Review by Booklist Review
Being the sheriff of Rock City in the Colorado high country suits Charley Bent just fine. With few exceptions, it's a peaceful place made up of folks who like the quiet life. Then three mysterious strangers come to town, and soon after, a stage is robbed, and a cowhand is found murdered. The strangers are seen surveying Cache Canon outside of town, where legend has it the Spaniards buried treasure. When a local store owner is killed, Charley organizes a posse to round up the strangers, even though he has no proof they were involved. Veteran western author Paine, one of the genre's most consistently entertaining writers, mixes in a little mystery with his sagebrush adventure to good effect. Readers who enjoy Bill Crider's Sheriff Dan Rhodes series and Steven Havill's Undersheriff Bill Gastner series (see reviews of the latest entries, pages 987^-988) will quickly bond with the affable, very discerning, and very tough Charley Bent. Paine adds some humor and just a touch of romance for a fine novel that takes an early lead in the battle for best western of 1998. --Wes Lukowsky
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
