When reading Wyoming
Wild, I experienced the same warm feelings I did when
watching TV westerns back in the day. Good triumphing over
evil; the white hat always wins. In Wyoming Wild, the U.S. Marshall is a
young John Hawkings (“Hawk”) but I pictured him as James Arness appeared in Gunsmoke.
When Marshall Hawkings receives an anonymous telegraph warning him
of a plot against his life, he immediately begins to investigate. After Hawk
traces the telegraph to Sand Creek, Wyoming he and female deputy Paisley take
up residence on an area farm posing as brother (John) and sister (Mary). It
isn’t long before the two meet the sheriff’s daughter, Liesl Hodges, who they
discover is doing everything she can to protect the townspeople from its
violent and corrupt sheriff. Everyone in the town is afraid of Sheriff Hodges
and his cronies. But when Liesl discovers John is completely unfazed by the
sheriff’s attempts at intimidation, she thinks she finally has found an ally in
her struggle.
All is good until Liesl learns that John has been lying to her about
who he is; another in a long list of men who have betrayed her. Although Liesl
continues to distrust Hawk, she goes along with his plan to end the sheriff’s
reign of terror. Of course, planning is one thing and execution is something
else entirely.
There are other mysteries along the way; identifying the person
stealing land deeds from under the town’s landowners who must now pay an exorbitant
tax for the right to stay on their own land and a corrupt deputy on Hawk’s
payroll. Wyoming Wild reads like the westerns of yore; is well
written, wholesome, and a quick read. I enjoyed every minute of the adventure.
4.17 stars on Goodreads, 4.6 on Amazon
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