Ride a New Trail is a new what?
Ride a New Trail is my latest novel. It is a sequel to The Cowgirl Murders, but not the usual kind. It is set in Montana in 1900, when people say the Wild West is over and the new American Century is about to begin, some 30 years after the time of The Cowgirl Murders. For more about The Cowgirl Murders, see a previous post
The Cowgirl Murders, undeniably a western, unlike Ride a New Trail
How does Ride a New Trail connect with The Cowgirl Murders?
The main character in both is Davy Reece and some of the other characters are in both. Time and circumstances have, naturally, changed them all in various ways. However, Davy has the same dogged passion for justice and the same enquiring mind.
What is it about?
Retired Deputy US Marshal, Davy Reece, takes his grandson, Chuck, into the wilderness to give him a taste of the Wild West before it disappears and to look for a cache of some long-hidden stolen money. Both need to think hard about their futures in the changing world. The get caught up in a murder investigation, where they clash with the local police. They do a lot of riding as well as thinking.
What do they encounter on the way?
The duo find cowboys, Native Americans, homesteaders, buffalo, a grizzly bear, mustangs and a wealthy ranch owner, whose ‘progressive’ views conflict with those of Davy and his family, including his preacher son-in-law. However, the weather proves as deadly an enemy as any man or beast.
Is this a clue or a red herring in Ride a New Trail?
Is Ride a New Trail really a Western?
Unlike The Cowgirl Murders, which is definitely a western, even though it is also a murder mystery, you could argue either way about Ride a New Trail. It is also a murder mystery, a coming-of-age drama, a clash of generations and a quest for identity. I hope you find the combination is a good read. Do let me know what you think and leave a review, or just e-mail or leave a comment on this blog.
You could argue Ride a New Trail is a detective story, set in 1900