LEAVING WHISKEY BEND by Dorothy Garlock
Dorothy Garlock has found her niche and settled in for the long run. She writes about people and places that are part of the past years of our country. It might be the 1920’s or the 1940’s or any other past time, but she steers clear of modern times. In her latest novel LEAVING WHISKEY BEND she focuses on the Midwest of the 1890’s. The frontier is still wild and wooly and the people who inhabit this area have to be tough physically and strong willed.
Hallie and Pearl are strong willed women. They have been living in Whiskey Bend where Hallie works as a school teacher and Pearl works at a saloon. The two women are friends with a young woman named Mary. Mary’s mother married a man and his son has claimed Mary as his own. He is physically and mentally abusive to her. After one of his particularly violent outbursts Hallie and Pearl take Mary away. As they are leaving Pearl fires a shot in the man’s leg.
The three women have no idea where they are going but only hope to find a place where Chester, the abusive man, can not find them. Through accident they meet up with Eli Morgan and his uncle Hank. The two men take the three women back to their ranch where one of the women who is sick can recuperate.
Of course the vengeful Chester pursues them and of course there is a love story or two taking place at the ranch. You might expect these things to happen but Garlock always throws in a twist or two to the tale that makes it more than just ordinary reading. She has a way of spicing up the characters with little traits that are unexpected, or she complicates a situation in a way that makes it unpredictable.
The book’s cover proclaims she is “The Voice of America’s Heartland” and this is truth in advertising as she does speak to those days when life was not quite as streamlined and remote as it is today. She studies history and incorporates actual events into her books. In LEAVING WHISKEY BEND she skillfully and amusingly brings in the deceased Abraham Lincoln.
If you like novels that tell a direct story about heroism then Garlock’s books are for you. There is always a man or woman who is willing to stand up for his/her principles or to protect someone weaker. Good is good and bad is bad and the people possessing these traits are clearly delineated.
Garlock’s books are easy, enjoyable reading. If you are not yet one of her fans dive in with LEAVING WHISKEY BEND.
It is a great introduction to the skills of this wonderful writer.
LEAVING WHISKEY BEND us published by Grand Central Publishing. It contains 355 pages and sells for $19.99.