“Double-A Western Detective Agency”

 

Old Red. Big Red. A new partnership. A new mystery to solve. A range war. New Mexico territory. Power. Control. Greed.

This sixth installment was the most troubling for me. Not the mystery to be solved. Not Diana, the dude, or the bear and Cochise. No, it was the duplicity of the town of DeBarge. A town split down the middle. A town working against itself for an ideal that no longer existed. “It’s starting to look like America here, not some mongrel Mexican mishmash.” - Clayton Haney (158) I checked to see when Hockensmith published (2018) - was there a message to be learned? Or was he simply holding up a mirror to our nation? Hatred. Community. Healing. The ending left me feeling...hopeful.

“World’s Greatest Slueth”

 

Old Red. Big Red. Chicago’s World’s Fair. Sleuthing contest. $10,000. MURDER. Diana makes an appearance...again. CLUES. Bearded men, EVERYWHERE. I was thinking there might be a tie into the novel Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. Sadly no. BUT, that doesn’t mean there wasn’t something nefarious happening. Pinkerton. An egg. A Ferris Wheel. Police. MORE CLUES. And a reference or two to Sherlock Holmes. The boys seem a little out of their comfort zone in the White City...perhaps it’s time to head back to the prairie?!

“The Crack in the Lens”

 

Ahhh...a cold case murder in the hill country of Texas. Five years cold. One bad sheriff, one sorta bad/sorta good marshal. PROSTITUTES (chippies). A love interest. Jack-the-Ripper, Texas style (Texas Jack). Holmes’ “method” is put to the test. A hanging tree. Explosions. A preacher. Justice. The life of a prostitute is not always easy. The how’s and why’s are as individual as the women themselves. The fact that many married and led “normal” lives is a testament to the men who really loved them. Of course, the brothers prevail in solving the case. Huzzah! Time for the next installment!