A Rocky Mountain Christmas by William W. Johnstone and J. A. Johnsone

Take a small town in the Rockies and give it a greedy judge, a bad sheriff, and the power to control money and you get a powder keg waiting to blow up...

Pinnacle Books sent me a copy of this book for review (thank you).  It has been published, so check with your local bookstore for a copy.

As always, there are good men and there are bad men, but you don't usually find so many in one town. They steal a rancher's money from his cattle sale and accuse him of murdering the deputy who was part of theft.  Saying it was self-defense doesn't hold any water with the sheriff or the judge.  They brand a young woman as a prostitute even though she isn't one and run her out of town.  And they are just getting started.

The story reminds me a bit of Breakheart Pass.  In this case, one of the prisoners on the train is waiting for his gang to rescue him.  They start by firing a shot and bringing an avalanche down on the train.  The gang holes up in the dining car, won't share the food, and wants to have the "prostitute" for entertainment.  It's a no win situation for those on the train, but they attempt to survive until someone can retrieve them.

This is a rough and tough western, just like life was back in that era.  It sounds authentic and I enjoyed the read.  A good western once in a while is a nice treat.

Happy reading.