Grace and the Guiltless

Johnson debuts with an atmospheric Western, first in the Wanted series, starring vigilante Grace Milton. When the brutal Guiltless Gang, led by Elijah Hale, slaughters Grace's entire family in order to steal their silver-rich ranch, Grace narrowly escapes with her wild stallion, Bullet, and her father's gun. Since Hale has the crooked sheriff in his pocket, Grace must seek justice on her own. After a short time in the Arizona desert, she and Bullet are injured and dehydrated. An English boy, Joe, who was long ago adopted by the Ndeh (Apache) tribe, rescues her, teaching her to fight and survive. Nearly everyone Grace meets advises her to move on or turn to the law for help, but her stubbornness and determination drive her forward. Johnson delivers cinematic action and striking descriptions of the landscape typical of the genre, and a dusting of romance enriches Grace's life without becoming the main impetus driving her or the story. By the end, Grace's quest has just begun, and readers should be taken with how she has evolved into a gutsy, cutthroat heroine. Ages 14%E2%80%93up. (Aug.)