Em Hansen Mystery Series by Sarah Andrews

Some people would call Meeteetse, Wyoming, a one-horse town. But, in reality, there are plenty of horses - just not very many people. Crouching between the high peaks of the Absorakas Mountains and the lonely badlands of the Big Horn Basin, Meeteetse draws its thin living from the nearby oil fields and ranches and the occasional tourist. Neighbors know each other's business all too well in Meeteetse... moreSome people would call Meeteetse, Wyoming, a one-horse town. But, in reality, there are plenty of horses - just not very many people. Crouching between the high peaks of the Absorakas Mountains and the lonely badlands of the Big Horn Basin, Meeteetse draws its thin living from the nearby oil fields and ranches and the occasional tourist. Neighbors know each other's business all too well in Meeteetse. The dueling gossips at the Blue Ribbon Cafe and the A&W - not to mention the Cowboy Bar regulars - make sure of that. Yet much like in the oil business, sometimes the most interesting facts are hidden beneath the surface. . . . In her tiny office in the dingy Blackfeet Oil Company trailer where she works as a "mudlogger, " Em Hansen makes a living out of tracking what's beneath the surface of the endless Wyoming prairie. Often the only woman on the isolated oil rig, Em has perfected the art of the low profile - both personally and professionally. And it's that very detachment that allows her to detect an unusual pattern of events on the rig. Bill Kretzmer, the Blackfeet Oil Company geologist, was a meticulous man - and Em's friend and mentor. Yet when his pickup truck overturns one night on a familiar road, his death is chalked up to carelessness. No one, except Em, notices that the private files in which he kept his own drilling notes are missing. Em's curiosity soon attracts the unwanted attention of Ed Meyer, the boorish chief engineer. Meyer's attention can be dangerous - as any woman who knows him can attest. But is there more to his harassment than his standard leering, macho routine? As Em pursues her intuitions, she discovers friends she never knew she had on the rig - and at leastone murderous enemy. Tensleep marks the debut of both the exceptionally talented Sarah Andrews and her endearing hero - geologist Em Hansen. less

Geologist Em Hansen digs into greed, deception, murder...and other natural disasters.Looking to distract herself from the grief she feels over her father's recent death, geologist Em Hansen agrees to investigate the rocky murder of fellow geologist Janet Pinchon.Asked to step in by Janet's father, a powerful senator, Em travels to Northern California where Janet's body was found in a roadside ditch... moreGeologist Em Hansen digs into greed, deception, murder...and other natural disasters.Looking to distract herself from the grief she feels over her father's recent death, geologist Em Hansen agrees to investigate the rocky murder of fellow geologist Janet Pinchon.Asked to step in by Janet's father, a powerful senator, Em travels to Northern California where Janet's body was found in a roadside ditch.Soon hired by the environmental firm where Janet worked, Em steps into her life to find some answers. But shadowed by the darkness of her own past, Em must face more than shady politicians, greedy land developers, and an endangered ecosystem. This spunky geologist must grapple with her deepest fears to survive an assault be a vengeful Mother Nature...and a killer with a hear of stone. less

With the Winter Olympics approaching, Salt Lake City is trembling with excitement-literally. A real life earthquake has torn fissures into the city's preparations, and now forensic geologist Em Hansen has a rare opportunity to get some field work in before her home is overrun by tourists and athletes.But murder can spoil anybody's plans, and when the body of the state geologist turns up in the wake of the 'quake, the FBI enlists Em's unique expertise to sort through the rubble... moreWith the Winter Olympics approaching, Salt Lake City is trembling with excitement-literally. A real life earthquake has torn fissures into the city's preparations, and now forensic geologist Em Hansen has a rare opportunity to get some field work in before her home is overrun by tourists and athletes.But murder can spoil anybody's plans, and when the body of the state geologist turns up in the wake of the 'quake, the FBI enlists Em's unique expertise to sort through the rubble. When the case takes her into the byzantine bureaucracy of the city's building codes, Em runs headfirst into an assortment of intimidating suspects and corrupt government officials-and an uncomfortable clue that points to her own boyfriend, Ray. On shaky ground as her personal and professional lives collide, Em must use fascinating geological science to capture a murderer before her whole life come crumbling to the ground. less

Forensic geologist Em Hansen might finally be falling in love again. But just as she's getting closer to FBI agent Jack Sampler, he takes off on a mysterious assignment. When he doesn't return Em believes he's in trouble but only knows two things about where he's gone: Florida and killer dust. But what's the connection between the FBI and dust particles that move invisibly across the Atlantic?Risking her relationship, she goes to Florida, only to find out he's not the only person missing... moreForensic geologist Em Hansen might finally be falling in love again. But just as she's getting closer to FBI agent Jack Sampler, he takes off on a mysterious assignment. When he doesn't return Em believes he's in trouble but only knows two things about where he's gone: Florida and killer dust. But what's the connection between the FBI and dust particles that move invisibly across the Atlantic?Risking her relationship, she goes to Florida, only to find out he's not the only person missing. A rogue scientist researching dust has also vanished-and all the signs point to foul play. Em gets a crash course in the science of dust and quickly learns there's more to the mystery than meets the eye. Two missing men are only the beginning in a larger plot of drug smugglers and global terrorism that threatens countless lives. Truth, like dust, is hidden to the naked eye, and Em must use all the tools of geology to look beneath the surface to find her boyfriend and prevent a depraved attack before it's too late. less