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.’

And of GERONIMO MUST DIE: ‘Thoughtful, intelligent, a western that’s also a mystery and a mood piece. An enjoyable, intriguing ride.’

Find BY STRANGERS MOURNED here: https://www.amazon.com/Strangers-Mourned-Sheriff-Tilghman-Book-ebook/dp/B09Z7GCX49?ref_=ast_author_dp 

and here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Strangers-Mourned-Sheriff-Tilghman-Book-ebook/dp/B09Z7GCX49/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

REVIEW: BLAKE’S RULE by J. R. LINDERMUTH

John Lindermuth (writing as J. R.) writes across genres, from thrillers to period mysteries to westerns. Like me he has written westerns for Sundown Press.

Here’s my 4 Star review of BLAKE’S RULE, one of the westerns he wrote for Sundown.

To begin with, here’s the blurb:

Blake’s rule has always been to do what’s right…not what’s easy.

Range detective Sam Blake is after cattle rustlers—but when a beautiful woman is accused of murdering her employer, he has to step in and see justice done. Miriam had her reasons for the brutal killing, and though she’s not talking, Blake understands there’s more to this crime than meets the eye.

When the local sheriff, James Fremont, asks Blake to spirit Miriam and her two children out of town before a lynch mob comes for her, he agrees. But Cyrus Diebler, the influential rancher who is intent on seeing her pay for her crime, is not about to be stopped. He will go to whatever lengths he must to see her dead, though it means putting his own family in harm’s way.

As Blake and Miriam stay one step ahead of the relentless Diebler and his deadly henchmen, a relationship begins to build between them. When Blake learns the real story behind the murder, and the dark secrets of Diebler’s motivation to see Miriam dead, he vows he will protect her and her children at all costs—even if it means his own life.

And here’s my review:

One reason J. R. Lindermuth’s westerns are worth reading is that he always provides unusual twists to what is a very familiar form. Detective Sam Blake arrives in a Colorado mountain town on the trail of a wanted rustler. Unexpectedly he is caught up in the affairs of Miriam, a mulatto women charged with murder and pursued by a racist lynch mob. Given that ‘Blake’s Rule’ is do what’s right, not what’s easy, he comes to her aid. Out-of-the-blue twists – the intervention of a swarm of bees, a train wreck – keep things surprising in a brisk, entertaining novel. Recommended.

According to Wikipedia, the first official private detective agency was set up in 1833 in Paris by ex-soldier and one-time criminal EUGENE FRANCOIS VIDOCQ. He set up a business that involved hiring ex-convicts and criminals to carry out operations that the police wouldn’t undertake.

I thought John had made up the THIEL DETECTIVE AGENCY that Blake works for, but no, they existed. This private detective agency was formed by GEORGE H. THIEL, a former employee of the PINKERTON DETECTIVE AGENCY. He set up Thiel to rival the Pinkertons but never equalled their fame or prestige.

The Thiel Agency was involved in infiltrating and breaking a number of labour union strikes in the United States and Canada, as were the Pinkertons. One of the company's first employees was JOHN F. FARLEY, a former U.S. Cavalry trooper. In 1885, Farley was appointed manager of Thiel's Denver office, which Blake operates out of.

I’ve blogged about the Pinkerton Agency elsewhere. To briefly highlight a few aspects about them:

They were established in the U. S. A. by Scotsman ALLAN PINKERTON in 1850. At their peak ‘The Pinks’ were the largest private law enforcement organisation in the world.

ALLAN PINKERTON with PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN 

Notably, they hired women and minorities, a practice uncommon at the time. They hired KATE WARNE, the first female detective we have record of. By 1860 Pinkerton was so impressed by her abilities he placed Warne in charge of his new Female Detective Bureau.

Her most famous role was in the so-called ‘Baltimore Plot’ in February 1861, just before the outbreak of the American Civil War. Warne posed as a rich southern lady visiting Baltimore in order to infiltrate social gatherings of secessionist sympathisers. She discovered there was a plot to assassinate President-elect ABRAHAM LINCOLN as his train passed through Baltimore. To escape, Lincoln was forced to disguise himself as an invalid. Kate posed as his brother and helped smuggle him off the train before the assassins struck.  It is said that Kate Warne didn’t sleep while providing a bodyguard role for Lincoln, thus inspiring the Pinkertons motto: ‘we never sleep.'

Suitably impressed, Lincoln hired ‘The Pinks’ for his personal security during the Civil War.

In the 1870s they were hired to deal with the MOLLY MAGUIRES, a secret society some view as working to improve the lot of oppressed Irish coal miners and some damn as a terrorist organization. Detective JAMES McPARLAND went undercover against the Mollies in Pennsylvania. Partly as a result of his investigations, twenty suspected members of the Mollies were convicted of murder and other crimes and were hung in 1877 and 1878.

JAMES McPARLAND 

In a western context, from 1874 onwards ‘The Pinks’ began to pursue the so-called James–Younger Gang in their home territory of Missouri. Dangerous work: JOSEPH WHICHER, an agent who attempted to infiltrate the gang, was soon found killed. Another agent, CAPTAIN LOUIS J. LULL was killed by two of the Youngers in a roadside gunfight on March 17, 1874. Before he died, Lull fatally shot JOHN YOUNGER.

ALLAN PINKERTON himself took on the case as a personal vendetta. On the night of January 25, 1875, he staged a raid on the home of JESSE JAMES that ended in tragedy. Detectives threw an incendiary device into the house. It exploded, killing James's 8-year-old half-brother ARCHIE. It also seriously injured Jesse’s mother, blowing off one of her arms. This raid caused outrage and increased sympathy for the outlaws.  

Also out west some of the ‘Range Detectives’ the Pinkerton Agency hired included famed man-hunters TOM HORN and CHARLIE SIRINGO.

CHARLIE SIRINGO

SIRINGO, a Texas cowboy and author, joined ‘the Pinks’ in 1891. He began operating undercover, a relatively new technique at the time, and infiltrated gangs of robbers and rustlers, making more than 100 arrests. In the late 1890s, posing as a gunman on the run from the law for murder, he infiltrated BUTCH CASSIDY’s Wild Bunch.

Several members of the gang were captured or killed as a result of the information he gathered, including KID CURRY, eventually killed in a shoot-out in 1904.

KID CURRY

Detectives in the Old West have been represented by – amongst others – the heroes of the TV series ‘THE WILD WILD WEST.’

 ROSS MARTIN and ROBERT CONRAD in 'The Wild Wild West'

Kate Warne was played by MARTHA MacISAAC in the Canadian TV series ‘The Pinkertons.’

The character played by KATHERINE WARREN in the excellent train-bound 1951 thriller ‘The Tall Target’ (about ‘The Baltimore Plot’) is clearly based on Kate Warne.

OTHER REVIEWERS of ‘BLAKE’S RULE’:

‘A good western, a romance, and a mystery. The book is a short read, not heavy, but very interesting.’

‘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… there is plenty of violent action, tragedy, betrayal and retribution, more than a few surprises, and some nice touches of romance. The characters… are colorfully drawn and given genuine depth. 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 ‘BLAKE’S RULE’ here: https://www.amazon.com/Blakes-Rule-J-R-Lindermuth-ebook/dp/B07FKWBY19/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=blake%27s+rule+j.+r.+lindermuth&qid=1588170331&sr=8-1 and here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blakes-Rule-J-R-Lindermuth-ebook/dp/B07FKWBY19/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=blake%27s+rule+j.+r.+lindermuth&qid=1588170435&sr=8-1

AUTHOR FAVOURITES: SOONER THAN GOLD by J. R. LINDERMUTH

John Lindermuth (writing as J. R.) writes across genres. Like me he writes westerns for Sundown Press. He tells me a favourite of his novels is SOONER THAN GOLD, second of his books featuring Sylvester Tilghman, sheriff of a small Pennsylvania town.

It’s 1898, during the Spanish-American War. Tilghman is investigating the murder of a miner. A local band of gypsies claim the victim stole one of their young women. Tilghman is also investigating one of the first instances of auto-theft. As if that wasn’t enough, he also has a run-in with a female horse thief. Meanwhile in his personal life he’s edging closer to his goal of finally marrying long-time girlfriend Lydia Longlow.

A Pennsylvania policeman of the 1890s:

A car of 1900 – a Bradley Gasoline Runabout

I thought I’d take a brief look at Gypsies in this blog, using Wikipedia as a source.

Gypsy is the colloquial term for the Romani/ Roma/ Romany people. The Romani language is divided into several dialects which together have more than two million speakers. 

Genetic findings appear to confirm the Romani "came from a single group that left northwestern India about 1,500 years ago." The English term Gypsy (or Gipsy) originates from ‘gypcian,’ short for ‘Egipcien.’ This comes from the belief, common in the Middle Ages, that the Romani originated in Egypt.

Gypsies are first recorded in Europe in 1322, appearing in Crete. Romani arrived in North America in colonial times, with small groups recorded in Virginia and French Louisiana.

Gypsies in the U.S. c. 1900

There are an estimated 3.8 million Romani people in Europe although some estimates go as high as 14 million. Significant Romani populations are found in the Balkans, Central Europe, Spain, France, Russia and Ukraine. Several million more Romanies live outside Europe, in particular in the Middle East and in the Americas.

As outsiders and itinerants, gypsies have been subject to discrimination and persecution throughout their history. In times of social tension, the Romani became scapegoats. For instance, they were accused of bringing the plague when epidemics broke out.

In England, Romani were sometimes hanged. In France, they were branded and their heads were shaved. In Moravia and Bohemia, the women were marked by their ears being severed.

The worst persecution was by the Nazis, who started by stripping them of German citizenship in 1935 and then embarked on a systematic genocide. Romani were sentenced to forced labour, imprisonment and extermination in concentration camps. They were often killed on sight, especially by paramilitary death squads on the Russian Front.  

Ever after World War Two persecution continued. After 1945 in Czechoslovakia gypsies were labeled a "socially degraded stratum," and Romani women were sterilized as part of a state policy to reduce their population, something that was still occurring up to 2001.

On a lighter note (literally): Many musical instruments like violins and guitars are said to have originated from the Romani, as are dances such as the flamenco of Spain. Romani music has also strongly influenced musical forms like bolero and jazz. 

Acclaimed jazz guitarist DJANGO REINHARDT, of Romani descent, incorporated Romani influences into his music and is regarded as the founder of the hybrid known as ‘gypsy jazz.’

Reviews of SOONER THAN GOLD:

‘Characters are diverse and well-drawn,’

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

‘Kept me guessing. The plot is exciting. Characters are fun. The writing is superb with colorful descriptions and snappy dialogue.’

https://www.amazon.com/Sooner-than-Gold-J-Lindermuth/dp/1610090837/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

AUTHOR FAVOURITES: FALLEN FROM GRACE by J. R. LINDERMUTH

John Lindermuth (writing as J. R.) writes westerns for Sundown Press, as I have. He tells me a favourite of his earlier novels is FALLEN FROM GRACE. In 1897 Sheriff Sylvester Tilghman is investigating two murders in a small Pennsylvania town, whilst trying to convince his true love, Lydia, to marry him.

I picture some late 19th Century Pennsylvania policemen, before the Pennsylvania State Police force was established in 1905.

Pennsylvania policemen in 1888

Two Pennsylvania policemen from the 1890s:

I thought I’d take a quick look at the origins of the storied office of ‘sheriff’, using information I got from the website of the PENNSYLVANIA SHERIFF’S ASSOCIATION. https://www.pasheriffs.org/sheriff-history/ 


While some historians maintain that the office of sheriff derives from either the Roman proconsul or the Arab Sharif (nobleman) it’s generally accepted that the title goes back to Anglo-Saxon England, when KING ALFRED (who reigned 871-899) divided England into counties or shires.

Statue of KING ALFRED

The shires were run by men called reeves, leading to the title ‘shire reeve’ (meaning ‘keeper and chief of his county.’) ‘Shire Reeve’ was eventually shortened to sheriff. After the Normans conquered Saxon England in 1066 they kept the office of sheriff, who was to govern the county and collect taxes for the king. He headed the local military and kept the peace in the monarch’s name.

The most famous sheriff of this period is, of course, the Sheriff of Nottingham, Robin Hood’s dastardly foe. Robin Hood deserves (probably many) blogs of his own. Briefly, this legendary outlaw is generally located in English history between 1180 and 1320. The actual title of such an official in this time frame would be ‘Sheriff of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and the Royal Forests.’ In the earliest Robin Hood ballads, dating from the late 15^th Century, several ‘Sheriffs of Nottingham’ are slain by Robin Hood, Little John or other outlaws. Which shows that – regardless of whether a ‘real' Robin Hood ever existed – these early tales are largely folklore. Official records show no Sheriff of Nottingham was ever slain by an outlaw!

This epitome of villainy has featured in numerous movies and TV shows about Robin Hood. Here’s PETER CUSHING in ‘Sword of Sherwood Forest’ (1960):  

When settlers left England to colonise the New World, the office of sheriff went with them. The first were appointed when counties were established in Virginia in 1634. As in England respect for the sheriff was strictly enforced. He had a special seat reserved for him in churches. Contempt against him was an offense punishable by whipping.

Sheriffs were brought to the colony of Pennsylvania by English and Dutch settlers before William Penn in 1682.

The sheriff of the county and the high-constable in the towns didn't wear a uniform or display a badge. Early Pennsylvania law provided that the sheriff would be provided with a staff of his office, at least six feet in length and bearing the King's Coat of Arms on the top. It is doubtful these officers carried firearms, except on special occasions.
To this day the sheriff still has the power – as he had in Dark Age and Medieval England - of the ‘posse comitatus,’ i.e. the power to call upon ‘the entire population of the county above the age of 15… to aid him in keeping the peace, and in pursuing and arresting felons.’

In American lore, the heyday of the sheriff was in the Old West of the Nineteenth Century when colourful characters from WILD BILL HICKOK to BAT MASTERSON to WYATT EARP donned the badge. No time to cover their adventurous lives here!

Reviews of FALLEN FROM GRACE:

‘Intriguing… My favorite aspect of this book is the narrator's voice and personality.’

‘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!’

https://www.amazon.com/Fallen-Grace-J-R-Lindermuth/dp/161009011X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1491660758&sr=1-1&keywords=j.r.+lindermuth+fallen+from+grace

AUTHOR FAVOURITES: SHARES THE DARKNESS by J. R. LINDERMUTH

John Lindermuth (writing as J. R.) writes across genres, from thrillers to westerns. SHARES THE DARKNESS, part of the ‘Sticks’ Hetrick series, is a thriller set in small town modern-day Pennsylvania.

Police Office Flora Vastine is investigating the murder of a school teacher, but her probing opens personal wounds, as she observes the cost of obsessive love.

Wikipedia mentions various possibilities for first the world’s female police officer, including ALICE STEBBINS WELLS, hired in 1910 in Los Angeles.

But her claim seems highly dubious to me, given that PHOEBE COUZINS was appointed to the position of deputy U.S. Marshal in eastern Missouri when her father was named the U.S. Marshal there in 1884. Upon her father's death in 1887, President GROVER CLEVELAND appointed Phoebe interim marshal. However, two months later, Phoebe was replaced by a man.

Women law officers in the Old West deserve a separate blog, but they also include F.M. MILLER in Paris, Texas, appointed in 1891, who served in perilous Indian Territory (now Oklahoma); ADA CARNUTT, SADIE BURCHE and MAMIE FOSSETT, also in Oklahoma; Mrs. JACK STRINGER of Seattle, Washington; and NELLIE BURCH of Kansas.

A contender for first female deputy in the United States is CLAIRE HELENA FERGUSON just 21 years old when she received her commission in Salt Lake County, Utah. She was reportedly the only woman to ever visit the Robber’s Roost, a Utah cattle thieves’ den — at least, as of 1899. She was also trained to use a gun like any other deputy.

EDITH SMITH was the first female police officer in the United Kingdom with full power of arrest, appointed In August 1915. Her duties were to deal with cases where women were involved. She was concerned with trying to reduce the number of prostitutes in Grantham in eastern England.

The woman police investigator in small town America aspect of SHARES THE DARKNESS reminded me of ‘The Calling’ with SUSAN SARANDON.

But there have, of course, been many other female cops in film and TV including:

FRANCES McDORMAND in ‘Fargo’

HELEN MIRREN in UK TV series ‘Prime Suspect’

And SOFIA HELIN in Scandi-Noir TV series ‘The Bridge.’

ANGIE DICKINSON played the lead in the U. S. TV series ‘Police Woman’ (1974-1978.)

Special mention should be made of ‘Decoy’ (1957-1958) the first American police TV series with a female protagonist - a typically feisty performance as an undercover cop by BEVERLY GARLAND.

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.’ 

https://www.amazon.com/Shares-Darkness-J-R-Lindermuth-ebook/dp/B01KU08URE/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

and https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shares-Darkness-J-R-Lindermuth-ebook/dp/B01KU08URE