What do you think?
Rate this book
Eden Murdoch #2
Solomon Spring
The healing waters of the Solomon Spring hold no miracle cure for murder... — A child custody battle turns deadly on a windswept winter prairie in 1878. — A man begins a quixotic search for lost love in an effort to mend his shattered life. — A sacred Native American shrine is about to be defiled, but not if one determined woman can stop it. These three seemingly unrelated stories collide at the Solomon Springs natural wonder held sacred for centuries because of its legendary healing properties. Murder shatters the spiritual calm that is Solomon Spring. Seeking solace from the turbulent life she has led, Eden Murdoch returns to the Solomon Spring. The tranquility of this timeless place will soon be corrupted by a local businessman who plans to exploit the sacred waters of the Spring. Eden's earnest fight to prevent this sacrilege is interrupted by her own past. Brad Randall, her one-time lover, arrives with the astounding news that the infant son Eden lost fourteen years before has been located and is living nearby. The joy of her reunion with her son and with Brad, is clouded by the reappearance of her long-estranged husband, Lawrence Murdoch, who seeks sole custody of the boy and of the prosperous ranch the boy will inherit from his adoptive father. The warring couple engages in a vicious battle, both legal and emotional, with an unexpectedly deadly outcome. ********************* Praise for Solomon Spring "The strong characters, the vivid details of life in the West in the late 1800s, and an engaging plot combine to make this an absorbing historical mystery."- Booklist "Credible and engaging characters, particularly the fearless and feisty heroine, Eden Murdoch, together with a well-paced, suspenseful plot make for a fine historical adventure yarn in a this sequel to Black's An Uncommon Enemy." - Publishers Weekly
314 pages, Paperback
First published August 14, 2002
62 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Black
23 books42 followersMichelle Black is the author of six novels of the Victorian West, including the bestselling AN UNCOMMON ENEMY. Her latest, Séance in Sepia, debuted in October 2011, and features real-life feminist firebrand, Victoria Woodhull as its protagonist. She in a Queen Anne Victorian home near Boulder, Colorado.
She was born in Kansas and studied anthropology in college. She went on to law school and graduated with honors. In 1993, she moved to Colorado and began to focus on her fiction writing. For three years, she owned a bookstore in Frisco, Colorado, a small town nestled high in the Colorado Rockies.
While researching her first Eden Murdoch novel, An Uncommon Enemy, she began to study the Cheyenne language and became involved in the movement to save our Native American languages from extinction. Her company, WinterSun Press, began to publish a Cheyenne language course called "Let's Talk Cheyenne" in a not-for-profit collaboration with a linguist on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Montana.
She loves to travel and particularly enjoys visiting the “homes and haunts” of her literary heroes, Hemingway’s Key West, the Yorkshire Moors of the Bronte sisters, Jane Austin’s Bath, as well as perennial favorites—Paris, Tokyo, Venice.
In 2008, she spent several weeks on a Buddhist pilgrimage to India and was privileged to study with her favorite Buddhist writer and the foremost proponent of secular Buddhism, Stephen Batchelor. The pilgrims visited all the sites associated by the life of Siddhartha Gautama, the historical Buddha.
She was born in Kansas and studied anthropology in college. She went on to law school and graduated with honors. In 1993, she moved to Colorado and began to focus on her fiction writing. For three years, she owned a bookstore in Frisco, Colorado, a small town nestled high in the Colorado Rockies.
While researching her first Eden Murdoch novel, An Uncommon Enemy, she began to study the Cheyenne language and became involved in the movement to save our Native American languages from extinction. Her company, WinterSun Press, began to publish a Cheyenne language course called "Let's Talk Cheyenne" in a not-for-profit collaboration with a linguist on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Montana.
She loves to travel and particularly enjoys visiting the “homes and haunts” of her literary heroes, Hemingway’s Key West, the Yorkshire Moors of the Bronte sisters, Jane Austin’s Bath, as well as perennial favorites—Paris, Tokyo, Venice.
In 2008, she spent several weeks on a Buddhist pilgrimage to India and was privileged to study with her favorite Buddhist writer and the foremost proponent of secular Buddhism, Stephen Batchelor. The pilgrims visited all the sites associated by the life of Siddhartha Gautama, the historical Buddha.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 17, 2009
Although this novel advertises itself as a mystery in the Victorian West, one doesn't really arrive at the mystery until about 2/3 of the way through the book. The last time a mystery took this long to develop, I left the actual book in a hotel room as a protest and swore that I would never read that author again. This time, I found myself hooked on the characters and circumstances even though the main mystery didn't immediately develop.
