White Desert (Page Murdock, US Deputy Marshall, Book 6) [Mass Market Paperback]

Loren D. Estleman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 13, 2001

This is the latest installment in a well-established Western cop series. The cop is Page Murdoch, U.S. marshal, cynic, tough-ass, and the last man you'd want on your tail. In this book Murdoch, Montana-based, pursues a vicious gang into the far north of Canada in winter--the infinity of snow he encoutners gives the title White Desert. To get his men he must outwit or outmaneuver some aggressive, unpredictable Metis; goes into a colony of American blacks escaped from slavery and still touchy; and a band of Sioux, followers of Crazy Horse fled to Grandmother's Land for safety.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Colorful western fiction and gritty crime drama merge in this new installment in Estleman's popular series featuring Page Murdock, a cynical 40-year-old deputy U.S. marshal working for tough-as-a-boiled-owl Judge Harlan Blackstone in the Montana territory in 1882. Lorenzo Bliss and Charlie Whitelaw, outlaws who have recently been plaguing Montana, are said to have fled north into Canada, where it is reported they massacred a settlement of gold panners, burning the whole place to the ground. It's Canada's problem now, thinks Murdock, until he loses a billiard game to the wily judge and grudgingly crosses the border to assist the Mounties in tracking down the sadistic outlaws. Murdock is pushing his luck behind a badge, but his determination and tracking skills make him a formidable pursuer. In the unfamiliar wilderness of a harsh Canadian winter, however, even Murdock's talents for survival are tested. After a contentious introduction to the Mounties and their arrogant commander, Inspector Urban Vivian, Murdock sets out for the ruins of the settlement, where he has learned one survivor still lives: a woman who witnessed the murder of her husband and two children. Just as he arrives, he is shot by the emotionally scarred widowAand that's only the start of his troubles. He hires a shifty French-Canadian woodsman and his family as guides, only to be captured by a colony of former American slaves who have little affection for any white man. Murdock reckons he will give up betting on billiards. Still, his sleuthing talents, plus some luck, save his hide again and he rides to a final showdown involving the Mounties, renegade Sioux and the blood-crazed Bliss-Whitelaw bunch. Estleman is in top form here, providing a refreshingly original western cop story filled with crackling action, snappy dialogue and bone-chilling descriptions of frozen Canada. (July)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

When the murderous duo of Lorenzo Bliss and Charlie Whitelaw--wanted for various crimes in the States--torch a Canadian hamlet and massacre its citizens, maverick U.S. Marshal Page Murdock decides to dispense some frontier justice. Eschewing an armed posse and the international border incident it would trigger, Murdock travels north alone. As he picks up the trail, he encounters variety of characters--a band of menacing Indians, a group of black ex-slaves led by a voodoo priestess, and Hope Weathersill, the madwoman of Saskatchewan--all of whom help him launch an attack on the bad guys' stronghold. Estleman is one of the most versatile authors around with two Golden Spur awards from the Western Writers of America and three Shamus awards from the Private Eye Writers of America. He is also the author of a critically acclaimed fictional series chronicling the history of industrial Detroit. This is one of Estleman's less ambitious works, but it is still wonderfully entertaining and filled with enough action and humor to satisfy the most demanding armchair buckaroos. Wes Lukowsky
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Forge Books (August 13, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812584368
• ISBN-13: 978-0812584363
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,932,002 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Since the appearance of his first novel in 1976, Loren D. Estleman has written more than 65 books and hundreds of short stories and articles. Alone (Dec 2009, Forge Books) is the second in a new series about L.A. film detective Valentino, and features Greta Garbo.

To kick off the new decade, Estleman's The Book of Murdock (eighth in the U.S. Deputy Marshal Page Murdock series) will appear in March and, to celebrate the 30 year anniversary of Private Detective Amos Walker, The Left-Handed Dollar will publish in December. It's the 20th novel in the award-winning series.

An authority on both criminal history and the American West, Estleman has been called the most critically acclaimed author of his generation. He has been nominated for the National Book Award and the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Allan Poe Award.

He has received seventeen national writing awards: four Shamuses from the Private Eye Writers of America, five Spurs from the Western Writers of America, two American Mystery Awards from Mystery Scene Magazine, two Outstanding Mystery Writer of the Year awards from Popular Fiction Monthly, two Stirrup Awards for outstanding articles in the Western Writers of America magazine, The Roundup, and three Western Heritage Awards from the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. In 1987, the Michigan Foundation of the Arts presented him with its award for literature. In 1997, the Michigan Library Association named him the recipient of the Michigan Author's Award. In 2007, Nicotine Kiss was named a Notable Book by the Library of Michigan.

Estleman graduated from Eastern Michigan University in 1974 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature and Journalism. On April 27, 2002, EMU presented him with an honorary doctorate in letters. He left the job market in 1980 to write full time. He lives in Michigan and is married to writer Deborah Morgan. For more information, please visit his website: www.lorenestleman.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fast paced and well written!, October 18, 2001

By 

kregg P.J. Jorgenson (Burien, Washington United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: White Desert (Page Murdock, US Deputy Marshall, Book 6) (Mass Market Paperback)

WHITE DESERT is not only a fine western it's a fine novel by any standards. Like Elmore Leonard Estleman takes the reader on a long ride into the human condition of yesteryear, ambushes a number of preconceived notions along the way, and leaves you with a story that stays with you long after the dust has settled.
There's enough humor as well to keep you chuckling and enough well written dialogue and description to make the pages (and Page too!) fly.
Good for you, Estleman and good for us.

4.0 out of 5 stars Exciting Canada set adventure yarn, March 10, 2008

By 

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

This review is from: White Desert (Page Murdock, US Deputy Marshall, Book 6) (Mass Market Paperback)

This is the sixth book in the series about US Deputy Marshall Page Murdock and this time out he is away from his usual Montana stamping grounds having been despatched to Canada by Judge Blackthorne ,his boss ,to bring back two especially vicious killers.They are Bliss and Whitelaw who while lacking the notoreity of such as Jesse James and Billy the Kid are more destructive and depraved by far.
It is a trip fraught with danger-the Metis Indians are chaffing under British rule and seem likely to break out in open rebellion ,ther Sioux have taken refuge in Canada after defeating Custer and are not overly enthusiastic about US lawmen .In addition there are the Shulamites -a colony of ex slaves now living in Canada and also lacking in will to help any stray US white .Add the constant butting of heads between Murdock and the Mountie commander Urban Vivian ,bone freezing weather and hostile wildlife and its a bumpy ride for the Deputy..He does have useful help however from the guide he engages ,the resourceful Phillipe la rochelle .The climax comes with the capture of Murdock and Vivian by the outlaws and a shootout and pursuit following it .
The decriptive writing in this book is especially fine and the action plentiful and well described.
Estleman is a master profssional and this fine stand alone novel is him at near best .It works as a pursuit ,adventure tale rather than a pure western and is immensely enjoyable

4.0 out of 5 stars Page Murdock goes north., June 21, 2001

By 

Richard E., Adams (Boerne, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: White Desert (Page Murdock, US Deputy Marshall, Book 6) (Hardcover)

Deputy Marshall Page Murdock encounters Mounties, Metis, and Cree Indians in a wintertime assignment to Canada. This work is up to Estleman's high standards in plot and character development. It is worth reading but you may want to start with the beginning of the series.