Justice at Redwillow
During the late 19th century, after many of the buffalo that roamed the plains have been killed, Jim Fontaine and his partner, Ben Spoonhammer, collect buffalo bones lying on the prairie. Dried bones can mean a few extra dollars in their pockets. A young man, Jim sees no future in this occupation and feels he needs a fresh new start. Ben gives him a deed to a small piece of land near the town of Redwillow, Wyoming.
Shortly after arriving in Redwillow, Jim befriends two local neighbors, Charley Drake and Walt McClatchy. While in town one night, after heavy drinking, Charley is found in a back alley passed out next to the body of Emma, a local whore. Initially thought guilty of killing her, he is found innocent and is soon set free. Jim, along with Emma’s sister, Nora, who arrived in town to discover her sister’s murderer, search together for the killer. Jim is also faced with a trespasser who seems to be looking for something on his land.
Spur Award winner John Nesbitt has written another excellent Western. He has the ability to paint a colorful and well-described backdrop to his stories. The steady unraveling of the plot is exciting to read. The characters are clearly defined, with descriptive language used to picture, in your mind, the identity of each major character. This book is an absorbing blend of mystery (who killed Emma, and what is important about the land owned by Jim Fontaine?) western suspense, and a trail of twisted stories. I highly recommend this novel for those who enjoy a good western tale.
