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Trail #6
Killdeer Trail
Thirteen people are dead from the savage poisoning of a church well at the zealous hands of a vengeful elderly woman. With warrants in hand for murder and flight to avoid prosecution, Ruben, Homer Poteet, and Marion Daniels take to the trail of Blanche Boggs. She has crossed the Mississippi River into the primitive wilds of southern Illinois to return to her old home place. Back among friends and family, Blanche knows she is safe. She isn’t. Nobody is on the Killdeer Trail.
179 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 14, 2015
59 people are currently reading
17 people want to read
About the author
David R. Lewis
30 books27 followersI am yet another embattled crusader in the writing wars. I live in the wilds of the Missouri outback with two cattledogs, a belligerent cat named Grizz, and my bride of 42 years, the coveted Laura. In my rather extended life I have been a musician, a metropolitan cop, a ranch hand and cowboy, and (shudder) a writer of radio and television commercial copy. Now before you run for the Pepto, let me say that there are some benefits to be had from such mundane labor. After a writer has ground through twenty to thirty thousand pieces of commercial copy, one of two things will happen. He will spend the last years of his life in Sunnydale Acres grinding his teeth and staring blankly at the sun, or he will have learned to write for Theatre of the Mind. In my case, some would claim the jury is still out but, since no nice young men in white coats have arrived at my dusty door sporting smiles and a jacket with extraordinarily long arms, I am free to keep the Theatre open . . . this time on my terms.
Even though I don’t care for bandwagons, I was browbeaten into writing two of my novels because I disliked the genres and trendiness from which they sprang. Oddly enough, they are two of my favorites. They are significantly different than others of their breed because I am a grown-up, and I write for grown-ups.
My novels are character-driven because life is character driven. As we move through the years, snippets of plots rocket by, but very few ever pan out. Characters, however, stay with us through thick and thin, rich with remembered dialogue and situation, four dimensional on the big screen in our Theatre of the Mind.
As a writer for grown-ups, my function is entertainment. Because I am a grown-up I indulge myself and write what entertains me: rich characters, tight dialogue, and uncomplicated storylines. Check out my website at www.ironbear-ebooks.com. Or, if you’d just want to jaw here for a while, great! Grizz won’t like it, but he’s just a cat.
Even though I don’t care for bandwagons, I was browbeaten into writing two of my novels because I disliked the genres and trendiness from which they sprang. Oddly enough, they are two of my favorites. They are significantly different than others of their breed because I am a grown-up, and I write for grown-ups.
My novels are character-driven because life is character driven. As we move through the years, snippets of plots rocket by, but very few ever pan out. Characters, however, stay with us through thick and thin, rich with remembered dialogue and situation, four dimensional on the big screen in our Theatre of the Mind.
As a writer for grown-ups, my function is entertainment. Because I am a grown-up I indulge myself and write what entertains me: rich characters, tight dialogue, and uncomplicated storylines. Check out my website at www.ironbear-ebooks.com. Or, if you’d just want to jaw here for a while, great! Grizz won’t like it, but he’s just a cat.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 25, 2023
My addiction to this series is a guilty pleasure. Rube is back on the trail to help Marion go after a crazed, vengeful woman who has taken refuge in the back hills, where strangers are not only, not welcome, but usually don't make it out alive. Love these characters and the Authors narration. Series should be started at the beginning.
August 30, 2018
Another great installment of the trail series.
This one is a slightly different. There is a need to go after someone but mostly this one gives more day to day glimpses to life on the trail. We get a little more of Little Bill and Miss Harmony and the town of Deer Run. We have more interesting characters through out the book. In all walks of life.
These are great books. I am listening to them and they are read by the author who does a fantastic job
This one is a slightly different. There is a need to go after someone but mostly this one gives more day to day glimpses to life on the trail. We get a little more of Little Bill and Miss Harmony and the town of Deer Run. We have more interesting characters through out the book. In all walks of life.
