Caprice

by George Bowering

It's the mid 1890s in Kamloops, British Columbia. Two men argue over a bottle of whisky and in the struggle Frank Spencer, an American outlaw–turned–farmhand, kills Pete Foster, a French–Canadian and fellow farmhand.

Enter a vision and a brain. Almost six feet tall, with flaming red hair and long legs, and toting a lethal bullwhip, she sets out to avenge her brother's murder. Travelling with her beloved black Spanish stallion, Caprice trails her brother's murderer to Mexico and back. Determined and headstrong as she is smart, she leaves an impression on the people she encounters in her Gert, the whore with a heart of gold; Gert's son, for whom she provides affirmation, and not the least Frank Smith, her lover, a teacher and amateur baseball player who wants her to leave the law enforcement to the professionals and marry him.

Caprice finally comes face to face with her brother's murderer at Deadman's Falls.

First published in 1987 and based on actual events in BC's history, Caprice is a witty, adventurous and colourful recreation of a Canadian heroine's quest in avenging her brother's murder, a woman well ahead of her times, who refused to be pigeonholed into a stereotype, who questioned authority and did so with unflinching resolve.

Caprice > is a companion to Bowering's Burning Water and Shoot! , reissued by New Star in 2007 and 2008.

294 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 5, 2016

About the author

George Bowering was born and brought up in the Okanagan Valley, amid sand dunes and sagebrush, but he has lived in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, and Alberta — great sources of hockey stars. Along the way he has stopped to write several books on baseball. He has also picked up Governor General’s Awards for his poetry and fiction, and otherwise been rewarded with prizes for his books, except in his home province of British Columbia. His earlier ECW book, His Life, was a finalist for the Governor General’s Award for 2000. He lives in Vancouver.

Reviews

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Caprice is a well-educated poet from Quebec who lived a privileged life in Europe during the 1890’s. Her brother was murdered by an outlaw named Frank Spencer near Kamloops, British Columbia. She travels west with the intention of finding the murderer, Pete Foster, and avenging her brother’s death. Her height, erect posture, and red braids draw attention to her presence. She rides a magnificent black horse and carries a bull whip which she is very adept at using. Her boyfriend, Frank Smith, would like to get married but she is focused on revenge and seems to prefer the vagabond life. Two Indians observe the story’s proceedings as the older man relates wisdom to the younger man. At one point, he talks of how the native’s land and way of life is shrinking as the white man moves into the BC hinterland. (p. 108 – 116). This book was written in 1987. It is interesting to note how different the language and writing would have been if this story had been written today in 2021.

[Degan Walters · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve had this book since I was a pre-teen and have read it probably dozens of times. I loved the BC landscape infused with the strong, exotic female lead and her horse. It would be great to have at a cabin maybe but otherwise isn’t keeping up with that I’m reading these days.

[Georgia Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book I bought at a tiny bookstore in rainy Vancouver and I feel as if maybe 100 people have read it. A simple cowboy western from the 80’s, Ioved the main character and actually laughed a few times. Overall enjoyable.

[Zvonimir · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had to read this for my college class and I liked it.