal bodies.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Oh my God,\" Pamela said on Page One.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"What is it?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eVida trotted over with the nearly empty carrot bag. Pamela held the phone out to her.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Oh my God. Is that for real?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Her husband is loaded,\" Pamela said. \"It has to be the same person, right? She said Parker.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Yeah, Heather Parker. And they sounded like Texas people.\" Vida hopped onto the tack box beside her mother. \"What house did they buy?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePamela did a search of all the houses in a two-mile radius. One had sold three months earlier. She pulled up the listing.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eVida peered over her shoulder. \"Holy shit.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePamela had lived in Rancho Santa Fe since she was a child, but she hadn't seen every house. Most of the houses were hidden behind tall gates and down epic drives. The Parkers had purchased one such house for twenty-eight million dollars.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"It's like a resort,\" Vida said. \"Look, it even has its own stables.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eShe pointed at a cute wood barn on the far side of the property.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Shit.\" Pamela hopped off the tack box. \"We'd better go.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Go where?\" Vida hurried after her.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"To tell Kieran. I just found him a golden goose.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ethree\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHeather\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eT hey were home so fast that Heather felt disappointed. She wanted to keep driving down those one-lane roads, peering over everyone's white rail fences at their tennis courts and orange groves.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRancho Santa Fe was a different kind of money from any other that Heather had ever experienced. It was a cross between Hollywood Golden Age glamour and historic Spanish estates. The beach was fifteen minutes away. You didn't get traffic like you did in LA. The weather was perfect all year round. The light was better. There were only a few thousand residents, and they were wealthy beyond belief. Even Bill Gates had a horse property there.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHeather had felt special when she discovered the area, as if knowing of its existence was its own reward. It had been her push to move there. It was perfect. It had everything anyone could want.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I thought everyone was leaving California,\" her husband, Jeff, said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Because they can't afford it,\" Heather said back.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThey had kept their house in Texas. It was from the before times, pre-rich. It was modest but close to family. They had paid it off as soon as their fortunes changed.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJeff owned seventeen companies, but he'd made most of his money investing. He had been doing it since he was a child. Just over a year ago, he had started to get lucky in a way that had felt like the magic you read about in books. It seemed like every month Jeff came home in shock to give Heather more good news.","brand":"Berkley","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46304060702949,"sku":"NP9780593438886","price":27.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780593438886.jpg?v=1730756213","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/girls-and-their-horsesisbn-9780593438886","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}