Montana Books

The third installment in Intrigue's Montana Confidential series is another winner! The hero, Kyle Foster, is hot! And tender. And smart. Gotta love him. His relationship with heroine Laura Quinlan starts as a marriage of convenience, but is filled with compassion and home and hearth enroute to a dramatic conclusion. Throw in a sweet little girl and you have a wonderful love story. Though the mystery element was resolved rather quickly at the climax, it moves the entire series along nicely.

The third entry in the four book Montana Confidential series will forever be linked with the events of 9/11...what with the opening bombing of a government building and the later stolen super-Anthrax subplot. Nonetheless, author Douglas crafts a nailbiter of a story (one that I read in one day) that allows the forlorn single father Kyle Foster to shine in the line of duty.

When Kyle rescues Laura Quinlan and a group of trapped school children he has no idea that the woman will play a vital part in the search of the Black Order, Montana Confidential's Public Enemy Number One. To help Kyle go undercover, Laura allows for a marriage of convenience and things heat up between the two. The only serious problem I had with the whole faked marriage between the two was how Kyle and Laura handled it with Kyle's daughter Molly, other than that its fine. Recommended.

The Montana Confidential series continues in Charlotte Douglas's "Licensed to Thrill." When her scientist father is killed in a terrorist bombing, Laura Quinlan vows to do anything to bring the terrorists to justice. Montana Confidential Agent Kyle Foster gives her the chance. Someone in her father's lab is connected to the terrorists; Kyle wants to go undercover inside to find the mole. The only way to do this is for them to be married. Neither Laura nor single father Kyle is looking for love. What will they do when they find it?

"Licensed to Marry" is a light little story that will entertain, though some nagging nits keep it from reaching its full potential. The characters are likable, the story all too real and the writing smooth enough to keep the reader quickly turning the pages. Some readers may find this story, with its plot revolving around bombings and anthrax threats, too close to recent events for comfort. For some, it will be hard to find this entertaining when we've seen the reality. However, I was surprised to find myself less bothered by this than by the characters' willingness to enter into a marriage with so little consideration to how it will affect Kyle's daughter. She's already lost one mother. Giving her another one they have no reason to believe will stick around after the case is closed seems cruel and the way they dismiss the issue by saying the child is "resilient" is utterly heartless. The child's heartbreaking reaction to the announcement that they've married without telling her only punctuates the hero and heroine's thoughtlessness. It's a shame because otherwise, the characters are likable. The fact that they could treat a child like this made it difficult to completely respect them.

This is still the best of the Montana Confidential so far, which may be faint praise but it still true. Douglas provides the best plot, the most exciting action and the strongest characters so far. If only her characters were more thoughtful about some very relevant issues.

Just finished re-reading "Maybe In Missoula". What a good read! I'm enjoying it even more the second time. I absolutely love all the characters and the way they think. Ms. Volk is so good at picking quirky little stories that each character is thinking about that tell so much more about the character than any direct information ever could. I'm just so impressed with her writing! Volk has this subtle sense of humor and wisdom that pervades everything she writes. It's as though she sees the truth about human nature in its occasional bumbling fallibility but nevertheless essential goodness, and she just has to smile about it. You will too, I'm sure! Also, when you've finished this one, check out "Montana Women". It's a winner, too.

This novel, Maybe In Missoula, is beautiful, and its rich landscape and lovable, eccentric characters irresistible. Introspective Annie addresses many of the questions and dilemmas I, as a women, have grappled with myself, sex equality and its possible consequences, for example. Though the author speaks openly about women's issues, her treatment of the male characters shows a great compassion and understanding of the male point of view. In fact, it is Annie's ex-husband Morton who evolves the most of the three main characters. Definitely a must read.

Maybe Toni Volk only has one good novel in her, because Maybe in Missoula isn't just inferior to her first novel, it's downright bad. The characters are flat and empty and the plot is dull. Annie is a woman with no direction--she takes a big step leaving her husband and then just seems to drift along in life, making very little decisions about her own life. The only positive thing I can say, is that the reader does get a nice feel for life in Montana. Volk obviously knows and loves the area.

The archaic wording and archaic style of writing I found distracting. The information is there, but you must wade thru a lot of self glorification and archaic writing nonsense, to find the meat. Fortunately there is an index. I would not recommend this book to the casual reader.

If you want to read about the rise and demise Henry Plummer and his band of cutthroats, this is the best book I can recommend to you. Langford was the executive secretary of the Virginia City MT vigilence committee and he "tells it like it was". This book's dust jacket says in effect the book's victorian prose is worth wading through to hear a stirring first person account of the MT vigilante's activity - and that comment is nonsense. Langford's tale may ramble on occasion and his prose may be stilted on occasion. However, you will probably feel your sphincter tighten as the good guys start kicking dry goods boxes out from under cutthroats who, unlike today's criminals, knew justice was being served with dispatch. It's history, but a moving story told like no one else could.

This account of one of the most fascinating eras and places in Old West history thrills the reader more than fiction could possibly do. I read this book as a kid and it remains one of my all time favorites. (Studying the Old West is my hobby, and I teach high school history.) The characters Mr. Langford presents from his own observations are more colorful than any invented by Zane Gray, for example. I'm surprised that no feature film has be made on Henry Plummer. His duel role as sheriff and bad man has been depicted several times stereotypically in Western movies, but no actual account of his life in the early gold-rush towns of western Montana has yet been done. Dimsdale's "The Vigilantes of Montana" is the most well-known primary source of vigilante action in Montana, but his was written much later after the fact. Mr. Langford's book came fresh from his memory of his own participation in the dealings of vigilante justice to "clean up" the commonplace violence in old Virginia City and Bannock, Montana.

Wolf/No Wolf is on the sad juxtoposition of those who have lived on the land and loved it, trying to eke out a living, and those who would like to return the Earth to its natural wonder. Interesting to point out that some environmentalists might be a tiny bit control-oriented, and that those against them may have agendas other than just protecting a way of life. Notches takes up serial killers, who prey on young people who may have been bounced from home or run from an abusive situation and are not just spoiled brats. Du Pre's solution to problems recalls Tony Hillerman's Jim Chee and Ellis Peters's Cadfael in which justice prevails, perhaps ignoring externally-applied laws. Additional is telling of a way of life of the Metis, of whom I never learned in school.

"Wolf, No Wolf" will never make the Sierra Club's list of recommended reading. It is third in a series of mysteries starring Gabriel Du Pré, the Métis descendant of French Voyageurs and Plains Indians, and it is rabidly anti-environmentalist and pro-rancher.

"Notches" is the fourth in the series, and while the former features four-legged predators, the latter concerns itself with the two-legged variety.

Rabid or not, such is the power of Bowen's writing and the nobility of his characters in "Wolf, No Wolf" that even clean, green bunny-huggers (like me) might end up voting for the ranchers and against the re-introduction of wolves into Big Sky Country at story's end.

All of the regulars at Touissant Bar are part of the action. Du Pré, master fiddler and part-time brand inspector is cast in the role of peacemaker. With help from his friends, the Shaman Benetsee, Bart the rich-guy-turned-sheriff, Du Pré's long-time mistress, Madelaine, and Booger Tom, the ancient, homicidal cowhand, he braves avalanches, gunfire, and false medicine men in order to prevent open warfare between the ranchers and the Earth First! crowd.

There are good ranchers, and there are really evil ranchers who sell dead horses for dogmeat.

There are good FBI agents (not very many) who are either Montanans and/or part Amerindian. The vast majority of agents are feeble, clueless, and from out-of-state. Some of them are so dim-witted as to try and arrest the Shaman Benetsee, who plays a wonderful joke on them with his coyotes.

All of the environmentalists, New Age mystics, and Yuppies in "Wolf, No Wolf" are easily identified by their expensive, crassly-colored, mail-order garments of many pockets. They are even dumber than the FBI agents, and are easily led astray, even unto death, by the book's villains.

And die they do, by avalanche and grizzly, by gunshot and knife, and by freezing to death in Alberta Clippers. The ranchers rescue as many as they can, but winter in Montana is truly hell-frozen-over. Some of Bowen's leanest, most vivid prose is devoted to descriptions of out-landers and cattle that venture out into the jaws of a Blue Northerly.

Better to stay in the Touissant Bar and drink fizzy, pink, screw-top wine, and listen to Du Pré fiddle the sad, old Voyageur songs.

On the other hand, if you're still in the mood for mayhem, follow him into "Notches" where he is asked to assist police on the trail of two serial killers.

There are good reasons why the police might not want Du Pré at the scene of a crime. He spits a lot as he circles the corpse, rolls his own cigarettes and mashes them out beneath his boot heel. A forensic specialist would find traces of him all over the scene. In "Notches," he even hides evidence because he wants to track a killer without interference from the FBI.

On the plus side, nothing at the scene escapes him. If he is called in to examine one body, he may find two others near by that no one else has noticed--which is exactly what occurs in "Notches." Someone has been killing girls and dumping them "like old guts in the brush for the coyotes to eat," according to Du Pré's long-time mistress, Madelaine.

There are two serial killers on the loose in "Notches" which makes for a confusing plot. There are also two FBI agents (see above "Wolf, No Wolf") who add to the scenery, but don't do much more than engage in slanging matches with Du Pré. Madelaine finally presses Du Pré into tracking the killers down when her own daughter runs away from home.

Du Pré is laconic to the point of partial sentences, but the interrupted staccato of his speech is a perfect counterpoint to the harsh Montana landscape and to the sometimes abbreviated lives of its inhabitants. Over 150 corpses form an even grimmer than usual backdrop to Du Pré's musings on the long history of his people and the land.

"Notches" is not so much a murder mystery as it is a complex landscape of hell from the pen of a Montanan Hieronymus Bosch.

Notches is the book that saved me from giving this whole thing a bad review.

Wolf, No Wolf is about how a bunch of tree huggers (yes I have Montana blood in me!) end up dying. Du Pre and Bart (the sheriff in this book) know its one of the locals, but they aren't sure who. Benetsee is his mysterious self and theres a couple of new characters that play a fairly large role. They don't last long, but they are interesting to see. Bart and Du Pre wrap this case up in usual fashion.

Although some might think that Notches is a bit grim, I did enjoy it. Notches is the story of how Du Pre takes matters into his own hands regarding two serial murder's (skinned little girls keep showing up along Highway 2 and another highway that runs north and south...can't remember the name right now). This book is a quick read and the pace keeps things moving along.

Bob Fudge was an authentic cowboy. He helped trail cattle from Texas to Montana. He was a cowboy for a number of cattle ranches in Montana. Later, he had a ranch of his own in southeastern Montana. My father knew Bob Fudge and my sister remembers him. When I was a child, I remember overhearing several conversations about Bob Fudge. I have read about him in some accounts published as diaries or newspapers. All accounts of him describe a person who was gentle and generous. Apparently, he enjoyed telling of his adventures. Jim Russell wrote this book to record the stories that Bob Fudge told. Some are pretty exciting. However, everything in the book that I have been able to correlate with other sources is true.

Bob Fudge lived in the "real" Wild West and that is what the reader will find in this book. There are Indians. There are stampeding steers. The cowboys care for the cattle, ride on roundups, and drive the cattle to a railhead to be shipped. There is danger and lives lost. Wildfires, unbroken horses, freezing cold, and flooding rivers were all part of a cowboy's life. In winter a cowboy might be unemployed or living alone at some outpost on the ranch. It was in many ways a difficult life. Bob was working at twelve years of age and was breaking horses by the time he was fifteen. On the other hand, the people who populated the west were mostly good people; they helped one another as necessary and made good friends. Bob Fudge lived the cowboy's life, enjoyed it, and told about it.

