Cold Country

Set in 1968, this evocative novel from Rowland (In Open Spaces) explores the fallout from the beating murder of gadfly rancher Tom Butcher, who was beloved by some and loathed by other residents of Paradise Valley, Mont. Though any number of townsfolk could be suspects in Tom’s murder, the locals are quick to lay blame on newcomer Carl Logan, who was hired to manage wealthy Peter Kenwood’s ranch, snatching the position from a jealous longtime employee. A former school teacher, Carl has long dreamed of owning a ranch and uprooted his wife and three children from an unspecified locale to take the job in Paradise Valley. Meanwhile, Carl’s headstrong 10-year-old son, Roger, sparks controversy as the boy stands up to a school bully and brings greater scrutiny on the Logan family. The murder mystery propels the story, but Rowland’s clear-eyed look at mid-20th-century rural life provides a satisfying portrait of the frayed bonds within a community whose members must sometimes depend on people who repel them. [em](Nov.) [/em]