Bitterroot (Hardcover)

Billy Bob Holland is taken temporarily away from his normal haunts in Deaf Smith, Texas to the apparently tranquil, rural setting of Montana, near Missoula. His friend, Doc Voss, has given Billy Bob an invitation for a visit of indefinite length. Packing up his fishing gear, he hopes that ghosts don't cross state lines. But they do. However, the spirit of his old Texas Ranger partner, L.Q. Navarro, isn't present as often here as in the other Billy Bob Holland novels, and mainly plays the role of clue giver. Once there, Billy Bob finds that Doc Voss has everyone in an uproar. Voss is challenging the gold miners for dumping arsenic into the land. He takes on the local militia. Voss also runs afoul of those who just want to keep things peaceful.

Matters are soon complicated by the arrival of a nemesis for Billy Bob, Wyatt Dixon, who has just been released from county jail in Texas. Dixon left behind a drawing of a wheelbarrow full of severed heads . . . one of which belonged to Billy Bob. "I don't know him, Sheriff," replies Billy Bob to the warning. Dixon is the brother of a client of Billy Bob's who smothered her children. Dixon blames Billy Bob for her early death while in prison. Dixon soon lets Billy Bob know that he is in jeopardy, as well as those he loves and cares about.

The rest of the slimy characters aren't nearly as interesting or dangerous as Dixon. They include members of a biker gang, the local militia types, celebrities, money launderers, and aggressive law enforcement officers.

Soon Temple Carroll, his investigative assistant, and Lucas, his son, arrive for a spot of vacation, and are drawn into the conflict. If you like Temple Carroll and Lucas from earlier novels, you will be pleased to see both of their characters developed further in Bitterroot.

As crimes and threats bandy about, the dangerous situation takes on the element of a classic mystery. Doc Voss becomes suspect number one for many of the crimes, and Billy Bob begins to represent him. However, Billy Bob draws more on his Texas Ranger experience than his legal skills. The resolution is an interesting one in which Billy Bob uses his understanding of the psychology of each villain to set them in conflict with one another.

Unlike Cimarron Rose, there is no brilliant courtroom drama in this book.

Billy Bob also comes to terms with some of his guilt, and starts to connect to other people in new ways.

Phrase crafting is the strength of the book. Mr. Burke continues to have a way with words that can turn even horror into beautiful prose. In the process, he transforms everything he imagines into something unique to share with you. Without the beautiful writing, this clunky plot and gratuitous ugliness would be at best a two star book.

After you read this book, ask yourself how many of your problems are created by yourself. In this book, Doc Voss clearly attracts lots of evil-doers by his own actions. How could Doc Voss have accomplished more and risked less? What are the lessons for your life?