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Gabriel Du Pre #6
Long Son
In Toussaint, Montana, old family secrets, forgotten for more than 100 years, come to light after a young woman and her land-owning parents die under suspicious circumstances.When Larry Messmer, the brother and son of the victims, auctions off his parents' ranch, Gabriel Du Pre discovers a string of unexplained deaths buried deep in the family's past.
270 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 1999
About the author
Peter Bowen
44 books75 followersPeter Bowen (b. 1945) is an author best known for mystery novels set in the modern American West. When he was ten, Bowen’s family moved to Bozeman, Montana, where a paper route introduced him to the grizzled old cowboys who frequented a bar called The Oaks. Listening to their stories, some of which stretched back to the 1870s, Bowen found inspiration for his later fiction.
Following time at the University of Michigan and the University of Montana, Bowen published his first novel, Yellowstone Kelly, in 1987. After two more novels featuring the real-life Western hero, Bowen published Coyote Wind (1994), which introduced Gabriel Du Pré, a mixed-race lawman living in fictional Toussaint, Montana. Bowen has written thirteen novels in the series, in which Du Pré gets tangled up in everything from cold-blooded murder to the hunt for rare fossils. Bowen continues to live and write in Livingston, Montana.
Following time at the University of Michigan and the University of Montana, Bowen published his first novel, Yellowstone Kelly, in 1987. After two more novels featuring the real-life Western hero, Bowen published Coyote Wind (1994), which introduced Gabriel Du Pré, a mixed-race lawman living in fictional Toussaint, Montana. Bowen has written thirteen novels in the series, in which Du Pré gets tangled up in everything from cold-blooded murder to the hunt for rare fossils. Bowen continues to live and write in Livingston, Montana.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
February 3, 2025
Large Animal brand inspector for money; Métis fiddler for fun; private investigator from time to time. That is Gabriel Du Pré’s life in the back country of Montana.
"“I got bad feeling this,” said Du Pré. Bart nodded and tightened a fitting with a pair of channel locks.
“We’ve had worse, I expect,” said Bart.
It is not the wild horse that throws you, Du Pré thought, it is the one that you think is broke to riding."
Some bad people live in those great open spaces, and they attract others of their kind. The FBI is interested but can’t infiltrate the group so FBI Special Agent Harvey Wallace (a Blackfoot tribe member by ancestry) calls again on Gabriel to help. Gabriel is of the Métis, a very interesting group whose history spans both the USA and Canada. In previous books (of this series), Bowen goes into details of Métis history and culture.
Gabriel Du Pré is a grumpy, hard-working, hard-drinking, chain-smoking, fast-driving grandfather. All of that is referenced in this novel which builds into a thriller.
It seems that organized crime has an interest in this part of the Big Sky Country. They go by the name of the 770 Corporation. All the cattle have been sold off a big ranch. Why? There are some new cowboys on the spread who look more like penitentiary residents. "“I got a bad feelin’ about all this,” said Booger Tom.
“You go shoot them all, I don’t tell no one,” said Du Pré.
“Been done,” said Booger Tom. “They just send more.”"
I am on the edge of being annoyed by the repetition of all of the tropes that Bowen uses for his main character: the self-rolled smokes; the bottle of whiskey in his car; the driving 120 mph on backroads. And the same goes for his “significant other,” Madalaine who only “smokes one after breakfast, and no more the rest of the day, unless she drank pink bubbly wine."
Yet the plotting is good and Bowen knows this country as well as Tony Hillerman knew the “Four Corners.” There are many layers to the story (some more contrived than others), and there is a nice reflection on the merging of history and storytelling.
I liked many of the details of this gorgeous and wild land. There are nice touches of humor (though many are sarcastic). Not Bowen’s best, but good enough.
3.5
Various quotations to provide a sense of Bowen’s storytelling style:
"Du Pré hated television, video games, and most of the rest of the twentieth century. He doubted he would like the twenty-first much better."
"The rain was fairing off and by the time he went back across the bridge the Yellowstone had come up four feet and it was dirty and filled with trees and trash. In an hour the roads were dry enough so he could cruise at a hundred and ten. There would sometimes be pools of water at the bottom of hills where culverts had been plugged with debris, but none so deep he had to fish out the crap before he could go on. He was back in Toussaint by ten o’clock at night."
