West Texas Mysteries Books
When the Laido County sheriff drops dead, his widow has no recourse but to usurp his badge. Oh, why not? Nothing happens in this dusty hamlet in 1887, and elections are not THAT far away.
Min Archer is beset: The town billy goat, Homer Toutle, is dismembered and Laido's only banker decides she is not really a sheriff and freezes her accounts. Other than that it's a lovely autumn, for the drought has broken.
Min's nemesis, the town's banker, Sid Armitage, is discovered dead in the safe of his bank. He had all enemies, no friends--nearly a thousand just in Laido County. Min gets to sift through all the suspects as the town's new doctor sets up shop, and not a moment too soon.
Tis the season, but not all is merry and bright. In the Big Bend of West Texas, 1887, Sheriff Minerva Archer is not in the holiday spirit. She was recently widowed, she has several mysteries to unravel, and a man who may be innocent is headed for the noose. Christmas trees are just catching on back East, but this is still the land of posadas and nacimientos. Will St. Nicholas prevail, bringing cheer? Hint: never underestimate St. Nicholas.
She was such a nice young bride. Nice. No better way to describe her. She apparently has no enemies, yet she dies in a blizzard—stabbed to death. The murderer strikes twice more, and county sheriff Min Archer, our aged heroine, is frightened and frustrated, for she cannot find him/her. Yet the culprit lives in Laido. Tired of mooching a typewriter from the newspaper every time he comes to town, the circuit judge sends Min a typewriter. Infernal machine…. It’s a love-hate relationship from the get-go. The new newspaper editor/reporter, Ned Hammond is certain Min is sleeping around in order to get and hold her job and is constantly snooping about to find out who the corespondent is. Harry Heinlein, the town sot, goes a step too far, and rancher Cleve Jones insists his daughter return home to run the ranch. Yes, this is the young lady to whom deputy Ben Peters has taken quite a shine. Min eventually uncovers the culprit, but she may be a minute too late.