If you'd be interested in knowing how Virginia City
sounded, smelled, and looked when Mark Twain was
there, read Caroline Lawrence's new book, _The Case
of the Deadly Desperados_.    She has a talent for
bringing vividly to life the place (above AND below
ground) and the odd assortment of  people in it .
Sam Clemens turns up on his first day at the Territorial
Enterprise.  Some of his lines are familiar and he fits
right into the story line, including one  scene where he
manages to disappear when a fight starts in a saloon.

Joe Goodman and Dan DeQuille also have
guest appearances, all neatly woven into a fast paced
adventure about an unusual but resourceful youngster being
pursued by truly menacing outlaws .

There are some  surprising insights about poker games, opium
dens and body language which are only part of  the useful
information included in this tale.  Sometimes scary, It's still a romp.

My local library already owns the English publication of
the work, along with all of her earlier 17 volume series.
 _The Roman Mysteries_.  The US version of her new venture
into our West will be published next week (2/16) and has already been
given a warm reception by  Booklist. Kirkus and Amazon
 (where it is a book of the month!)  Watch for it to be reviewed
 in the New York Times Section next Sunday.

Written for the juvenile market, it was completely
delightful for this adult.  I recommend buying it for some
young person in your life, but reading it before you
hand it over.  This is the first of a new series.  Her first,
Roman Mysteries, ended up as a TV series in England.
The story line in this one could make a movie!  We can
be proud she is a member of this Forum!
-- 
Arianne Laidlaw