Double-Time out of Taos is the second novel in the Nash Running Bear Mystery series by Baer Charlton. The woes and troubles of Special Agent Nash Running Bear continue as she gets a new assignment. Congressman Dwight Wright needs Agent Nash to protect his family after they are threatened by assassins who want them dead. In the beginning, she hates the job. However, all that changes when she slowly but surely figures out what is happening. Before she knows it, Nash and the Congressman’s family are sitting ducks with four assassins hot on their trail to end what they started. Nash immediately knows this is a case she cannot handle alone. She will need help, and she will need it immediately. Is this the case that will finally crack Nash?

I loved Nash. She is charismatic, capricious, and very interesting. She hides behind an image and an armor of her own making. Baer Charlton creates the perfect story for a complex character like Nash. She needs a high-intensity situation to keep her mind off everything else going wrong in her life. The chase and the case are enough to challenge her, and once she gets over her initial hesitance, she thrives. I loved her dialogue and her style. I could tell which dialogue was Nash’s just by the way it is written. The pace is fast and complements the action. This story is categorized as a mystery but I would call it a mystery thriller. Double Time Out of Taos has everything I wished for and gave me a lot more! It has a spunky lead, a grand narrative, and an entertaining plot. What more could I ask for?

Double-Time Out of Taos, book two of the Nash Running Bear Mystery series by Baer Charlton, picks up once more on the investigative experiences of Special Agent Nash Running Bear and her service dog Powder. A threat is received by Congressman Dwight Wright related to a close relative, involving a huge sum of money, and Nash is assigned to look into this unusual situation. Her journey to unravel this mystery leads her to a money trail, with threads that seem to lead to insurmountable dead ends. As she follows this trail, she finds herself drawn into another investigation on foreign soil that will unearth a gruesome find. Will this derail her investigation or unlock a vital clue to solve the mystery she is embroiled in?

Baer Charlton’s Double-Time Out of Taos is an easy-to-read exploration of the criminal underworld, giving readers a glimpse into the machinations of this dark and fascinating world. The story has been constructed in a clear, well-laid-out manner with clean grammatical content. Of particular note is the inclusion of informative pieces covering a wide range of related topics, which I found quite interesting. All of the characters are not unique but true to normal standards, including Powder, who in some ways often stole the show. The relationships are believable and have sufficient depth to fully engage us. The dynamics between Powder, Nash, and Mina were good and an apt reflection of life living and working with a service dog. For lovers of crime stories with a difference, I can recommend this one with confidence.

Double Time Out of Taos is the second installment of the Nash Running Bear Mystery trilogy by Baer Charlton. In this story, we see FBI Special Agent Nash Running Bear's exotic island vacation in the Caribbean cut short as she is almost forcibly assigned to a case after a member of Congress specifically requests her services. He believes that Nash is the best person for the case that involves intimidation of his lawmaking career and personal threats to his sister, Maggie. Nash's instinct is spot on when she organizes her backup team of skilled professionals from different government agencies and her vigilance committee of operatives from her hometown in Harkin County. This babysitting gig certainly has more to it than meets the eye. When she first sees the state of Maggie's property on her way to Taos, New Mexico it is a sinister message for her after bullets from an arsenal of deadly weapons devastate the house beyond repair. Later on, Nash thwarts an assassination attempt by international terrorists who target Maggie, herself, and her beloved service dog, Powder. This will eventually take Nash back to the Caribbean and see her travel to Europe with her wife and dog to connect the dots, deepen her knowledge, and find the truth about this case, which is associated with the moneyed and powerful.

Though the plot of Double Time Out of Taos is somewhat complicated and convoluted, the subplots and the thrilling scenarios are gratifying. The pacing is moderate, but it builds and shifts into high gear, especially when it comes to the riveting action scenes that keep you on the edge of your seat. What is certain about Baer Charlton is that he never fails to make his characters interesting and multi-dimensional. The mish-mash of personalities who often interact with each other with charming and witty banter is as colorful and descriptive as the settings and striking locations of the story itself, making it an entertaining read. We also see the extended participation of support characters from the first installment in the series and Charlton uses them to talk about current political and social issues. For those who are fans of Nash's service dog Powder, Charlton has generously given her more roles so we can enjoy the company of this quirky, talented, yet adorably behaved working dog and animal character. This book is recommended for action, crime, and mystery aficionados who enjoy an intricate plot punctuated with occasional rapid events, horrific scenarios, and some powerplay with fascinating foreign and exotic elements.

Nash Running Bear is vacationing with her wife, Mina, when duty cuts short their vacation and sets her on an investigative trail. Double-Time out of Taos, book two in the Nash Running Bear Mystery series by Baer Charlton is an action-packed mystery novel that follows the life of Agent Nash. The deputy director has assigned her to investigate a threat to Congressman Wright’s life after receiving a document containing photographs and a letter. For Nash, the strangeness of the numbers on the cash demand means more than just leverage. She suspects that Wright has secret information that is no longer known to him alone. Will Nash’s investigation bear fruit? What is the congressman trying so hard to conceal?

I had not given artistic works much thought until I read Baer Charlton’s Double-Time out of Taos. Charlton's appreciation of art in his vivid description of works by various artists is evident and well-executed. Lacking prior knowledge of the first installment in the series did not impede my enjoyment of this one. The storyline develops a unique yet autonomous plot. Charlton capitalizes on the characters’ conversations to provide background information on events, bringing us up to speed as they unfold. The characterization is excellent, with characters selected from various creeds and even contemporary sexual orientations, giving this story a realistic edge despite it being fiction. The chapters are titled, foregrounding subsequent shifts in the storyline, which enhanced my comprehension. I recommend this investigative mystery novel to readers who enjoy contemporary crime novels.