montana

If you are a fan of the western genre, chances are you have heard of Lonesome Dove. Likewise, if you follow award winning books, you may have seen it on a list for its 1985 Spur Award or its 1986 Pulitzer Prize. Some of you may have even watched the CBS miniseries from 1989 starring Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones. Lonesome Dove is not an obscure novel and it has received a great deal of praise, but coming in at a whopping 843 pages it can be daunting to those of us more used to a book in the 200-250 page range. If you, like me, have been avoiding this read because you are scared of the time

Black River is a debut novel by S. M. Hulse. The Montana landscape is a major player in this story of damage, redemption and forgiveness. Wes Carver returns to Black River with his wife's ashes and a letter from the parole board that a prisoner that held him hostage twenty years ago during a prison riot was being considered for release.

Dave, Molly and Clete have gone to Montana for a peaceful summer vacation.  But where they go murder seems to follow and Swan Peak is no exception.  Two college students are brutally murdered close to the ranch where the friends are trying to relax.  Another couple is murdered at a rest stop nearby and the two incidents appear to be connected.  Burke is known for the interesting characters he creates with his stories.  This tale includes some down-and-out folks trying to better their lives and/or get even with the world for the wrongs done to them.  Troyce, Candace, Jamie Sue, Ridley and

I've been a James Lee Burke fan (and especially a fan of his character Dave Robicheaux) for many years, so I was delighted to discover Swan Peak, a novel that features Robicheaux and his friend Clete Purcel out of their usual Louisiana element. In this novel, Robicheaux, a detective on the New Iberia police force, his wife Molly, and Clete have traveled to Montana for some rest and relaxation. Clete, a New Orleans native, is struggling with his sense of loss after Hurricane Katrina, and Dave thinks a change of scene might help him recover from the trauma.

But trouble always seems to crop up