Five Star:

Though jovial, Pinebox’s leisurely paced yarns are sometimes repetitive and predictable. Still, fans of humorous Westerns should enjoy the wit of Miller’s (A Father Unto Many Sons) memorable protagonist.

Fans of descriptive mysteries filled with fishing and nods to the natural environment might appreciate this third in the historical series, following Ranger McIntyre: Small Delightful Murders. Yet its slow-paced and meandering narrative, with victims who are only names, not well-developed characters, may steer readers to try Victoria Houston’s “Loon Lake” mysteries instead.

Sweazy’s latest is a fast-paced story that intensifies as it careens toward tragedy. Fans of frontier mysteries will appreciate the juxtaposition of Billy’s early years with the violence of his final spree, in this atmospheric tale of a man who left a son at home pining for him, while he tried to save the prodigal.