Tenbow (Signet) [Paperback]

Matt Braun (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1991 | Series: Signet

At the foot of the Wind River Mountains and just east of the continental divide was Tenbow Valley, eighty miles of rich, watered graze on the way to Oregon territory. From Cheyenne, Jack Stillman has come to Tenbow to solve a string of murders. Each victim was a landowner in the valley, and each killing was carried out with a deadly, long range rifle. Taking on the guise of a gambler, Stillman is quick to line up his suspects and start prying open their secrets. But while greed is the likeliest reason for the murders, the killer keeps striking--even when Stillman has his eye on the suspects. Suddenly, in a land of wild honeysuckle, snowy mountain peaks, and the spirits of native warriors, the veteran lawman realizes he's made a fatal mistake and missed a motive as old as time itself…Now it may be too late because an expert at murder has Stillman in the crosshairs of his gun…

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Matt Braun is a master storyteller of frontier history."
-- Elmer Kelton

"Matt Braun is head and shoulders above all the rest who would attempt to bring the gunmen of the old west to life."
--Terry C. Johnston, author of The Plainsmen series

"Braun tackles the big men, the complex personalities of those brave few who were pivotal figures in the settling of an untamed frontier."
-- Jory Sherman, author of Grass Kingdom

"Matt Braun is one of the best!"
-- Don Coldsmith, author of the Spanish Bit series

"Matt Braun has a genius for taking real characters out of the Old West and giving them flesh-and-blood immediacy."
-- Dee Brown, author of Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee

"Braun blends historical fact and ingenious fiction...A top-drawer Western novelist!"
-- Robert L. Gale, Western Biographer

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

From the Back Cover

LAND OF PROMISE
LAND OF DEATH

At the foot of the Wind River Mountains and just east of the continental divide was Tenbow Valley, eighty miles of rich, watered graze on the way to Oregon territory. From Cheyenne, Jack Stillman has come to Tenbow to solve a string of murders. Each victim was a landowner in the valley, and each killing was carried out with a deadly, long range rifle. Taking on the guise of a gambler, Stillman is quick to line up his suspects and start prying open their secrets. But while greed is the likeliest reason for the murders, the killer keeps striking--even when Stillman has his eye on the suspects. Suddenly, in a land of wild honeysuckle, snowy mountain peaks, and the spirits of native warriors, the veteran lawman realizes he's made a fatal mistake and missed a motive as old as time itself…Now it may be too late because an expert at murder has Stillman in the crosshairs of his gun…

"Matt Braun is a master storyteller of frontier history."
--Elmer Kelton

"Matt Braun is head and shoulders above all the rest who would attempt to bring the gunmen of the old west to life."
--Terry C. Johnston, author of The Plainsmen series

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 1 pages
• Publisher: Signet (February 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451169069
• ISBN-13: 978-0451169068
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,962,282 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Accomplished Western -Mystery fusion, January 13, 2007

By 

F. J. Harvey "Cricket ,country music and a go... (Birmingham England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tenbow (Mass Market Paperback)

Matt Braun's protagonist in this novel will remind devotees of this writer of other figures he has created ,notably Luke Starbuck ,the hero of an earlier series of books .There is also a hint of Ash Tallman who appeared in a brief series of so-called "adult Westerns( a euphemism for soft porn) in the early 90's .
He is Jack Stillman ,a private investigator with a gift for disguise and skill at working undercover .He is hired by a rancher named Richter to investigate a series of killings in the Tenbow Valley area.Richter suspects a land scam is behind the killings and provides two leads -local ranchers with a tendency to sharp practice .Disguised as a sharply dressed gambler and also as a bronc buster Stillman uncovers the motive of the killer and it is more personal than simply greed .He sets out in pursuit of the killer and the tale builds to a slick and gripping climax

This is slick and well plotted by a solid genre veteran who has often straddled the two worlds of crime writing and the Western and ,in my view ,the book will be enjoyed by both sets of readers .Its a professionally told tale and a good time is guaranteed for all its readers

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What All Westerns Should Be, February 4, 2006

By 

Kay's Husband (Virginia, U.S.A.) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Tenbow (Mass Market Paperback)

I first read this in the old Signet mass market paperback issued in February, 1991. Still have that copy matter of fact.

I am truly surprised that mine is the only review so far of this western which was released by St. Martins in January, 2006. I have hundreds of westerns on my shelves being a life long reader of them, and also read non-fiction on the west.

I rate this book as one of the best I have ever read. This is not only a western with a western setting, but it is a very interesting mystery. The frosted glass panel on Jack Stillman's office door reads: Jack Stillman - Investigations. So whether you want to tag him as an investigator or detective is up to each reader. Carl Richter of the Tenbow Valley Cattleman's Association hires Jack to come to the Wind River range to determine 'who' is killing people from long range. Carl thinks he may also be on the list, so he has a vested interest in the killings. Jack agrees to take the "case" at $20.00 per day plus expenses, but makes it clear Richter is hiring him, not his gun. Richter agrees, giving Jack a $100.00 retainer, and things take off like a bullet shot from there. Jack has 2 suspects, and four men already murdered.

The next 250 or so pages are one great western read. I had never paid much attention to Matt Braun until I read this one in Signet westerns half dozen years back, but now have a good dozen or more of his works on my shelf.

If you are a western lover you will never find a better read than this one. One I am sure you will want to read again and again. I only wish Matt would write additional books with Jack Stillman as his main character. This would make a cracker jack of a continuing series.

Highly recommended.

Semper Fi.