Kelton has long been one of the most prolific and dependable of western writers. In this reprint of a 1974 paperback original, he adapts the true-life escapades of Mexican legend Gregorio Cortez, whose flight from a massive manhunt around the turn of the century became a symbol of strained Mexican-American relations in Texas. Kelton renames his protagonist but keeps the outline of the Cortez story. It begins, essentially, with a young horseman named Fernandez shooting a lawman during a misunderstanding. Fernandez takes off, eluding the most massive manhunt (at times, more than 300 men) in Texas history. There are dusty Tex-Mex similarities to The Fugitive. But Fernandez is not innocent; justifiably or not, he did shoot the sheriff. On the other hand, his pursuers are not all honorable men. Racism hovers over every element of the story. Kelton's morality play poses daunting ethical questions while providing edge-of-the-seat suspense. (Reviewed December 1, 1994)0875651321Wes Lukowsky

Kelton's 1974 novel is based on the story of Gregorio Cortez, a Mexican fugitive who was the object of the largest manhunt in Texas history. With a film of Kelton's The Good Old Boys currently in production, his star may be on the rise. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.