Flow Like a River by Mark Guillerman
Synopsis:
A bloody feud, brewing for seventy-five years, finally comes to its explosive end.
A wily Texas sheriff and a mythical Indian Chief are all that stands between the good people of a hill country community and a ruthless sociopathic killer and his gang.
William (aka the Prince) Laveaux leads his gang to Gary, Texas–a sleepy hill country town on the banks of the Guadalupe River–to exact a brutal revenge on Chief Running Wolf and his grandson Billy Cross. Wise-cracking Sheriff Bud Thomas (a former Rough Rider and Texas Ranger) overhears the son of the town doctor telling of his chance encounter with the Prince on the morning of his arrival at the town’s train station.
Following his gut instincts, the sheriff leads his deputies on a frantic manhunt for the gang as they weave a trail of murder and arson throughout the farming community.
On its surface, this novel pits the working class folk of a small Texas town against a ruthless gang boss intent on avenging the death of his grandfather. At its core, it’s a novel about the spirituality of the people and of the Native American culture that pre-dated their time in the land of the Sacred River.
Flow Like a River by Mark Guillerman is a fascinating 5 star read! The author’s suspenseful framing of the story in the prologue provides a meaningful reference point throughout the novel. You’ll be taken on a historical adventure tracing family ties from generations past – and learn the legend of the Chanas tribe’s four brothers.
You’ll be taken on the journey of Brenna Cross, her son Billy, and his grandfather, Running Wolf, the last of the pure bloodline of Chief Grey Wolf. An unusual motley crew thrown together by circumstances and family ties returns Running Wolf from Oklahoma to his tribe’s sacred ground in Gary Texas.
How it began? Brenna received a letter after her husband’s death in the big war from the owner of Bingham’s Country Store in Gary. His promise of a job was the catalyst for the family’s move from Ireland, to finding her husband’s father, Running Wolf, then crossing the rough terrain to meet him and accept his offer.
They settled in the cabin provided by Mr. Bingham with Running Wolf making his camp near a small stream a short walk from Brenna and Billy’s cabin. Billy made friends, attended school and worked at the general store. Things were looking good for the family until the prince, William Laveaux IV, of the Laveaux crime family came to town to avenge his great-grandfather’s murder at the hands of Silent Wolf, of the Chanas tribe.
Having been told the family’s story by his grandmother, he promised vengeance on the descendants of the Chanas tribe. His mother went from high society prominence to a poor outcast from the community. She’d died from drinking herself to death. He vowed the Laveaux name would again be feared and become the leading crime family.
Reading the newspaper story about the Ghost Rider Sighting in Central Texas, south of Goliad, he knew the spirit of the warrior and the white mustang horse was Chief Running Wolf of the Chanas Tribe although the sheriff, Buddy Thomas, denied the claim. He sent his brother Cory and Buck Tills the strongman, and the Peret brothers, along with Bobby Styles and Dalilah Morgan ahead to Gary, to set things in motion. He then booked his train passage along with the cargo marked Crescent Moon Trading Company to carry out his revenge.
With a showdown and dramatic conclusion, in the captivating story of Flow Like A River, author Mark Guillerman’s words “flow like a river” smooth and unobstructed from the pages to the readers mind. A dynamic deliverance of a multi-generational historical adventure. Highly recommended by Artisan Book Reviews.
Reviewed by C J Bowen for Artisan Book Reviews
Reviewed by C J Bowen for Artisan Book Reviews
Don’t miss this exceptional read! Purchase Flow Like A River by Mark Guillerman today!
