Friday
means Friday’s Forgotten Books hosted by Patti Abbott who is currently
celebrating five years of FFB. Quite the accomplishment! I am proud this little
blog has been a small part of it. As I noted a few days ago, Loren Estleman was
the winner of the Edward D Hoch Memorial Golden Derringer Winner as bestowed
this year by the Short Mystery Fictions Society (SMFS). While I am a member of
SMFS and even have a very nice collection of his work give to me by a very good
friend, I have not yet read any of his mystery stories. I have, however, read the
below western of his and enjoyed it immensely....
Page Murdock is a deputy U.S. Marshall
in Montana in 1884. He has done a lot of things over the years but not once has
he gone undercover as a preacher. That is about to change as Judge Harlan A.
Blackthorne wants him to do just that and to do it in Texas Panhandle town of
Owen. By going undercover as a man of the cloth it should be easier for Murdock
to track down a gang of bandits operating in the Texas panhandle who might
eventually make their way Montana if left unchecked. The reason is flimsy at
best and Murdock knows there has to be more at stake than just the vague
possibility that the bandits might expand their operations all the way up to
Montana. Still, one does not say no to Judge Blackthorne.
After a two week crash course in
religion, Murdock is sent to Texas as Brother Bernard Sebastian of the Church
of Evangelical Truth. A crash course in religion and wearing a clerical collar
does not necessarily make him a good fit for an undercover job as a preacher.
It does not change his natural inclinations or his responses when confronted. What
it does do to Murdock is to make him reconsider the world and his role in it.
That may not last too long thanks to be increasingly bold actions of the
bandits, a shady woman from his past, and the plain fact that his notoriety
that has followed him all the way to Texas. A place and a people he hates on
every level.
Murdock is a caustic character and
one that frequently makes comments about others in highly entertaining fashion.
He does not pull his verbal punches and so readers are frequently entertained
with laugh out loud moments as Murdock tells folks in public and in private
exactly what he thinks. Not to mention the occasional zings in internal
character dialogue. Humor is just as much a part of things here, as is the
mystery of the bandits, a failed romance, and the meaning of god and faith,
among other story elements. Murdock is just one of many real and interesting
characters in this 271 page western novel. The Book of Murdock is a very
good read from multi award winning writer Loren P. Estleman.
The Book of Murdock
Loren D. Estleman
A Tom Doherty Book (Forge)
April 2010
ISBN# 978-0-7653-1600-4
Hardback
271 Pages
$24.99
Material supplied by the good folks
of the Plano, Texas Public Library System.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2010, 2013
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4 comments:
I've been reading Loren Estleman since the 1970s. I think he writes mysteries and westerns equally well. The guy is a consummate professional.
I keep meaning to start reading his mystery stuff as I hear great things, but, I am just buried in books.
I've never read a bad Estleman story.
From what I read elsewhere you are not alone in that belief, David.
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