"“What is the 770 Corporation?” said Du Pré. “Messmer’s bunch,” said Harvey. “Very well run. Accountants and lawyers stacked three deep. Very careful to obey all the laws. Very good about the environment. They do a subdivision, there is no casual destruction of the breeding grounds of the rare Left Coast Sneezing Snail. They dug up an Indian burial ground and promptly gave it back to the local Indians. ’Course the burial ground was about two thousand years older than the tribe that got it, who, on the evidence, were up the coast, getting fungal infections in the British Columbia rain forest and eating a lot of banana slugs, when the Indians in the burial ground were planted, but it was great public relations.”"
"“Officer Parker there is a good officer and had your daughter not been mouthy your sorry ass would be right in Officer Parker’s patrol car, headed for the nearest place gives Breathalyzer tests, which you would fucking well flunk. She then would put you in jail. You would then go to court and lose the license—let me see that damn thing …” Du Pré handed McPhie his driver’s license. “I’ve seen older ones out here in the sagebrush,” said McPhie, “but that’s pretty good. Pretty damn good.” McPhie looked off into the distance. “I enjoy the hell out of your music,” he said. He smiled, his big red face all jolly. He rocked on his boot heels. “However, I must inform you that things are different here in good old Montana than they were the last fucking time you checked decades ago. We are an actual state right in the Union, the United States of America, with a Legislature filled with pissants as dumb and awful as any larger and better known state. They pass laws, to while away the time, and you, Du Pré, have broken about five of ’em.” Du Pré waited. “I know that here in the sagebrush it is easy to forget that these pissants in Helena are there passing their laws, but it is so. They pay fools like me to enforce ’em, and I do, best I can.” McPhie placed one of his giant, meaty hands on Du Pré’s shoulder. “If I catch you pulling this bullshit, your ass goes to jail, you lose the license you are going to get tomorrow, and you can work out the rest with the judge. I cleaned up after you this one time, on account of your reputation and essentially primitive nature. If you get nailed by Officer Parker, she makes up for being blonde and cute by being as mean as a snake. You get nailed by me I will make her look downright benevolent.”"
"“I got bad feeling this,” said Du Pré. Bart nodded and tightened a fitting with a pair of channel locks.
“We’ve had worse, I expect,” said Bart.
It is not the wild horse that throws you, Du Pré thought, it is the one that you think is broke to riding."
Some bad people live in those great open spaces, and they attract others of their kind. The FBI is interested but can’t infiltrate the group so FBI Special Agent Harvey Wallace (a Blackfoot tribe member by ancestry) calls again on Gabriel to help. Gabriel is of the Métis, a very interesting group whose history spans both the USA and Canada. In previous books (of this series), Bowen goes into details of Métis history and culture.
Gabriel Du Pré is a grumpy, hard-working, hard-drinking, chain-smoking, fast-driving grandfather. All of that is referenced in this novel which builds into a thriller.
It seems that organized crime has an interest in this part of the Big Sky Country. They go by the name of the 770 Corporation. All the cattle have been sold off a big ranch. Why? There are some new cowboys on the spread who look more like penitentiary residents. "“I got a bad feelin’ about all this,” said Booger Tom.
“You go shoot them all, I don’t tell no one,” said Du Pré.
“Been done,” said Booger Tom. “They just send more.”"
I am on the edge of being annoyed by the repetition of all of the tropes that Bowen uses for his main character: the self-rolled smokes; the bottle of whiskey in his car; the driving 120 mph on backroads. And the same goes for his “significant other,” Madalaine who only “smokes one after breakfast, and no more the rest of the day, unless she drank pink bubbly wine."
Yet the plotting is good and Bowen knows this country as well as Tony Hillerman knew the “Four Corners.” There are many layers to the story (some more contrived than others), and there is a nice reflection on the merging of history and storytelling.
I liked many of the details of this gorgeous and wild land. There are nice touches of humor (though many are sarcastic). Not Bowen’s best, but good enough.
3.5
Various quotations to provide a sense of Bowen’s storytelling style:
"Du Pré hated television, video games, and most of the rest of the twentieth century. He doubted he would like the twenty-first much better."
