Putney's War: Battle at Crying Rock

by D. Preston Davidson

The Hill Country of Texas in 1870 was a dangerous place. Outlaws and bandits roamed the countryside, ready to set upon unwary travelers. Settlers on the edge of civilization lived in constant fear of marauding Comanches, Kiowas and other tribes of hostile Indians. Texas had just come out from under Reconstruction, but some Confederate veterans still held grudges against freedman, carpetbaggers and scalawags. In addition, corrupt officials inhabited some of the frontier towns.When freebooters ride roughshod in the belligerent land, bold men are needed to bring the outlaws to justice. One such man is Deputy U. S. Marshal Nahum Putney, dedicated to tracking down those that terrorize the frontier. Putney comes to Llano hunting a murderer, but brigands and an amoral sheriff accuse Putney, himself, of murder in a reversal of circumstances. If Putney stands, he brings danger to the people of Llano, so he must run. But he will only run so far. If the outlaws want a battle, they will find it when they come to Crying Rock.

Kindle Edition

Published July 31, 2021

Reviews

[Raymond Casillas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first western themed novel read, and I couldn't be more pleased! Nahum Putney, the MC, is a beautifully, down-to-earth, well crafted character.
Love the detailed settings and the multicultured character's interaction. The story is handled splendidly, not taking long to develope as some books do. It just keeps getting more interesting as I keep reading!
If you're searching for a good page-turner western, the marshall Nahum Putney's series is what you're looking for. Excellent read!

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a fan of the western novel. My favorite is Louis L’amour but that is only because I haven’t found anything matching him. Well now I have. D. Preston Davidson’s novel is like stepping back in time. The characters are well developed and nuanced at a time in history when there was a lot of “grey areas” on the frontier. People that had honor and goodness at their core but having to make challenging choices just to survive. The main character is someone that you want to succeed but the path to getting there is challenging for him as well as the reader. The supporting characters are well developed as well but do not ever take on more importance than Deputy US Marshall Nahum Putney. I will be impatiently awaiting the next book in this series and I have expectations it will be even better!

[Mel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I will admit that it's not the best-written book I've ever read. I noticed not only many errors in grammar, word choice, etc., but also sections that just appeared to be missing, or continuity errors. But there was a lot of action, and I did really enjoy reading a historical fiction that takes place in the area where I grew up. Ultimately it was fun!