The Long Riders' Winter

by Frank Calkins

Teaming up with a battle-hardened Civil War veteran for a season of hunting, Tom Lavering suddenly finds himself the quarry, running for his life during a cold western winter

Genres: Westerns

180 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 1983

About the author

b. 1932

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: Tom Lavering is a young ranch hand. Bob Lee is the tough Civil War veteran he idolizes. When they leave ranching for the open trail, it's soon plain that Bob Lee's got more in mind than deer hunting.

Bob Lee's robbery of a fancy Wyoming brothel is set. Young Tom goes along just for the ride. Feuding off a band of murderous vigilantes, a relentless bounty hunter, and the unpredictable Bob Lee himself makes this the most dangerous ride of Tom's life.

My Thoughts: My mom gave me this book after she borrowed it from her dad. My grandpa love's westerns and he really liked this one because it's a true story set in Utah. That is also the reason that I really enjoyed it. At the beginning of the book there is a note that states that this book was written in 1924 by Thomas Lavering and his heirs placed the manuscript in the State Historical Society's archives with one provision: it must not be read by anyone for a period of fifty years following the author's death. That right there was the clincher for me that it was going to be a great book! I'm assuming his heirs didn't want it read because they didn't want their family member shown in a bad light, although I don't think he ever was. It was fun to read about Utah in the late 1800s from a non-LDS persons point of view. I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys westerns and/or Utah history.

[Cws]

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