What's the difference? First of all, there were some lightly mysterious circumstances concerning the male protagonist's family life. The truth about these circumstances was easy to recognize and there were no red herrings in this portion of the book. But, I had to keep reading to make sure I was right in my assumptions. Second, the historical flavor in the book resonated extremely well with my awareness of the history, culture, weaponry, and politics of the day. My brother will love the reference to the Battle of Washita and I think he will appreciate the role that a black powder pistol plays in the mystery--once it is presented.
Third, the plight of the Native Americans is presented sympathetically but without getting into too much advocacy. I haven't read such a fair portrayal of Native American policy since I read the old "comedy" novel, Never Trust A Drunken Indian (later made into the movie, Flap, because one couldn't hardly use the stereotype of a Native American with a drinking problem and we wouldn't use the "I" word any more than we would use the "N" word. But both Michelle Black's Solomon Spring and the book I cited from the early '70s made me glad that my tiny bit of Native American heritage is far enough removed that I never had to undergo the humiliation of reservation life. I sometimes joke with regard to my European versus Native American heritage that "We stole the land from us fair and square." It usually brings an uncomfortable chuckle.
Fourth, the beauty of this series of mysteries is that there is a female protagonist, Eden Murdoch, who is every bit as strong as the male protagonist (in fact, probably stronger than he is). She is a Caucasian woman who was once married to a Cheyenne medicine man. She has been treated cruelly by more than one man, yet she has the courage to love and be loyal to another. I plan to read the entire series.
What's the difference? First of all, there were some lightly mysterious circumstances concerning the male protagonist's family life. The truth about these circumstances was easy to recognize and there were no red herrings in this portion of the book. But, I had to keep reading to make sure I was right in my assumptions. Second, the historical flavor in the book resonated extremely well with my awareness of the history, culture, weaponry, and politics of the day. My brother will love the reference to the Battle of Washita and I think he will appreciate the role that a black powder pistol plays in the mystery--once it is presented.
Third, the plight of the Native Americans is presented sympathetically but without getting into too much advocacy. I haven't read such a fair portrayal of Native American policy since I read the old "comedy" novel, Never Trust A Drunken Indian (later made into the movie, Flap, because one couldn't hardly use the stereotype of a Native American with a drinking problem and we wouldn't use the "I" word any more than we would use the "N" word. But both Michelle Black's Solomon Spring and the book I cited from the early '70s made me glad that my tiny bit of Native American heritage is far enough removed that I never had to undergo the humiliation of reservation life. I sometimes joke with regard to my European versus Native American heritage that "We stole the land from us fair and square." It usually brings an uncomfortable chuckle.
Fourth, the beauty of this series of mysteries is that there is a female protagonist, Eden Murdoch, who is every bit as strong as the male protagonist (in fact, probably stronger than he is). She is a Caucasian woman who was once married to a Cheyenne medicine man. She has been treated cruelly by more than one man, yet she has the courage to love and be loyal to another. I plan to read the entire series.
March 9, 2022
This book has haunted me.....I read it years ago bur could not remember the name of it. As a Kansas native I knew the places described. All I could remember was the blue cover. I am so glad I found it and ordered it to re-read ASAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 18, 2023
I read the sequel right after the first book. I knew going in that it wasn’t going to be exceptionally “deep” or anything. It contained almost no part with the Cheyenne, unlike the first book, so that was disappointing. Otherwise it was a pleasant, fun read.
April 19, 2011
Solomon Spring by Michelle Black is historical fiction termed a novel of suspense from the Victorian West It is the second book in a series of books featuring Eden Murdoch and Brad Randall. The first is An Uncommon Enemy. The third is The Second Glass of Absinthe.
In this outing Eden heads to Washington to get someone to help the Cheyenne who are facing starvation since the government has failed to send them the food they promised. She is also hoping to stop the desecration of Solomon Springs, a sacred site to the tribes. In the meantime Brad, who is the Commissioner of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, becomes frustrated that no action is being taken to help the Cheyenne. He takes a leave of absence and heads west. He is also hoping to tell Eden that her son, whom she thought was killed as an infant, survived. Eventually they both end up back in Kansas.
And that is only a small part of the beginning of the story. There is much more. I have a feeling that Michelle Black is a story teller at heart, so she keeps the plot moving quickly forward and does so with competent writing. You will not be bored reading Solomon Spring.