These are great books. I am listening to them and they are read by the author who does a fantastic job
September 27, 2015
This is my first book written by David R. Lewis. This book was published in June 2015. Most of the westerns I have read recently have been published in the 1930s to 1940s. It is great to see current writers venture into this genre. What triggered me to read the book was the comment about the wilds of Southern Illinois. I was curious as to what the wilderness would be like.
Our Heroes U.S. Marshals Ruben Beeler, Homer Poteet and Marion Daniels are on the trail of Beulah Boggs. She poisoned a well at a church and thirteen people died. Apparently Boggs was after vengeance. Boggs crossed the Mississippi river into the wilds of Southern Illinois where she has family and friends at their old home. The author mentions the City of Alton, Illinois and the Union POW prison where thousands died of small pox during the Civil War. Lewis also mentioned there are ghost stories in the area. I looked this up to see if it was true and it was. I wished I had known about the Civil War monument to the prison when I visited the area last year. I enjoy finding true facts in fiction stories; these days it is so easy to quickly verify facts. Before the 1980s I had to keep a list until I could get to the library and without the reference librarian to help me it was difficult to find the information. I think this hunt for true facts is half my fun in reading fiction.
The story is character driven so we have a great time getting to know Ruben, Homer and Marion and Mrs. Boggs. The book is well written, fast paced, lots of action and some suspense. I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The author narrated his own book. I will look for more books by this author.
Our Heroes U.S. Marshals Ruben Beeler, Homer Poteet and Marion Daniels are on the trail of Beulah Boggs. She poisoned a well at a church and thirteen people died. Apparently Boggs was after vengeance. Boggs crossed the Mississippi river into the wilds of Southern Illinois where she has family and friends at their old home. The author mentions the City of Alton, Illinois and the Union POW prison where thousands died of small pox during the Civil War. Lewis also mentioned there are ghost stories in the area. I looked this up to see if it was true and it was. I wished I had known about the Civil War monument to the prison when I visited the area last year. I enjoy finding true facts in fiction stories; these days it is so easy to quickly verify facts. Before the 1980s I had to keep a list until I could get to the library and without the reference librarian to help me it was difficult to find the information. I think this hunt for true facts is half my fun in reading fiction.
The story is character driven so we have a great time getting to know Ruben, Homer and Marion and Mrs. Boggs. The book is well written, fast paced, lots of action and some suspense. I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The author narrated his own book. I will look for more books by this author.
June 23, 2018
A crazy old woman's poisoned a church well, killing 13 people because her son died in the church after the rattlesnake he was loving on bit him. The woman then flees across state lines to avoid capture, which puts Rube, Homer, and Marion on her trail.
Everything I've said about David. R. Lewis's Trail series previously holds true for this book. It's fast paced, full of action, loaded with humor that doesn't detract from what the story's really about, and the audio really brings the characters to life.
One thing that got me to thinking during this reading was how these fellas are the most regular bunch of guys I've ever known of. They're no sooner out of their bedrolls than they're taking their therapeutic papers and going off to "the convenience." You can set your watch to the regularity of these guys' poop.
I'm enjoying the opening of these books, where we get to see how life in Deer Run has changed, how Little Bill is growing, etc. I'm starting to get a little concerned that Ruben's referring to a lot of people and animals and things in past tense, though.
My only complaint about this book is that Lewis has only written one more in the series so far, and I've already started it. I hope Rube and his friends have many, many more adventures on the trail before this series ends.
SPOILER ALERT
This is the first time the guys have trailed somebody they've actually arrested instead of just killing. Not that there aren't plenty of other bad folks that need shooting and get it. Also, Lewis introduces another very interesting and fun character, only to have him gunned down. It just isn't healthy to be Ruben's friend.
Everything I've said about David. R. Lewis's Trail series previously holds true for this book. It's fast paced, full of action, loaded with humor that doesn't detract from what the story's really about, and the audio really brings the characters to life.
One thing that got me to thinking during this reading was how these fellas are the most regular bunch of guys I've ever known of. They're no sooner out of their bedrolls than they're taking their therapeutic papers and going off to "the convenience." You can set your watch to the regularity of these guys' poop.
