“Book review originally published on Reedsy Discovery Click the link to go to that page
5 Stars Must Read
In this fourth historical mystery featuring Roland Mason, attorney at law, Mason wants to settle down with the beautiful widow Constance Sweeny, owner of a dry goods store in Laramie, Wyoming, in 1881. However, something always gets in the way. In this case, it is a miner who barges into Mason's law office and asks Mason to defend him against a murder charge. Although the miner admits his partner is dead, he claims that his friend was murdered... by a ghost. Roland finds himself between an almost unwinnable case and Constance Sweeny's distress over her lover seemingly always on the wrong side of a gun fight. Can Roland succeed at either? Or will he end up losing both the case- and Constance?
It had been a while since I’ve read a historical mystery and having picked this one up, I’m hooked on the genre. This, The Specter of Spar Mountain, is my first Roger Thomas book and this one is the fourth in the Roland Mason historical mystery series (I am going to read the first three next!).
An engaging mystery to include elements of a love relationship thrown in for good measure, Roger Thomas tells the intriguing tale of a lawyer with a questionable and sketchy past on the road who lands in Laramie, Wyoming in the late 1800s. Mason’s story ranges from his sort-of-secret love relationship with Constance, a widow, to his questionable ability to represent an out-of-towner and failed goldminer named Mac who is accused of murdering his best friend, Beaver. Mac’s defense is that the murder is at the hands of a ghost, making Mason’s job extremely difficult. With no witnesses other than Jones, the bounty hunter who chases Mac down and files the accusations, Mason has an uphill battle to free his client in this case.
Mason is a likeable character because of his notable imperfections and his commitment to being alcohol-free for over a year (though this is not mentioned but a few times, it does help with character development). Constance certainly brings out the best in him, and he knows it. But, she struggles with his questionable past and what it means for her future.
Depicted in the late 1800s, the supporting characters are well developed, intriguing, and enjoyable with my favorite being Odd, a young man and friend to Mason who works at the livery and has a special way with horses. The townspeople are believable and vary in personalities and involvement. Though this is the fourth in the series and I hadn’t read the first three yet, it stood well on its own. The story is well-written, kept me turning the pages, and was definitely worth the read.
Reviewed by Heather Hummel Gallagher, a New York Book Festival award-winning novelist of the Journals from the Heart Series.
5 Stars Must Read
In this fourth historical mystery featuring Roland Mason, attorney at law, Mason wants to settle down with the beautiful widow Constance Sweeny, owner of a dry goods store in Laramie, Wyoming, in 1881. However, something always gets in the way. In this case, it is a miner who barges into Mason's law office and asks Mason to defend him against a murder charge. Although the miner admits his partner is dead, he claims that his friend was murdered... by a ghost. Roland finds himself between an almost unwinnable case and Constance Sweeny's distress over her lover seemingly always on the wrong side of a gun fight. Can Roland succeed at either? Or will he end up losing both the case- and Constance?
It had been a while since I’ve read a historical mystery and having picked this one up, I’m hooked on the genre. This, The Specter of Spar Mountain, is my first Roger Thomas book and this one is the fourth in the Roland Mason historical mystery series (I am going to read the first three next!).
An engaging mystery to include elements of a love relationship thrown in for good measure, Roger Thomas tells the intriguing tale of a lawyer with a questionable and sketchy past on the road who lands in Laramie, Wyoming in the late 1800s. Mason’s story ranges from his sort-of-secret love relationship with Constance, a widow, to his questionable ability to represent an out-of-towner and failed goldminer named Mac who is accused of murdering his best friend, Beaver. Mac’s defense is that the murder is at the hands of a ghost, making Mason’s job extremely difficult. With no witnesses other than Jones, the bounty hunter who chases Mac down and files the accusations, Mason has an uphill battle to free his client in this case.
Mason is a likeable character because of his notable imperfections and his commitment to being alcohol-free for over a year (though this is not mentioned but a few times, it does help with character development). Constance certainly brings out the best in him, and he knows it. But, she struggles with his questionable past and what it means for her future.
Depicted in the late 1800s, the supporting characters are well developed, intriguing, and enjoyable with my favorite being Odd, a young man and friend to Mason who works at the livery and has a special way with horses. The townspeople are believable and vary in personalities and involvement. Though this is the fourth in the series and I hadn’t read the first three yet, it stood well on its own. The story is well-written, kept me turning the pages, and was definitely worth the read.
Reviewed by Heather Hummel Gallagher, a New York Book Festival award-winning novelist of the Journals from the Heart Series.