While there is non-stop action in this historical western, there really is no suspense. The mystery itself is quite thin. It is obvious who done it right away. Additionally the mystery part of the novel doesn't even start until around page 195. I began reading Solomon Spring because it was supposed to be a "novel of suspense, a mystery, so I was quite disappointed by the lack of suspense.
However, it is most certainly a fast paced plot, with the characters moving from one scene to another at a brisk pace. I have a feeling that if you are a fan of historical fiction you will probably appreciate Solomon Spring much more than I did, especially if you begin reading it knowing it is not really a mystery novel. The historical details all seemed quite appropriate for the time.
Recommended for me, highly recommended for fans of historical fiction; http://shetreadssoftly.blogspot.com/
In this outing Eden heads to Washington to get someone to help the Cheyenne who are facing starvation since the government has failed to send them the food they promised. She is also hoping to stop the desecration of Solomon Springs, a sacred site to the tribes. In the meantime Brad, who is the Commissioner of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, becomes frustrated that no action is being taken to help the Cheyenne. He takes a leave of absence and heads west. He is also hoping to tell Eden that her son, whom she thought was killed as an infant, survived. Eventually they both end up back in Kansas.
And that is only a small part of the beginning of the story. There is much more. I have a feeling that Michelle Black is a story teller at heart, so she keeps the plot moving quickly forward and does so with competent writing. You will not be bored reading Solomon Spring.
While there is non-stop action in this historical western, there really is no suspense. The mystery itself is quite thin. It is obvious who done it right away. Additionally the mystery part of the novel doesn't even start until around page 195. I began reading Solomon Spring because it was supposed to be a "novel of suspense, a mystery, so I was quite disappointed by the lack of suspense.
However, it is most certainly a fast paced plot, with the characters moving from one scene to another at a brisk pace. I have a feeling that if you are a fan of historical fiction you will probably appreciate Solomon Spring much more than I did, especially if you begin reading it knowing it is not really a mystery novel. The historical details all seemed quite appropriate for the time.
Recommended for me, highly recommended for fans of historical fiction; http://shetreadssoftly.blogspot.com/
May 2, 2010
Uncommon Enemy was SO good I had high hopes for the follow-up but was surprised that it was billed as a Mystery of the Victorian West. The mystery aspect was pretty poor: several red herrings and obvious clue-dropping. The characters were not fully explored and she totally wasted the whole "save the sacred spring" plot. The Indians were all sent "off screen" and became incidental to the story which ultimately lacked depth. I could see the set-up for another installment in the way it ended. All-in-all OK but a tad disappointing.
May 7, 2011
Just finished Solomon Spring by Michelle Black. I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway! The story grabbed me in the first few pages and I found it hard to put down. If you like stories about settling west in the late 1800's, mixed with a love story and murder, I recommend this book. It also has a story, which is based on fact, of the Cheyenne tribe that was held in Fort Robinson in 1879. Lots of twists and turns. I can't wait for Michelle Black's next book, " Seance in Sepia" which is another Victorian suspense novel. Thanks for introducing me to this author.
June 23, 2010
I liked this book. Michelle Black's selection of Kansas in the late 1800s is a great setting. Too many authors would have had the setting in Texas or somewhere further south/southwest. Location made a difference for me. I enjoyed the City of Washington connection as well and Ms. Black did a wonderful job in the description of politics and high society and working it into the story line. I encourage others to pick up this fun and rather quick read.
November 7, 2012
I really enjoy a good mystery novel and this one delivered! The Old West has always fascinated me and imagining being a woman in that time boggles my mind, so any time I read about a female protagonist, I am thrilled. A lot of the personal issues that the characters struggle with resonate today. The characters are believable and the backstory is heart-rending. It definitely left me wanting more.
October 18, 2007
Pretty good for a randomly pulled off the shelf book - great design on the spine. Romantic western with suspense.
February 26, 2008
Not quite as good as the first in the series, but still a good story if you like this genre.
October 30, 2010
I liked this novel, glad to see the characters from Uncommon Enemy continued, and more added.
April 13, 2011
Another great story about the troubles of Eden Murdoch. Loved it!!
August 13, 2016
A good read
I have read the author before, liked the last book better. Enjoyed the story and the characters. They return so I will read on as well.
I have read the author before, liked the last book better. Enjoyed the story and the characters. They return so I will read on as well.
Want to read
August 27, 2016I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13132169
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13132169
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews