Wednesday, August 1, 2012

"A crown is merely a hat that lets the rain in." Frederick The Great

I've been a fan of Western literature for most of my life. Reading "Mexican Hat" is just fun.

I first read this novel when it was first published and felt it was time to renew a pleasurable reading experience.

Michael McGarrity has a sense of the Southwest and his description of his character, Kevin Kerney, is clear and delightful. His actions remind me of the true cowboy and in the role Clint Eastwood played in Unforgiven.

Kevin Kerney is a childhood rodeo star who went on to be a well respected detective until he was given a medical retirement due to an on the job injury in Santa Fe..

He's working as a seasonal forest ranger in the Gila Wilderness and attempting to earn money to restore an abandoned homeland and set up a cattle operation.

The story begins with him getting a call about possible poaching of a bear. The rancher who reports the crime believes it is by someone looking for trophy kills.

There are vivid depictions of the rough terrain of the Gila Wilderness of New Mexico. We observe the gritty people who keep to themselves and are generally mistrustful of strangers. The people seem solid but there are secrets underneath their stoicism.

The author describes the events about two families. Where the Cox family has something they have kept hidden for sixty years and the Padilla family are looking into the injustice that happened to their family in that same time.

I enjoyed the images of the southwest and the rugged cowboy turned police detective. Kerney is the wounded warrior who is still proud of the work he does and tries to bring justice to a wild west.

Give yourself a treat and try this dandy story.

3 comments:

DMS said...

I recently read a western that I enjoyed (I think it is the only one I have ever read). I like that you have read this book more than once and have enjoyed it each time. Great review. I will probably give this one a try.
~Jess
http://thesecretdmsfilesoffairdaymorrow.blogspot.com/

Kara D. said...

Great review, thanks!

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