First published 1973
Buster Hogue has made enemies across Midbury, Montana. The cattle baron lets his stock wander onto neighboring land and steps on toes wherever he goes. But disputes usually settle peacefully in this rough country until someone puts a bullet in Buster's head at a town picnic. The moonlight was bright enough for target practice, yet no one saw the shooter or spotted the muzzle flash. Sheriff Chick Charleston faces his first attempted murder case with plenty of suspects but no solid evidence. His unlikely partner is Jason Beard, a seventeen-year-old baseball pitcher eager to help solve the crime. Charleston uses every bit of wit and intuition he can muster to track the sniper through Midbury's web of grudges and secrets. The investigation builds toward a final confrontation that will transform both the sheriff and his young sidekick forever. This is a story about impossible crimes and the clever minds that crack them.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective, action
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-allies, unlikely-partners
Setting: Midbury, Montana
Period: 20th-century
322 pages · Hardcover · G. K. Hall