by Thomas Cobb
Publishers Weekly In this gripping 20th-century western, Cobb (Crazy Heart) presents a fictionalized account of the bloodiest shootout in Arizona history, and the desperate manhunt that ensued in the rugged mountains and arid deserts of Arizona in 1918. Cobb masterfully creates a tale of crooked lawmen, whiskey smugglers, cowboys, and gold miners, while also illuminating the very real tension between Mormons and gentiles in a lawless region where "a man who had caught the desire for blood and had blended it with righteousness was a man to fear." When lawmen come after brothers Tom and John Power for draft evasion, the resulting gun battle leaves three lawmen dead, the Power boys' father dying, and the brothers on the run to Mexico. Cobb tells the story in two alternating parts, the gunfight and the fugitives trying to outsmart and outrun those determined to kill them, and flashbacks that reveal just how tough, ornery, and crooked folks can get when faced with temptation, opportunity, and easy money. The Powers were no angels, but then neither were the lawmen nor the local cowboys. Cobb's vivid descriptions of these wounded outlaws and expert, visceral suspense make this one of the best westerns of the year. Agent: Amanda Urban, ICM. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved. (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved |
