Review: The Tithing Herd by J. R. Lindermuth

I first read The Tithing Herd by J. R. Lindermuth last December. I enjoyed it very much. It was only while working on my review I discovered that during the time the book had been sitting here waiting to be read and reviewed, the publisher had gone under. I went ahead and posted my review last year knowing that it was not available and that Mr. Lindermuth was seeking a new publisher. That has occurred and the read is once again available in paperback and eBook. The book is strongly recommended. The original review runs below and has been slightly shortened in favor of this introduction.

The boy, Tom Baskin, is helpless as the rider approaches one evening near dusk. The boy is hanging by a rope tied to his heels and slung over a branch. Upside down and left to twist on the rope, he was put in that position for a reason.

His rescuer, Luther Donnelly, knows the people that the headstrong boy says did it to him and for good reason. They are companions to a man he is hunting to settle a score. It isn’t long before Tom Baskin and Luther Donnelly are working together, not to settle their respective scores, but to move a herd of cattle to market so that the local Mormons can pay their title to the church. Once that is done for people that Luther Donnelly cares a lot about and are in real need, they then can go about their business. Vengeance is just going to have to wait.

The Tithing Herd by J. R. Lindermuth is a compelling western read regarding faith and perseverance. What begins as a simple vengeance story turns into a multi layered desperate quest to save the life of a loved one featuring a number of complicated and nuanced characters. The read is s a compelling western tale where good triumphs over evil in small and big ways.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2016, 2017