"The rain was fairing off and by the time he went back across the bridge the Yellowstone had come up four feet and it was dirty and filled with trees and trash. In an hour the roads were dry enough so he could cruise at a hundred and ten. There would sometimes be pools of water at the bottom of hills where culverts had been plugged with debris, but none so deep he had to fish out the crap before he could go on. He was back in Toussaint by ten o’clock at night."
"“What is the 770 Corporation?” said Du Pré. “Messmer’s bunch,” said Harvey. “Very well run. Accountants and lawyers stacked three deep. Very careful to obey all the laws. Very good about the environment. They do a subdivision, there is no casual destruction of the breeding grounds of the rare Left Coast Sneezing Snail. They dug up an Indian burial ground and promptly gave it back to the local Indians. ’Course the burial ground was about two thousand years older than the tribe that got it, who, on the evidence, were up the coast, getting fungal infections in the British Columbia rain forest and eating a lot of banana slugs, when the Indians in the burial ground were planted, but it was great public relations.”"
"“Officer Parker there is a good officer and had your daughter not been mouthy your sorry ass would be right in Officer Parker’s patrol car, headed for the nearest place gives Breathalyzer tests, which you would fucking well flunk. She then would put you in jail. You would then go to court and lose the license—let me see that damn thing …” Du Pré handed McPhie his driver’s license. “I’ve seen older ones out here in the sagebrush,” said McPhie, “but that’s pretty good. Pretty damn good.” McPhie looked off into the distance. “I enjoy the hell out of your music,” he said. He smiled, his big red face all jolly. He rocked on his boot heels. “However, I must inform you that things are different here in good old Montana than they were the last fucking time you checked decades ago. We are an actual state right in the Union, the United States of America, with a Legislature filled with pissants as dumb and awful as any larger and better known state. They pass laws, to while away the time, and you, Du Pré, have broken about five of ’em.” Du Pré waited. “I know that here in the sagebrush it is easy to forget that these pissants in Helena are there passing their laws, but it is so. They pay fools like me to enforce ’em, and I do, best I can.” McPhie placed one of his giant, meaty hands on Du Pré’s shoulder. “If I catch you pulling this bullshit, your ass goes to jail, you lose the license you are going to get tomorrow, and you can work out the rest with the judge. I cleaned up after you this one time, on account of your reputation and essentially primitive nature. If you get nailed by Officer Parker, she makes up for being blonde and cute by being as mean as a snake. You get nailed by me I will make her look downright benevolent.”"
June 29, 2020
Another great entry in this series. Here we get more Métis Indian culture and get involved in killings that are the result of incidents over 100 years prior to this time. This book seems to really start fleshing out all the Du Pre family, their fears and their pride and honor. Just a well written book and makes me glad that all of these are on my Kindle!
January 19, 2016
I worry about books in dialect. The characters' language (or is it a pidgin) sounds Yoda-ish in its structure but more primitive in its concepts. Reviewers have said Bowen captures the language as spoken. I'll give it a pass.
The book sympathizes with the Metis, the speakers of this language, the offspring of centuries-old couplings of French and then later English with the women of peoples inhabiting the northlands for centuries (or millennia). But that gives us white bread readers some spice you cannot find in the suburbs.
The story wanders through the Metis culture (I like that), through the homes and bars, through the killings, not quite knowing where to go. Characters are most important in the book; the land next; plot comes in a long third.
One bone to pick: To make retribution from the past acceptable, Bowen had to create some despicable characters (I didn't like that.). So bad the readers are happy when they die. I like my villains only moderately evil, like me.
The book sympathizes with the Metis, the speakers of this language, the offspring of centuries-old couplings of French and then later English with the women of peoples inhabiting the northlands for centuries (or millennia). But that gives us white bread readers some spice you cannot find in the suburbs.
The story wanders through the Metis culture (I like that), through the homes and bars, through the killings, not quite knowing where to go. Characters are most important in the book; the land next; plot comes in a long third.
One bone to pick: To make retribution from the past acceptable, Bowen had to create some despicable characters (I didn't like that.). So bad the readers are happy when they die. I like my villains only moderately evil, like me.
August 17, 2025
Gabriel DuPrè, former cattle brand inspector thrown back into it with his son in law laid up, part time fiddler, and sometime deputy.
