The Marshal and the Moonshiner

Wyoming U.S. Marshal Nelson Lane, the hero of this fine Depression-era mystery from Wendelboe (Death on the Greasy Grass), pursues Amos Iron Horse, who’s suspected of murdering a rancher, to El Reno, Okla., where the unhelpful local sheriff details Deputy Maris Red Hat to help him. Lane is dismayed when he discovers that Maris is a young woman. The two make an odd pair: Nelson, a widower in his 40s and a recovering alcoholic, is stubborn and resilient; Maris, a wild and smart-mouthed rookie, proves surprisingly resourceful. That she knew Amos when they were kids at boarding school comes in handy. Soon Nelson and Maris are on the trail of a network of moonshiners, including Amos and his brother, Vincent Iron Horse, who supply eager drinkers—often the unemployed and underemployed—with cheap hooch. Lane gets beaten, delivers a beating, gets shot at, and ends up a murder suspect. Wendelboe nails the book’s Dust Bowl setting perfectly. (Jan.)