Review: Iron Ties

The years after the Civil War were not easy times for many Americans. The tensions which led to the bloody conflict still smoldered, and veterans who found their way west in the expansion of the continent carried loyalties, resentments, and bitter memories with them. As the country expanded, commercial enterprise followed; and there was good money to be made in providing transport for goods and service providers. Crews of itinerant, temporary workers hired by railroad companies filled small towns and way stations for weeks at a time and brought with them little in the way of stable upstanding behavior.

Small communities like Leadville, Colorado struggled to attain law abiding status, with steady economic growth, quality schools, good medical facilities and cultural attractions. However the influx of railroad construction crews created stress and uncertainty. Bitter rivalries between competing railroad companies added to the tension.

As IRON TIES opens, a series of explosions and mysterious disappearances trouble the small town, and saloon owner Inez Stannert is caught up in the suspense. When a good friend of hers is injured, she feels drawn to determine what is behind the ominous events.

IRON TIES provides a look back to the difficult days when the United States was coping with the strains of expansion and still healing the wounds of war. Parker weaves actual historic events of the area into her story and skillfully ties actual history into her fictional tale.

In relating events from a time filled with action, Parker too often strays from concentration on that action and narrates overlong detail and relatively insignificant concerns of her main character. What to where and when, what to drink, and so forth.

Inez is a determined businesswoman, and the reader is rooting for her to find a confident path to the future. We can hope that the next book in this planned series finds Inez moving forward on that path.

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Woodstock - RAM

Book Review: Iron Ties