A hated son comes back to run the family ranch after his parents die in a suspicious "accident", soon finds himself murdered. His associates seem to think DuPrè responsible.
Several bodies drop, FBI in town, some of Bart's friends keeping an eye on DuPrè's daughter and grandchildren. All kinds of fun to be had.
l have really enjoyed this series and the characters are fascinating.
A hated son comes back to run the family ranch after his parents die in a suspicious "accident", soon finds himself murdered. His associates seem to think DuPrè responsible.
Several bodies drop, FBI in town, some of Bart's friends keeping an eye on DuPrè's daughter and grandchildren. All kinds of fun to be had.
l have really enjoyed this series and the characters are fascinating.
August 5, 2023
If I had to describe this book in one word it would be "eccentric". Even for this unconventional series this book is offbeat. The writing and dialogue is unique, and being my 6th straight Gabriel Du Pre book, I'd have to say very entertaining. There is not really a mystery, especially after the midpoint. The climax is below expectations. That said, the characters are enhanced and probably the best of this series and really leave you wanting more. The strengths outweigh the weaknesses so I'll give it 4 stars, but if you're like me, you'll be shaking your head a lot.
November 12, 2023
Absolutely great Western mystery set in modern times. The main character is Métis, so this book may be confusing for those who aren’t Native or have a deep understanding of Native beliefs, culture, language, and traditions.
April 5, 2021
4, 4.5 or 5 - HoF Contender
Two old ranchers die on vacation. Their evil son Larry comes up to take over. The whole family line is evil, going back over a hundred years. He's there to make drugs, not to ranch.
A young man shows up at another prosperous ranch, and Larry is soon found dead. His associates take over, and they suspect Du Pre.
The FBI wants a piece of the associates, and they want a piece of Du Pre. Except they keep ending up dead.
Larry's ancestor betrayed a native woman who was his wife before he found a white one, and she though swore revenge, it just took a few generations.
One of my favorite books. I don't know how Bowen packs so much power into so little space. These aesthetics must only be possible by someone who lives them, as the author does. I got emotional several times through the second half. Though his books have a tendency to flatline partway through, this sometimes leads to a deeper sense of realism. When you don't follow conventional structure and just let the piece sing, sometimes it comes through as beautifully as it did here.
Two old ranchers die on vacation. Their evil son Larry comes up to take over. The whole family line is evil, going back over a hundred years. He's there to make drugs, not to ranch.
A young man shows up at another prosperous ranch, and Larry is soon found dead. His associates take over, and they suspect Du Pre.
The FBI wants a piece of the associates, and they want a piece of Du Pre. Except they keep ending up dead.
Larry's ancestor betrayed a native woman who was his wife before he found a white one, and she though swore revenge, it just took a few generations.
One of my favorite books. I don't know how Bowen packs so much power into so little space. These aesthetics must only be possible by someone who lives them, as the author does. I got emotional several times through the second half. Though his books have a tendency to flatline partway through, this sometimes leads to a deeper sense of realism. When you don't follow conventional structure and just let the piece sing, sometimes it comes through as beautifully as it did here.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 2, 2018
Bowen started to really find his pace with this novel. The only thing really lacking is a music mix.
Wondering how much Bowen's writing about the Metis is appropriation, how much is knowledge, I found this: He’s learned about the Métis in various ways.
“I’ve spent a lot of time among them, going to powwows. I’m considered an outsider there—I’m a blond, blue-eyed white boy—so I’ve also spent a lot of time sitting in bars listening to people talk.” Bowen doesn’t always just listen. “I’ve had to crawl out my share of bathroom windows to avoid a fight,” he admits.
Wondering how much Bowen's writing about the Metis is appropriation, how much is knowledge, I found this: He’s learned about the Métis in various ways.
“I’ve spent a lot of time among them, going to powwows. I’m considered an outsider there—I’m a blond, blue-eyed white boy—so I’ve also spent a lot of time sitting in bars listening to people talk.” Bowen doesn’t always just listen. “I’ve had to crawl out my share of bathroom windows to avoid a fight,” he admits.
