Outrage at Blanco, An Ellie Taine Thriller by Bill Crider

Ellie was coming home from picking up supplies at Blanco.  She and her husband had a small ranch and while they weren't making much, they were doing okay.  These supplies would carry them through for several months.  When the cowboys stopped to ask how far away town was, she stopped her wagon and told them.  There wasn't much else she could do but she didn't know how evil they were.  They didn't care about who they hurt or killed and she became a victim.

Brash Books and Net Galley allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It has been published, so check with your local bookstore for a copy.

When Ellie comes home late and won't talk to her husband, he knows something happened.  When he finally gets her to speak, he gets his gun belt and goes to town.  He's going after the men that assaulted her.  All they do is kill him as they are coming out of a bank robbery.  Now Ellie has even less.

Ellie is no spring chicken, no beauty, and wanted only to be left in peace.  However, when those men raped her and killed her husband, the same inner strength that helped her work the farm makes her go after them.  

This is a tale of murder and grief on all sides.  The only shining star is Ellie which is a bit unusual in a western.  Mr. Crider does a good job of depicting life in that era and talking about the struggles everyone was going through.  I'll be watching for another book in this series.  Ellie is no victim anymore.