ANDREW McBRIDE AUTHOR: REVIEW of BY STRANGERS MOURNED by J.R. LINDERMUTH

I recently read BY STRANGERS MOURNED by JOHN LINDERMUTH (writing as J.R. LINDERMUTH.) I liked it very much and my four star review, on Amazon.co.uk and Goodreads, is below.

I’d forgotten how many other blogs I’ve done about John’s other fine novels. He has written across genres, from thrillers to period mysteries to westerns. So after my BY STRANGERS MOURNED review, I include links to those other blogs, and some reviews of the novels featured.

Here’s the blurb for BY STRANGERS MOURNED:

'Spring is usually heralded as a time of renewal, not murder.

Preparations are underway in the spring of 1899 for the wedding of Deputy Cyrus Gutshall. Sheriff Tilghman is hopeful this will put his sweetheart Lydia Longlow in the marital mood.

But then a woman is found drowned in a local creek.

Doc Mariner's autopsy reveals the woman is a victim of foul play. The sheriff’s investigation soon puts him on the trail of a mysterious man named Bauer and a gang preying on young immigrant women.

One of the women escapes her captors and comes to their small town in search of help. A coal miner she encounters, a fellow Pole, brings her to Tilghman and helps translate the story of her ordeal. The girl is befriended and sheltered by a coworker of Lydia's, an act of kindness that puts both young women in danger.

Sylvester Tilghman will need all his detecting skills and the help of his friends to unravel the many skeins of the case before he can dream again of marriage.'

Here’s some Pennsylvania policemen c. late 1890s:

And here’s my review:

‘Warm, engaging and convincing period crime novel.

I’ve read some of J. R. Lindermuth’s fine westerns but this is the first time I’ve read one of his police/crime novels, the third of a series featuring Syl (short for Sylvester) Tilghman. It’s 1899. Syl is sheriff in a Pennsylvania town. A woman is found drowned in a nearby creek, and foul play is suspected (even the possibility of witchcraft.) Syl’s investigations put him on the trail of a ruthless gang of human traffickers who are bringing in women from Eastern Europe and selling them into prostitution. This isn’t an action-centric novel; instead Lindermuth focuses on character and atmosphere, painting a believable picture of police work in that time and place, replete with red herrings and false trails etc. His writing is conversational and very readable. It’s a book full of gentle humanity, of people who aren’t overtly heroic but still strive quietly to do the right thing, told with warmth and humour (Syl is particularly irked by the new-fangled telephone.) To paraphrase one of the characters: ‘Sometimes a little compassion goes a long way.’ Highly recommended.’

A Pennsylvania police badge from 1900

OTHER J.R. LINDERMUTH NOVELS:

As mentioned, BY STRANGERS MOURNED is third in a series featuring Syl Tilghman, sheriff of a Pennsylvania town in the late 1890s.

First in the series was FALLEN FROM GRACE.

Here’s some reviews of it:

‘Intriguing.’

‘The novel achieves a texture and richness that sets it apart.… Lindermuth's writing style is practiced and assured and always a pleasure to read.’

‘I enjoyed this entertaining historical mystery.’

‘Truly a treasure!’

Find my blog about FALLEN FROM GRACE here: https://andrewmcbrideauthor.blogspot.com/2018/10/author-favourites-fallen-from-grace-by.html

Second in the series was SOONER THAN GOLD, of which reviewers said:

‘This is a sneaky, twisty, fun ride of a mystery.’

‘Characters are fun. The writing is superb with colorful descriptions and snappy dialogue.’

Find my blog about SOONER THAN GOLD here: https://andrewmcbrideauthor.blogspot.com/2018/10/author-favourites-sooner-than-gold-by-j.html

WATCH THE HOUR is a stand-alone novel set in Pennsylvania in the 1870s.

Snippets of some reviews:

‘All the earmarks of the epic… Wonderfully tactile descriptions.’

‘With Lindermuth's usual depth of characters and story… an exciting, well-wrought read.’

‘An intriguing cast of characters and richly detailed settings bring this work of historical fiction to life.’

Here’s my blog about WATCH THE HOUR: https://andrewmcbrideauthor.blogspot.com/2018/08/author-favourites-watch-hour-by-jr.html

SHARES THE DARKNESS is part of the ‘STICKS’ HETRICK series, a thriller set in a small town in modern-day Pennsylvania.

From reviews of SHARES THE DARKNESS:

‘Colorful characters, some surprises and twists, nice touches of wry humor, all served up with crisp dialogue and the clear, straightforward narrative of a talented writer.’

‘J.R. Lindermuth uses great foreshadowing and strong dialogue to promote a strong story line.…’

‘The excitement of the hunt has a kind of hushed tension.’

Find my blog about SHARES THE DARKNESS here: https://andrewmcbrideauthor.blogspot.com/2018/08/author-favourites-shares-darkness-by-j.html

And John has also written some excellent stand-alone westerns, such as BLAKE’S RULE, THE TITHING HERD and GERONIMO MUST DIE.

Here’s a bit of my review of BLAKE’S RULE: ‘One reason J. R. Lindermuth’s westerns are worth reading is that he always provides unusual twists to what is a very familiar form. … Out-of-the-blue twists – the intervention of a swarm of bees, a train wreck – keep things surprising in a brisk, entertaining novel.’

OTHER REVIEWERS of BLAKE’S RULE:

‘A good western, a romance, and a mystery.’

‘This latest work from John Lindermuth is a fine Western in the traditional mold, but with some intriguing twists and distinctions that make it a high cut above average… Lindermuth's effortlessly smooth prose moves along at a perfect pace, rich with historically accurate details yet never at the cost of interfering with a riveting tale.’

Find my blog about BLAKE’S RULE here: https://andrewmcbrideauthor.blogspot.com/2020/04/review-blakes-rule-by-j-r-lindermuth.html

A snippet of my review of THE TITHING HERD: ‘Unusual, satisfying western… Lindermuth handles the action expertly, but he’s just as good at creating tension, mood and atmosphere. A satisfying, enjoyable read.’