Set in the summer of 1880, Parker's outstanding second Silver Rush mystery (after 2003's Silver Lies
) finds her heroine, Inez Stannert, corset-deep in the intrigues of Leadville, Colo. Inez's secret courtship with the Rev. Justice B. Sands is as heated as the conflict over the incoming railroad. When the local authorities question the reliability of Inez's friend, photographer Susan Carothers, who witnesses a shooting and explosion along the rail line, it's up to Inez to discover the truth. In one of the many nice twists in this appealing adventure, the attractive railroad man Inez meets during her investigation turns out to be one of the good reverend's Civil War comrades. In an effort to increase business at the Silver Queen saloon, Inez's business partner, Abe Jackson, engages an acting couple to perform. None too happily, Inez realizes why the beautiful actress seems so familiar. A ragged piece of cloth becomes a major clue as the clock ticks and the town readies for a visit from former U.S. president Ulysses S. Grant. Plenty of convincing action bodes well for a long and successful series. (June)
