Geronimo Must Die by J.R. Lindermuth



Boys of my generation grew up playing cowboys and Indians. Our attraction to the Wild West was reinforced by books, magazines, radio shows (TV came later; I was in high school when my family got our first set) and Saturday matinees.

If such things can be an influence--and I believe they are--I might add I grew up (and now live again) in a house built by a man who rode with Buffalo Bill Cody, my mother said she read a lot of Pulp Westerns while carrying me, and my own early reading included a good dose of Zane Grey, Emerson Hough, Vardis Fisher and similar writers.

My preference in our games was always to portray the Indian, though I knew that fated me to generally be the loser.

I've always had an affinity for the Indian, which was nourished by spring hunts for arrowheads and other artifacts, reading and studying about their ways and culture. I consider the cruel and degrading reservation system one of the major blots on the history of our nation.

Another of my primary interests is the writing of mysteries and historical fiction. So it wasn't unusual for me to combine these elements in one story.

Mickey Free, my protagonist, is based on a real, enigmatic man. His mother was Mexican but his paternity is less certain. As a boy, he was kidnapped and adopted by the Apache. Later he became a scout and translator for the Army and assisted in the final capture of Geronimo (another intriguing person). My story is mostly fiction, though I've tried to be true to these two main characters and the culture of the people. Here's the blurb for the book:

Geronimo and rascally half-breed Indian scout Mickey Free have never been friends.

Yet, Mickey has already saved Geronimo's life twice (without acknowledgement) and is the only one who can keep the great Apache leader out of the sniper's sights now. The sniper has already murdered several tribal leaders and Mickey believes it's all a plot to prompt a great runaway from the hated San Carlos reservation.

Mickey's efforts are stymied by Al Sieber, head of scouts, and John Clum, reservation agent, as well as suspicion of other Indians. Adding to his problems, Mickey is in love with a girl whose name he keeps forgetting to ask and who may be allied to the plot.

Only perseverance, risk to his life and, eventually, Geronimo's help will enable Mickey to resolve this dangerous situation.


Bio: A retired newspaper editor, J. R. Lindermuth lives and writes in a house built by a man who rode with Buffalo Bill Cody. He has published 16 novels and a non-fiction regional history. His short stories and articles have been published in a variety of magazines. He is a member of International Thriller Writers and is a past vice president of the Short Mystery Fiction Society.

Links:

In addition to Sundown Press http://sundownpress.com/ and Amazon, his books are also available from
Barnes & Noble and other fine bookstores.




Comments

John,
Some of us "girls" grew up playing Cowboys and Indians too. LOL
Loved the book!
jrlindermuth said…
Hah. Love that, Pat. My sister always wanted to play, too.
Cheryl Pierson said…
LOL! I agree Patricia! I had a set of those plastic cowboys, Indians, fences, horses, etc. And my cap guns and Annie Oakley outfit. Wish I had those guns now! LOL

I loved this book--so realistic and talk about being pulled right into the story, all the way through. I'm looking forward to your next release from Sundown Press, coming in a few months! Congratulations on GERONIMO MUST DIE--an excellent tale!
jrlindermuth said…
Thanks, Cheryl. I hope we can find many readers who agree about Geronimo Must Die.
Marja said…
We played both Cowboys & Indians, and because of the times, we also played Army. I always ended up being the nurse. LOL I just ordered the book and can't wait to get started on it.
Amy M. Reade said…
Great post, John. I'm looking forward to reading Geronimo Must Die and settling down for another wonderful read from you.
jrlindermuth said…
I guess I lived in an insular world, Marja. I didn't realize how many girls played cowboys and Indians. Thanks for commenting.
jrlindermuth said…
Thanks, Amy. Appreciate the support.

Popular posts from this blog

Need to Catch Up With My Blog Tour?

Meet Morgen Bailey from the UK

The Alvarez Family Murder Mysteries By Heather Haven