John Shirley 
Blood in Sweet River 

Civil War veteran Cleve Trewe locks horns with a ruthless cattleman who’s hungry for land, thirsty for power—and out for blood . . .
BLOOD IN SWEET RIVER



After a long, hard journey west, Cleve Trewe is ready to settle down. He’s got his beautiful wife Berry in San Francisco, a baby on the way, and his sights set on a gorgeous piece of land in the Sierras. This sweet slice of heaven is aptly named Sweet River, and it’s the perfect place to build a ranch, farm, and home for his family. Problem is, Cleve’s not the only one with his eyes on the land. A big-time cattle baron named Asa Hawthorn is prepared to use threats, intimidation—and armed thugs—to get what he wants. Worse yet, Cleve knows the man from the darkest days of the Civil War . . .



Cleve’s not about to surrender his claim.. He’s got his buddy Kanaway by his side, a family of Paiute Indians on his team, and the property papers ready to sign. That’s when the real trouble starts. To squash the deal, Hawthorn unleashes his deadliest henchmen—including a would-be gunfighter from Cleve’s past and a killer-for-hire who never misses. The Paiute family recognizes some of them as the men who slaughtered their tribe—a massacre that Cleve suspects was the work of Asa Hawthorn. Either way, a major battle is brewing. And the crystal blue waters of Sweet River are about to turn red . . .

 

About the author

John Shirley has written novels, short stories, as well as collaborating on lyrics for the band Blue Oyster Cult, and the screenplay for the cult classic film The Crow. Amoung his many novels are the Westerns Wyatt in Wichita, and the Sundown Riders series coauthored with Ralph Compton. He currently lives in Vancouver, Washington, with his wife. You can learn more at www.john-shirley.com