Review: A Solid Historical Mystery
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 11 16, 2011
With Death in Bandit Creek, author Amy Jo Fleming delivers a solid historical mystery with a host of characters and complications.The emphasis is on the plot, and Fleming does a great job of introducing the large cast, depicting all walks of life in the 1911 town of Bandit Creek, Montana.The feisty heroine, Charlotte Fraser, is a school teacher who isn't held back by social conventions. She smokes, rides a horse astride, dyes her hair, and jumps in with both feet to solve the murder of her predecessor.As to the other characters, professions run the gamut--from a sheriff and minister, to a prostitute and suspected cattle rustlers. The historical flavor improves as you read and, if you look past some repetitive phrasing and word usage, you'll discover a good read with lots of twists, surprises, and an action-packed climax. A fine addition to the Bandit Creek series.