Author Description

It was 1876, in the snowy wilderness of San Juan County, Colorado, where Eli, a miner, was viciously tortured and murdered. This incident ignited a series of events causing Eli’s daughter, Luster, and Eli’s adopted son, John, (a full blooded Ute Indian) to descend on Howardsville to unravel the mystery of their father and to bring the murderers to justice. Their arrival would set into motion a savage series of unexpected incidents that would spark John’s memory of his brutal past, and hurl the beautiful Luster into a cauldron of unparalleled savagery. Luster and John were caught in a perfect storm of ferocious Civil War Veterans turned miners and gunmen, and natural threats in the form of avalanches, bears, wolves, and frigid temperatures. The miners became inamed when they spied a beautiful “white woman” sleuthing around town with an “injun.” John’s untamed nature and Luster’s naïve youth initially are no match for the sporting mobs. Thrown into the conagration is the challenge of surviving the unforgiving cold and blizzards that ensue. In the depth of their investigation the unsuspecting duo stumble onto the secret of Dead Man’s Mountain that only Eli knew and that the enemies wanted to nd. This revelation further made the pair a target. The ensuing events hurl John and Luster into an interchange of pursuer and pursued, and throw them headlong into a ferocious cycle of deception. John is nearly murdered and becomes a wanted man. In their quest for redemption and revenge, their search reveals the greedy hearts of selsh men with evil intents as well as the truth of John’s youth and past. This adventure novel is based within actual locations in Southwestern Colorado, and has been carefully researched and authenticated. If you like reading writers Jack London and Louis L’Amour, or just enjoy studying the mining history in Colorado, you will love this book.