In the High Bitterroots

By Will DuRey

Hale, November 2011

They rode out as the snow began to fall, a party of seven. Their purpose is to rescue a band of travellers trapped by an avalanche in the high Bitterroot Mountains. But once clear of the Montana township of Wicker it is soon apparent that the on-coming winter blizzards are not the only threat to success. The swiftly assembled group have brought with them their own grievances and evil.

Moreover, the mountain holds an unexpected threat for young Jess Clarke and ‘Doc’ Hames.

Starting with a bank robbery that introduces the reader to a family of outlaws that have an important role to play in the outcome of this very fast moving tale, the story never lets up in the action stakes. Will DuRey has created some wonderful people, all of which have their own personalities, that soon have the reader hoping they succeed, or not, in their personal agendas. The book contains strong characters in both sexes.

Descriptions are visual, and the dialogue believable. There are a number of ‘edge-of-the-seat’ situations that provide gripping and tense reading. The story is paced beautifully, and everything is resolved in a final series of exciting confrontations.

This is the third Black Horse Western from author Will DuRey* and the first I’ve read. Once finished I was left wishing I’d read his previous two books, and now I’m eagerly awaiting his next.

Great to see that Hale have used artwork that could easily illustrate a scene from the book.

In the High Bitterroots is officially released tomorrow but is available now from the usual Internet bookstores.

* As the eagle-eyed amoungst you will have already spotted, the cover fronting this review shows the authors’ name as William DuRey, the book I have has him named Will DuRey.