5.0 out of 5 stars
Hard-boiled Drama, Dec 31 2006
By joe barnes "joe-joeb" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Bone Justice (Hardcover)
Bone Justice continues the Seth Strummar western series with a storyline that is in equal parts horrific and romantic. Elizabeth Fackler's crime fiction has always been celebrated for its low-key but hard-boiled drama. Her careful and evocative prose depicts the outlaw Strummar trying to figure out if his partner has turned into a man who deals in women. In the course of the book we get to know the life stories of three different women who, while true to the era in which they're alive, also hold significance for today, especially in the way Fackler demonstrates the violence they have to endure. Fackler tops herself here by setting the youngest woman on an unspoken spiritual quest--and a believable one--that will redeem a broken life. Elizabeth Fackler has a unique approach to the novel and speaks in a voice all her own. She takes familiar elements and makes them seem startling and new through the dazzle of her prose and the humanity of her forgiving gaze. ED GORMAN'S BLOG.
5.0 out of 5 stars
terrific western thriller, Nov 16 2006
By Harriet Klausner - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Bone Justice (Hardcover)
In 1875 in Laredo, Texas twenty-six years old Seth Strummar wins $200 in gold and a Colorado ranch. Euphoric especially with the spread, he quits outlawing to become a rancher. Feeling he owes his mentor-boss Ben Allister to tell him in person he is leaving, he rides to the outlaw leader's cabin. Instead of Ben being there, Seth finds two females held prisoner by other gang members, who inform him that Ben purchased the two women from Comancheros and plans to sell them in Mexico. They also say that he gave them the wailing younger one thirteen years old Esther, but only Ben will use the older silent woman Oriana.
Seth abducts both females knowing that will anger Ben, but feels his former leader has gone too far when he begins to trade women as a commodity. Though he initially planned to dump the females on a small town sheriff, Seth finds the town of El Topo dead. He also realizes that Ben is coming for them and him so he can't abandon the females though the idea is tempting but he plans to escort the women to Esther's Granny in Kansas. On the road Angel Madera joins them, but shows he desires Esther leading to Seth not trusting him.
BONE JUSTICE is a terrific western thriller starring an outlaw with ethics as Seth feels impelled to rescue two women from his former mentor. Seth is a fascinating character struggling to do the right thing for Esther and Oriana, but not finding it easy as he tries to deliver the vulnerable Esther to her Granny while attempting to help her mentally recover from her ordeal; Oriana with her barriers is even more difficult for him. Fans who appreciate a powerful character driven tale of the old west will want to read Elizabeth Fackler's terrific Southwest frontier thriller and seek Seth's other novels (see ROAD FROM BETRAYAL) as this reviewer plans to do.
Harriet Klausner
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent!, July 27 2006
By Dostoevsky "Joe" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Bone Justice (Hardcover)
Bone Justice is absolutely excellent! Kudos to Elizabeth Fackler for another well-written, fascinating novel.