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

AUTHOR FAVOURITES: THE ZEN DETECTIVE by DEVORAH FOX

Devorah Fox writes historical epic fantasy, sci-fi fantasy and thrillers.

She tells me a favourite of her own novels is THE ZEN DETECTIVE, because ‘it so differs from everything else that I write, so noir, I often can't believe that I wrote it.’ THE ZEN DETECTIVE was a finalist in the Golden Books Award Contest.

Burned-out cop Will Mansion is on sick leave and seeks relief from post-traumatic stress disorder through Zen meditation. But then he responds to Sister Clyde’s plea to find a man missing from her soup kitchen. Will finds himself on the trail of the vicious drug dealer who nearly killed him… and battling his own drug addiction.

This reminded me of Gene Hackman’s plight in FRENCH CONNECTION TWO.

The strangeness, black humour and noir-elements of the tale reminded me of the recent movie THE BLACK DAHLIA.

 SCARLETT JOHANSSON in 'The Black Dahlia' (2006) 

AGNES OF GOD is a film where nuns are involved in a criminal investigation.

ANNE BANCROFT and MEG TILLY in 'Agnes of God' (1985)

Zen is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China during the 7^th-10^th Centuries A.D. It emphasizes rigorous self-control and meditation-practice.

REVIEWS of THE ZEN DETECTIVE:

‘A beautifully executed mystery.’

‘Excellent and engulfing tale… a plentiful cast of well-developed characters. Great job!’

‘It may seem strange to rate a murder mystery funny and fun, but this one was for me… The story gallops along, with wonderful descriptions of places and characters, until it reached a satisfactory ending. Devorah Fox is a prolific writer and this book may just be the entrée you need to explore her other works.’

‘This novel was enjoyable and definitely fun! I adored the intricacies of the plot and entangled mysteries within.’

‘The prose is both silky and muscular and carries the story along masterfully. Sharply drawn characters and settings support the involving storyline. A wonderful, challenging story, well told.’

‘Totally engaging... I learned some things too about other life styles that made this book interesting and enlightening. Devorah continues to amaze me with her ability to write books in a wide variety of settings and situations.’

https://www.amazon.com/Zen-Detective-Devorah-Fox-ebook/dp/B01N0RSOHR/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?keywords=the+zen+detective+deborah+fox&qid=1560167149&s=books&sr=1-1-fkmr1 and https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01N0RSOHR/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1

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