B. M. Bower 
Quirt 

As always, it has B. M. Bower’s memorable characters and amazing gift at laying an atmosphere and creating the real west (not Hollywood) in your mind. Not your run-of-the-mill western with shoddy writing, lame plot, and shoot-em-up ending, this one has plenty of surprises and an unusual plot. And it’s a powerful story of "little fishes" in a "big fish" pond, and what constitutes true courage and true cowardice. If you enjoy realistic, well-written westerns by an author who was actually there–you’ll enjoy The Quirt. (Amazon)