I'm enjoying the opening of these books, where we get to see how life in Deer Run has changed, how Little Bill is growing, etc. I'm starting to get a little concerned that Ruben's referring to a lot of people and animals and things in past tense, though.
My only complaint about this book is that Lewis has only written one more in the series so far, and I've already started it. I hope Rube and his friends have many, many more adventures on the trail before this series ends.
SPOILER ALERT
This is the first time the guys have trailed somebody they've actually arrested instead of just killing. Not that there aren't plenty of other bad folks that need shooting and get it. Also, Lewis introduces another very interesting and fun character, only to have him gunned down. It just isn't healthy to be Ruben's friend.
October 17, 2022
A damn good tale!
There is something about David Lewis' writing that is gripping and holds your attention. I grew up with people who spoke the same language as Rueben, Marion and Homer and their tales ring true. These characters come alive before your eyes and their character reaches out to heights most readers wish to attain. They come across as quite human and somehow superhuman as well. I loved every minute of this series so far and I am sure the remainder will be equally compelling.
There is something about David Lewis' writing that is gripping and holds your attention. I grew up with people who spoke the same language as Rueben, Marion and Homer and their tales ring true. These characters come alive before your eyes and their character reaches out to heights most readers wish to attain. They come across as quite human and somehow superhuman as well. I loved every minute of this series so far and I am sure the remainder will be equally compelling.
September 26, 2020
Another Victory for Ruben and Willie
The dialogue in this book is fantastic! But this was the first of the 6 books I've read so far that was missing something. There wasn't much character development for the criminals this time, and I felt the book suffered a little due to that. You heard the story of the bad deeds, but you didn't experience them. It's hard to feel good about the victory over evil when you don't feel the evil.
The dialogue in this book is fantastic! But this was the first of the 6 books I've read so far that was missing something. There wasn't much character development for the criminals this time, and I felt the book suffered a little due to that. You heard the story of the bad deeds, but you didn't experience them. It's hard to feel good about the victory over evil when you don't feel the evil.
December 22, 2020
Another good one with many of the things Lewis goes back to and a couple actual new twists. Rube kills some bad guys and horses and almost gets killed himself. Long recovery and self examination. His Marshall buds keep him grounded and his family centers him. And Gayetty Theraputic Papers made their appearance as usual. For such a ‘hard’ guy he sure gets teary fairly often.
November 19, 2017
A great adventure
This book was so funny. The adventure in it was amazing the trails we took and the people we met. Didn't want it to end. If you love a great series, this is the one. Feels like you are riding with the Marshals.
This book was so funny. The adventure in it was amazing the trails we took and the people we met. Didn't want it to end. If you love a great series, this is the one. Feels like you are riding with the Marshals.
December 19, 2017
Another Ruben Beeler adventure. Fun to read.
March 26, 2021
Loved this gem of a book. Don’t miss the audiobook version to hear more adventures.
July 11, 2021
Truly great books
Love his series, its so full of warmth and companionship. The 3 main characters are great and their interactions so full of life.
Love his series, its so full of warmth and companionship. The 3 main characters are great and their interactions so full of life.
July 20, 2022
Another really good listen!
Read
December 12, 2023fun book
March 3, 2017
A very good and entertaining novel. I enjoyed reading this novel and recommend it to everyone.
February 21, 2017
Oh Ruben...
January 31, 2016
Another Trail
Once again Ruben is called to duty with his fellow Marshals. This time the wanted criminal is a woman accused of poisoning 13 people.
Once again Ruben is called to duty with his fellow Marshals. This time the wanted criminal is a woman accused of poisoning 13 people.
May 7, 2016
Killdeer Trail
I have so enjoyed this book. I love the sense of humor the author has given the Marshall's. I am about to start book 7,Cutthroat Trail.
I have so enjoyed this book. I love the sense of humor the author has given the Marshall's. I am about to start book 7,Cutthroat Trail.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews