The latest in the series featuring the “Blue-Eyed Indian” finds private investigator Travis at a folk festival deep in the Texas Hill country on one very stormy night. Heavy rain along with thunder and lightning are pounding on the concert goers as well as Travis who would rather be back at home at his very small place in Austin. Instead, he is slogging through the thick mud in the rain looking for the tent occupied by his musician friends Johnny Gringo and Jimmy Bravuro. They have dragged him out on a horrible night for a case and have yet to share the details. But, once he arrives, Travis discovers there is also a murder investigation going on.
The last thing a private investigator wants to do is show up at a fresh murder scene. That is exactly what Travis has done and that has put him in the sights of Deputy Alvin Turnball. Before the night is over, the racist deputy has gone rogue, Travis has been beaten like a dog and is in the hospital, and things have become very personal. All that and he still does not know what Johnny Gringo and Jimmy Bravuro wanted to pay him to investigate. He soon will though the threat posed by the out of control deputy and his friends will dominate his life for good reason.
Filled with interesting characters, plenty of mystery, as well as lots of action and a bit of romance, Bones of the Rain is another good one from Texas author Russ Hall. Whether or not he finally gets the girl this time remains a question throughout the novel while broader themes concerning the music industry, racism, the role of militias, etc. are addressed along with wry humor about Texas and Texans. Much like the world in general, nobody is perfect and some folks are much better able to hide their flaws than others. That leads into the always present theme of moral ambiguity and that all debts get paid at one point or another.
Bones of the Rain: A Blue-Eyed Indian Mystery
Russ Hall
Five Star Publishing (Gale, Cengage Learning)
June 2010
ISBN# 978-1-59414-809-5
Hardback
277 Pages
$25.95
Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano, Texas Public Library System.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2011
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