We have read and reread Bob Fudge and feel like we have that "personal trail drive experience" with each reading. Bob Fudge may have been one of the most important characters in the history of cattle drives from Texas to Montana. As a ranching family, we appreciate the struggles and stories shared in this book. If you enjoy the cowboy life coupled with true history, pick up this book. We have given several copies as gifts over the years and our friends feel as we do. This book echoes the cowboy life and you feel the sense of the elements of nature and dust in your nose as you read the book.

The geriatric matchmakers of Bliss, Montana return in Kristine Rolofson's A BRIDE FOR CALDER BROWN. They succeeded with Owen Chase, and now its Calder Brown's turn to the altar. He's been with every woman in town under the age of thirty-five, and the Hearts Club needs new blood. Ordinarily, Calder avoids Bliss during its annual matchmaking festival, but he returns home for Owen's wedding because, as everyone knows, he throws the best bachelor parties. He's also Bliss most confirmed bachelor; that is, until he sees the sexy Frenchwoman stepping out of the cake. And his secret desire doesn't stay secret long when his grandfather finds his underwear on the kitchen floor. Now his grandfather's lending strength to the Hearts Club's matchmaking schemes.

Lisette Lemieux Hart, new owner of the Bliss bakery, isn't interested in ranchers, but she is interested in catering the bachelor party and providing the cake. Unfortunately, the girl who ordinarily pops out of the cake elopes, leaving Lisette, mother of two girls, to do the honors. Surprisingly, she finds there's something about stepping out of a cake and acting the role of sex symbol for an hour that appeals to this overworked, over tired baker with a bigamist husband in her background. She doesn't need the emotional complications of a lover, or the problems that come with a husband. That is, until one kiss from Calder makes her ready for immoral, foolish, and embarrassing. Then the condom breaks.

Once again Kristine Rolofson combines laughter and love in A BRIDE FOR CALDER BROWN. Rolofson's dramatic writing skill once again results in a marvelous cast of characters. There's nothing quite like a confirmed bachelor learning to be a father to two young girls. Further, not only are the hero and heroine an unlikely combination, but the secondary cast also lends comic humor and levity. A delightful read, A BRIDE FOR CALDER BROWN comes highly recommended.

The three elderly women, proud of their success with finding a wife for Owen Chase, decide Calder Brown, who leaves Bliss, Montana during festivals, is next. However, the Montana Matchmakers know that confirmed bachelor Calder will return home to throw his friend Owen a belated bachelor party even if the man is already married. They draw up a list of eligible wondering who will throw Calderýs bachelor party.

Feeling obligated Cal leaves his vacation in Vegas to come home to arrange a belated party for his now married friend. The new owner of the bakery, Lisette Hart, learns that the lady inside the Big Cake eloped so no sexy woman is available to leap out of the prop. A reluctant Lisette jumps from the Big Cake at Owenýs event where she meets Cal. The passion between them results in her pregnancy. Already having two chidlren and one broken disastrous marriage under her belt, Lisette rejects Calýs proposal, but he is not just asking to give the unborn a name. He wants a lifetime with Lisette.

The sequel to A WIFE FOR OWEN CHASE is a warm contemporary romance that returns many of the charcaters from the first book. Though similar in tone and theme as its delightful predecessor, A BRIDE FOR CALDER BROWN engages the audience with its humorous yet at times moving story line and a strong cast. Kristine Rolofson writes an affable novel that indulges readers with its blissful ending.

Harriet Klausner

The book reflected the author's love of fly-fishing. However, the way in which it was written would make it appeal more to women than men. If one was intending to purchase this for an older male it probably would not be appreciated.

