Excerpt

“The two men had circled the corral and were in the forest beyond the garden, Baker stumbling over the rocky ground as it sloped upward, Charles behind him, rifle pointing at Baker’s back. As they disappeared into the trees, Gregoria heard a blast from the gun, then another.”

Setting

It’s 1867 in New Mexico Territory. A log cabin huddles at the base of a lonely mountain pass east of Taos. Travelers who stop to rest and eat here should be careful how they look at the teenager who serves their food.

Characters and Conflict

Her husband, Charles Kennedy, is subject to jealous rages. At least, he says that’s why he kills and then robs the unwary. And then a baby is born. How can she raise a child in such circumstances?

Plot and Themes

When Gregoria finally gets up the courage to go for help, she discovers that frontier justice can be as ugly as the actions it seeks to punish. This historical novel is based on the true story of the 1860s New Mexico Territory teenager who was married to serial killer Charles Kennedy.

Includes Readers Guide.