The Texas-Mexico border, the winter of 1886—The Great Die Up. A raw rift separates Mexicans and Anglos. A loner cowpoke and a mute Mexican girl fight man and nature to reunite.
Out of work cowpoke Bud Eugen comes across Marta, a mute sixteen-year old Mexican girl whose family has been killed by Indians. Bud reluctantly takes her along, even though he’s never had to accommodate another person in … another person in his simple life. He’s unable to find anyone willing to take her. In spite of his prejudices, Bud grows to like the spunky girl (and her excellent cooking).
Eventually, they both find work on a border ranch. Here, the relationship between the girl and the young cowboy hesitantly grows. But banditos raid the ranch, kidnapping the rancher’s daughters and Marta. Bud, with twelve other men, pursue the banditos into the most desolate reaches of Mexico. Ambushes and battles with banditos, Rurales, and traitors are constant, and the brutal weather is as much a threat as the man-made perils. Life and death choices are made at every turn as one side gains the advantage, then the other.
The rancher’s daughters are rescued, and the exhausted party turns back. But Bud presses on alone, against insurmountable odds – determined to fulfill an unspoken promise to Marta.
Western Fictioneers Peacemaker Award for Best Western Novel 2014 Western Fictioneers Peacemaker Award Finalist for Best First Western Novel 2014 Western Writers of America Spur Award Finalist for Best Traditional Western Novel for 2013
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This is a great book if you like westerns. Does has real life things and language that is not for all people. Best I’ve read in a long time and I read a lot!
Very well written, highly recommended
I have already recommend it to my husband & son-in-law,
The best western that I have read this year. The characters were great. I highly recommend this book!
I really liked this book, would like to read more but a little expensive on my retirement income. My family was from TX & NM and life was like that in the early years.
One of the very best books I have read this year (and it’s December). Kept me up late because I had great difficulty putting it down. Very well written. By the way, I bought the sequel.
Loved this story! I don’t typically read westerns or love stories but glad. I picked this one. Told from the man’s point of view but with a good understanding of the female character. I didn’t feel it was too violent. Just a sign of the times.
Interesting, decent look into the Cowboy life, but found myself struggling to finish it. It was just a bunch of killing………..
Well written with believable vernacular of time and place. First person narrative stays true to his thoughts only as he grows through trials of surviving and staying true to his feelings.
Great read. Read it all in one day because I could not put it down.
Western don’t get any better than this. Willow Rose and Zane Grey got together and created a legend.
I loved the narrative, so realistic. Also loved the history!
The beginning was interesting. The end was very violent and drawn out. I just paged through it.
Nothin complicated here with a foregone conclusion plot ending but great characters, wonderful period dialog and enough plot twists to keep a fan of western cowboy drama happy.
Very well written.
Very good book. As a real life cowboy I truly enjoyed a very realistic book about the cowboy life in the past. Action packed and gripping plot
Very good easy to read in the style of Louis Labour.
I enjoyed this book from start o finish. I read it in two afternoons. I’m looking for more by this author.My Dad would have loved this, as do I.
Southwest settin in late 1800’s. Raw and realistic–but so well written.
Set in South Texas and N Mexico …was interesting