But a solo trip into the high country quickly turns into a nightmare when she witnesses a murder, and a dynamite blast unleashes a rockslide that kills one man involved in the murder and nearly kills her. Carothers recuperates while her friend, Inez Stannert, tries to piece together what exactly it was that Susan witnessed. Stannert owns Leadville’s saloon and can’t afford to have the small community on which she’s staked her future be reduced to lawlessness. This sequel to the critically acclaimed Silver Lies (2003) will not disappoint Parker’s fans. The characters have depth, their motivations are subtle, and their pain very human. Add carefully researched and fascinating period detail, and one has a carefully crafted novel that will appeal to readers of mysteries, historical fiction, and genre westerns.” —Booklist