New Release — Blood and Gold: The Legend of Joaquin Murrieta by Jeffrey J. Mariotte and Peter Murrieta

 

Gold Camps of California—1850s

 

When Joaquin Murrieta’s older brother and cousin head for the riches of the California gold fields, he cannot resist the restless desire to follow. In a bold move, he convinces Rosita, the young woman he loves, to run away with him under cover of darkness. They follow the irresistible lure of the future they might grasp for their own in America, the land of dreams.

 

Instead, they face deep prejudice and explosive violence that leads to unspeakable tragedy, and forces Joaquin to set his sights on being a leader of men—becoming a legend, in the process. To make a place for himself and his people, he strikes back at the whites and the devastating, perpetual hatred they feel toward the Mexicans. Determined not to fail, to carve out a place in this vast land for himself and his followers, Joaquin Murrieta fights back with a stubborn will that is sure to win all…

 

But can he succeed? With his band of outlaws—and then, an army of patriots—he is determined to drive the Americans from the land that had so recently belonged to his beloved Mexico. It seems an almost unattainable achievement to some, but Joaquin cannot consider failure in this obsession.

 

With Joaquin’s brother murdered, and his band of renegades on the run, they must make their final stand and face Murrieta’s evil nemesis—cruel California Ranger Harry Love—who has been given carte blanche to do whatever it takes to kill Murrieta and drive his followers out of California for good. As the battle rages in a final showdown between Love and Murrieta, it’s kill or be killed.

 

Only one of them can walk away from BLOOD AND GOLD…

In BLOOD AND GOLD,  award-winning author Jeffrey J. Mariotte and acclaimed TV producer/writer Peter Murrieta have joined forces to create a compelling blend of history, legend, and folklore. BLOOD AND GOLD is more than a richly detailed examination of the life and dangerous times of legendary California bandit Joaquin Murrieta. It's also a colorful, entertaining novel full of passion, violence, and adventure, a splendid retelling of those days in early California when men and women would do anything for gold.

— James Reasoner, NY Times bestselling author

     

New Release - Gypsy Rock by Robert D. McKee

 Central Wyoming—1892

 

Wyoming Territory is the kind of land where a man can make a life for himself, but it can be just as easy to take the outlaw trail as to do the right thing…easier, sometimes. 

Deputy Hugo Dorling is determined to take the hard way—and stand up for justice, no matter how rough things might get. In the midst of the vast grazing lands and the discovery of precious metals, greed abounds, and there are a few who will commit murder to take what they want.

But Deputy Dorling isn’t alone in his fight. Twenty-year-old Billy Young stands with him through it all. Billy has suffered losses, and views the grizzled deputy as the family he no longer has. His loyalty runs deep for his mentor and friend.

When one evil act sets off a chain of events that spirals downward culminating in dozens of brutal deaths, Billy is determined to join Hugo Dorling in the almost insurmountable fight against the hate and prejudice that envelopes Gypsy Rock and the entire community. But the corruption and brutality runs much deeper than Hugo or Billy realize, and the only people they can trust are one another. When guns blaze, will either of them be able to survive the showdown at GYPSY ROCK?

EXCERPT

“Seems to me,” said Hugo, “any fella who’s been living in the middle of Wyoming since he was four years old oughtta be able to handle the crisp climate better than you do.”

Billy shrugged. “Pa always said I had thin blood. He figured that’s the way some folks’re built.” Billy pulled his blanket tighter around his shoulders.

Hugo spread the two long tails of his heavy duster and plopped down, too. He brushed his bushy mustache away from his lips and dug out his tobacco and papers. “I kinda like the chilly months myself,” he said. He rolled a thin, tight cigarette as he spoke. “Folks get into less mischief when the air’s a little on the frigid side, which tends to make my job some easier.” He struck a match, and as he lit his smoke, he cupped his hands to protect the blaze from the wind.

“Maybe you should explain your opinions on cold weather and crime to Mr. O’Dell,” Billy suggested. No matter the season, Ben, his brother Thatcher, and their gang of ruffians were eager to cause trouble. “Killing an old woman just because she’s a Gypsy sounds like mischief to me.”

“Well,” Hugo said as he flicked away the spent match, “Benjamin O’Dell is worse than most.”