Silver Lies, by Ann Parker

(1590580729)
Yes, all you catalogers will recognize this as an "off" ISBN, i.e., not a big press-- Poisoned Pen. A name to keep in mind...

Because, this is a damn good book. I hope she keeps writing. It is set in Leadville in 1879, just as silver has begun to pour out of the ground. The main character is 1/3 owner (along with her missing husband and a friend, who happens to be a black man) of a bar and "gaming establishment." It really is a murder mystery, but the setting is pretty major (to me) as well.

I know I've been in Leadville, I'm sure we've eaten there on the way over the mountains, but I have no strong memory of it. Unlike 'old' Central City and Black Hawk, which I refuse to go back to until they close the casinos.

Whoops. The beauty of this book is that the characters are all solid and believable people, and the historical research has obviously been done. Inez, the main character, is far from perfect, even by less stringest 21st century standards, and her choices are sometimes pretty off-kilter. Harry, the obvious "bad guy" throughout the book, isn't as bad as she thinks--although he's pretty much a low-life greedy scoundrel MCpig (man of his time, Cat) with an eye toward politics. But he's not (exactly) a murderer. Someone else is. Definitely.

Then there's Inez' relationship with Abe--her remaining business partner--and the whereabouts of her missing husband (dead? or maybe not?).... What a nice change to not have everything tidily boxed up and polished off at the end.

Of course I'd like to see more of these folks, but actually if she just populated the city of Leadville (a la Jan Karon) and focused on someone beside Inez, I'd be as happy too.

Keep an eye out for more by her.