I had the privilege of being guided several times by Jennifer Olsson before she retired, and I found her dedicated, enthusiastic, patient, humorous and empathetic. Her stories reflect all of these qualities. In the same way that she made sure each client had the kind of fishing experience he or she had come to Montana hoping to have, Jennifer gives her readers the chance to find what they're looking for in each of these narratives. What's missing (not lacking) is the & q u o t ; Y o u -too-can-catch-huge-trout-if-you'll-only-master-this-simple-technique" bombast found in so many other fishing books. What's here for many, I think, is the answer to the often asked question, "What is it that gets you so excited about fly fishing?" Read the book. If you don't know anything about fly fishing, you'll learn much about the sport and all the different kinds of people who are drawn to it. If you're already a fly fisher, you'll often find yourself smiling a been-there-done-that smile. Either way, when you put the book down, you'll probably want to go fishing.

This is a fine book if the reader is interested in the actual "artist" Charlie Russell...I made the error in interpreting the book's descripton as to pertaining to the "times" of which CR's art was depicting.
Thinking it would be a book of essays of the "Western times" (which CR created his craft around) like the Sports Afield "Survive" book (highly recommend), I was disappointed that all but a few enteries are about the actual artist, his wife, and different articles & perceptions that have been published over time.
Nothing really new or interesting about a rather stererotypical artist & his controlling wife; the illustrations are small (B/W) and rather limited...should have included all his work. (sic)
Know what you're buying.

Mahalo,
~B

Brian Dippie, as always, spends years of research perfecting his product. His love of writing preparing his books is not compromised by deadlines. Being a professor of U.S. History at the University of Victoria demands authenticity and knowledge! Who would believe a Canadian? The answer lies definitely here. This author is one to be believed and enjoyed.

Years of travel and study liberally doused with a love of the language mirror Charlie Russells love of nature and art but Charlie struggled with language. Dippie translates, transcribes, and transforms for the reader. A DEFINITE BUY!

Set mainly in Montana between 1905-41, Pam Lacey, a headstrong ranch girl, sets her sights on "bigger things" and mistakenly marries a rich boy from the East. It's a case of the grass not always being greener on the other side, and, swallowing her pride, she leaves her husband and returns home to Montana. She takes over her father's ranch and, to make money, turns it into a dude ranch (a new fangled idea at the time, and one which infuriates the old ranch hands). She ends up living a pretty lonely existence, especially in the winters when the "dudes" are all gone, but she also learns to be content. Although some of the novel is fairly predictable, Walker writes lovingly of the challenges of Montana ranch life (especially for a single woman) and the deep satisfactions that come with it.

Walker transports you to turn-of-the century ranching life, and the rise of the Western aristocracy. Deals with issues of town vs. country and Eastern establishment and Western individualism. Its a feminist look at social structure and conflict in Western America. A must read for wilderness lovers and lovers of US history!

This is the newest guide for the whole family that wants to hike or backpack 70 of the best trails through the combined US/Canadian national parks of Glacier and Waterton Lakes, now Glacier-Waterton International Peace Park.

* A completely revised guide with lots of fun to-do's for kids
* USGS map information and trail profiles
* Informative sidebars and trip finders

In 1932, Glacier National Park in Montana and Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta, Canada were joined together to create the world's first International Peace Park. More than a political union, the park was created in recognition that the beautiful, rare, and delicate ecosystems of the northern Rockies shouldn't end at national or political boundaries.

From nature walks and short hikes to glute-burning backpacking trips, this book showcases 70 of the best trails. Each area of the park is accompanied by a trip finder, which shows the difficulty of specific routes and the special highlights of each trail. This new edition also has more complete information blocks with USGS map information and trail profiles.

There is only general info in here for facilities, accomodations and activities other than hiking. The title is deceptive. On the positive side, it has useful maps and data for hikes all of which include a graph showing the altitude change along the path.