Title: A Score to Settle
Author: Mike Torreano
Genre: Historical Western Fiction
Book Blurb:
Broken after his family is murdered, rancher Del Lawson signs on to a cattle drive along the Goodnight Loving trail in 1870. He is unaware he's still in danger. When he falls for a pretty Army nurse, the killers target her.
If he's to recover from his grief and build a new life, Del must set out on a gritty hunt for the men who are hunting him.
Meanwhile, Del's mother, Maybelle, doesn't know her son survived that murderous night. When she discovers the gold the killers are after, she uses the treasure in an elaborate masquerade to take the murderers down.
Will mother and son's plans reap justice-or destroy what's left of the Lawson clan?
My Review:
A treasure-trove of gold puts rancher Del Lawson and the woman he loves in danger but it’s a race against time for Del to get justice. All Del Lawson wants is time to grieve after his family is murdered so he joins a cattle drive. Thinking he’s out of danger, Del meets and falls in love with a beautiful nurse. The killers hunt him down yet again but this time, Del turns the tables and hunts them. He’ll stop at nothing to bring the butchers to justice, even if it costs him his life. There’s a cache of gold the killers are after. Can Del and his mother bring these men to justice or will the score to settle be the end of the Lawson line forever?
A Score to Settle is a classic historical western set in the 1870s. There are classic themes here which are well-presented with descriptive narration, gritty characters, and a historically accurate plot. Mike Torreano writes a compelling story with plenty of anguish. Every nuance is brilliantly detailed so the reader can escape into the rough landscape of the wild west. The plot moves at a good pace with tons of action scenes. My heart went out to poor Del time and again. While there were times when the plot was predictable, it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the story. I savored A Score to Settle and I look forward to reading more from Mike Torreano. If you’re a western reader, you’ll want to read A Score to Settle. If you’re looking to escape back into the old west, pick up A Score to Settle. Highly recommend!
My Rating: 5 stars
Buy it Now:
Amazon US https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HJ2WSTC
Amazon CA https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B08HJ2WSTC
Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08HJ2WSTC
Author Biography:
Mike Torreano has a military background and is a student of history and the American West.
He fell in love with Zane Grey's novels about the Painted Desert in the fifth grade, when his teacher made her students read a book and write a report every week.
He has two traditional western mysteries out, The Reckoning, and The Renewal. His latest western, A Score to Settle, will be released October, 2020.
Mike also has a short story, The Trade, set during the Yukon gold rush days and published in an anthology.
He's written for magazines and small newspapers. An experienced editor, he's taught University-level English and Journalism. He's a member of Pikes Peak Writers, The Historical Novel Society, Western Writers of America, and Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. He brings his readers back in time as he recreates American life in the mid-to-late 19th century.
He lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado with his wife, Anne.
Social Media Links:
Website https://miketorreano.com/
Twitter @miketorreano
Reviewed by: Mrs. N