Thin Moon and Cold Mist

Women of the West

by Kathleen O'Neal Gear

A spy for the Confederacy during the war, Robin Walkingstick Heatherton, daughter of a Virginia military family, struggles to build a life for herself and her son in the Colorado Territory. By the coauthor of People of the Lakes.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Civil War, Fiction, Historical

380 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

My professional life began in the dark basement of the Museum of Cultural History in Los Angeles, where I was cataloguing three-hundred-year-old Guatemalan saint carvings. I quit this fascinating job and moved to Wyoming to work for the U.S. Department of the Interior as a historian and archaeologist. When I finally understood the error of my ways I moved to Wyoming and started writing books. Since then, I've authored or co-authored 54 novels and around 200 non-fiction publications.

I love writing. And buffalo. And hiking the wilds of Wyoming's backcountry.

I'm married (until he comes to his senses) to W. Michael Gear, the novelist and my co-author, and we live at the edge of the Wind River Indian Reservation in the Owl Creek mountains of Wyoming. We're contented watching buffalo and writing books.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/kathle...

Reviews

[Deb Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took me a little while to get into and I couldn't keep the characters and their stories straight at first. But then I got hooked and couldn't put it down.

[Christine Irvin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical fiction about a black female Confederate spy and how she survived during the war and after it. The tale encompasses the issues of succession, treason, slavery, prejudice and some much more, told from the points of view of several different characters.

[Bill Oehler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting Concept

An extremely interesting book, which will require more examination of fact. Well written story with all kinds of twists and turns.

[Brian Carrigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very entertaining

[Trevah Dalrymple · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing Novel

I have to confess I thought this started a little slow, but once the story grabbed me, I couldn’t put it down!

[Rosanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had a hard time getting into the book but better once Robin gets to Colorado.

[Sharon A. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got 100 pages into this book but just wasn’t enjoying it like I should.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thin Moon and Cold Mist (Paperback)
by Kathleen O'Neal Gear
Intriguing note of interest: Thin moon Cold Mist has an introduction that shows the achievements of women of the west, from Colorado, Wyoming, California... etc... Pretty cool start no pun intended. .
This is a remarkable story that opens the readers eyes to the history expressed in a way I never would have expected. As a lover of history I would have to say in the battle of the states, between north and south my sympathy has favored the north greatly. Kathleen in this book has shown me the other side of the penny. The groves and scratches that make the picture complete on both sides of the story. One thing I step away from this book with is, that no matter what side a person fights for it is their belief that makes their effort heroic. Believing in your ideals and fighting for your ideals wither wrong or right, makes all the difference. I have come to love Robin (rose) throughout the story and sympathize with a Rebel spy and Liaison, she is a dynamic complex character that makes you even root for the south, because she had her own reasons for fighting, and she fought with honor. Garrison is a great love interest and an interesting character on his own. Thomas Corley is a villain whom you are happy to see leave the story in a dramatic way, even if he is a northern Officer... a great read, with remarkable information about the struggles of women, and men during the civil war, and after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. If you are a history buff like me, look at the other side of the penny with Kathleen in this revealing story.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thin Moon and Cold Mist (Paperback)
by Kathleen O'Neal Gear
Intriguing note of interest: Thin moon Cold Mist has an introduction that shows the achievements of women of the west, from Colorado, Wyoming, California... etc... Pretty cool start no pun intended. .
This is a remarkable story that opens the readers eyes to the history expressed in a way I never would have expected. As a lover of history I would have to say in the battle of the states, between north and south my sympathy has favored the north greatly. Kathleen in this book has shown me the other side of the penny. The groves and scratches that make the picture complete on both sides of the story. One thing I step away from this book with is, that no matter what side a person fights for it is their belief that makes their effort heroic. Believing in your ideals and fighting for your ideals wither wrong or right, makes all the difference. I have come to love Robin (rose) throughout the story and sympathize with a Rebel spy and Liaison, she is a dynamic complex character that makes you even root for the south, because she had her own reasons for fighting, and she fought with honor. Garrison is a great love interest and an interesting character on his own. Thomas Corley is a villain whom you are happy to see leave the story in a dramatic way, even if he is a northern Officer... a great read, with remarkable information about the struggles of women, and men during the civil war, and after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. If you are a history buff like me, look at the other side of the penny with Kathleen in this revealing story.

[Karen Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suspenseful and danger-filled adventure

Thin Moon and Cold Mist gave me a whole new perspective of the Civil War describing how the military used a few key women risking their lives in the heat of battle to penetrate enemy lines to deliver and seek out secret plans and objectives. This suspenseful and danger-filled adventure of Robin, reveals the bravery, hardship, and personal tragedies she faces as a mother and wife who risks everything for her government, only to find even more threatening peril in a life on the run after the war. Traditional history includes the tragic and gory details of how the men fought and bled for their cause, but usually mentions women’s roles as nursing or taking over civilian jobs, in absence of their men. The story is an eye-opening picture of how one woman’s special abilities and characteristics help her interact with powerful enemies and allies during the Civil War era, and her adaptability to survive a complete change of life in a new territory afterward. Robin is challenged with surviving the pursuit of personal enemies, staying one step ahead of possible court martial for war crimes, and struggling with her own self-resistance in accepting new romance.

[Kitty Sutton · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Gears are the best at what they do, which is writing about pre-history based on archeology, creating a plausible fictional story to help us to understand the facts and thus preserve our own Native American history. Kathleen and Michael have been my lamplight in becoming a Native American historical fiction writer. They alone are responsible for peeking my interest in our dim past and have provided a window to that time and place of which they write. If you desire to see the past of our unknown history of the Native tribes of North America, I advise you to make all of the Gear's books your first choice. You can do no better. Kitty Sutton

[Frieda Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thin Moon and Cold Mist

What can I say? This was written by Kathleen O'Neal Gear. It HAS to be good! She has been writing tremendous best selling novels for a long time and I don't expect anything less from her! This is a great Civil War historical novel with a twist! The protagonist is not the usual, prickly ex-soldier. No! But a beautiful woman who is known as a spy for the Confederacy! She only wants to escape with her son to freedom from her past. Of course she has an evil madman on her heels, bound and determined she never will! I could hardly put this down! Now I hate that I've finished it! I believe you will have the same difficulty if you give this a read!

[Laura Clark · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's putting me to sleep. I can only get through about three pages a night. I would have thrown it away by now, but my friend recommended it so I'm trying to slog through for her sake.

UPDATE: Never did finish the damn thing. Got insomnia? Try this book!

[Cws]

F Gea

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a really bad guy in this book, but I enjoyed it.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

good read

[Delilah Trenaman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not finish this book as I found it hard to get into. I did read quite a ways into it but got bored.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book!! Very interesting facts about the time period.

[Kaylee sherman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historic

Well written with information. It revealed about the civi
War and the fact t that women were as much a part of it as men and biys

[Kari Sioux · Rating 5 out of 5]

spellbinding

Love a well researched, excellent written book. Thus I cherished near every page of this. I have to highly recommend the author.