August 14, 2022
Another excellent entry in the Du Pre series (#7). It had been a long time since I read the previous one (2015), but I immediately fell back into the special world of the Metis as brought to life by the late Peter Bowen. In this one, Du Pre is called in to assist in investigating a family of long-time suspected criminals in his area. The FBI and other law authorities have been trying to get enough evidence to arrest these people but without luck, so in steps Du Pre and his friends who often operate a bit outside the law when necessary. The book is enhanced by many local touches of Metis culture, particularly their music and ethos. The consistent use of Metis speech patterns also enhances the feel of the culture and the principle characters.
July 5, 2024
I love your style, Peter Bowen. Your stories bring up so many memories of my childhood. My Dad was a plain talker, too. Our nearest neighbor was 12.5 miles away. Your mysteries are so captivating and the solutions are never too obvious until the last. Every character in your books have full-blown personalities. Thank you.
January 28, 2019
Amazing Series
This is the sixth book in the series and Gabriel finds himself neck-deep in affairs that took place over one hundred years ago. The snippets of life in Montana as seen through Gabriel's are priceless. This is a great series and I can hardly wait to read the rest.
This is the sixth book in the series and Gabriel finds himself neck-deep in affairs that took place over one hundred years ago. The snippets of life in Montana as seen through Gabriel's are priceless. This is a great series and I can hardly wait to read the rest.
June 16, 2020
In the Wolf Mountains of Toussaint, Montana, old family secrets, forgotten for more than a hundred years, come to light when the surviving son of the oldest ranching family decides to auction off the cattle herd.
September 1, 2020
This is the second book I have read of the Gabriel Du Pre Montana Mysteries. I found this book very entertaining. Peter Bowen creates characters who are well developed and relatable. The speech style is unique and interesting. I certainly will be reading more of his books in the future.
September 6, 2022
These really do grow on you. Bowen picks a topic of relevance to rural Montana (which certainly is even more rural than the RFD areas I'm used to) - self-administered justice, dinosaur digs, runaways - and sets his character Gabriel Du Pre to work on it. This time around, drugs.
December 6, 2017
I liked it.
October 15, 2020
I like this series. Good story!
January 25, 2021
I am suspicious of the functionality of what the bad guys are doing.
But love the local color, warmth, eccentricity of Bowen's mysteries.
But love the local color, warmth, eccentricity of Bowen's mysteries.
June 16, 2022
This was a very good novel in the series. I find the use of dialect a bit overdone however.
August 4, 2025
4 I enjoyed the story which is far more than just a mystery novel. The characters are evolving and now like old friends.
November 10, 2014
,Long Son by Peter Bowen
Another entertaining story about Gabriel Du Pre. I enjoy the stories and their relationship to the story characters. There is history regarding the storyline with Du Pre's ancestry and it is woven into the solving of the mystery. I also enjoy the "salty" language that is or was part of the culture of that time. If you are a fan of The Montana Mystery series by Peter Bowen, you will buy this book. Enjoy.
Another entertaining story about Gabriel Du Pre. I enjoy the stories and their relationship to the story characters. There is history regarding the storyline with Du Pre's ancestry and it is woven into the solving of the mystery. I also enjoy the "salty" language that is or was part of the culture of that time. If you are a fan of The Montana Mystery series by Peter Bowen, you will buy this book. Enjoy.
February 9, 2016
This was a good read in this series. I like the way the author writes but I wish that he did not veer into cultural appropriation as much as he does. It's fine to admire a different culture without attempting to become a person from that culture. The spelling errors were also obvious so I wan't clear if that was the author or the editor's failure to correct. Still the story was enjoyable overall.
October 2, 2012
The son of mysteriously-deceased ranchers reappears and sells off all of the cattle to raise horses. Gabriel Du Pre is suspicious. Soon, he is contacted by his FBI friend Harvey to investigate what is going on. The story unfolds with mystery, history, treachery, and the echo of an old song.
July 22, 2013
Gabriel smells something fishy about this case last read several years ago. As I age some stories just seem far richer than I originally thought. This is one of them...about revenge served not just cold but frozen in age and pain.
May 27, 2009
This is my second reading. I do love these stories. Pret damn good!
Want to Read
April 13, 2010F 813.54 BOW
March 31, 2011
Bardache, son of Genevette avenged
December 27, 2015
Really enjoy Du Pre, great character.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews