I chose Crossfire Trail by Louis L'Amour because of the Wyoming setting for my 50 State Reading Challenge. I've never been a big fan of westerns, but found this book on the 10 cent shelf at the library and along with the challenge I'm trying different genres this year. Louis L'Amour paints a vivid picture of life and ranches on the wild American frontier and immediately engrosses the reader in the story of Rafe Caradec "a man who always rode at the read, hardened by a life spent among ruthless men who played for the highest stakes." With over a hundred novels to choose from, I have a feeling this won't be my last Louis L'Amour. Crossfire Trail was also adapted into a television series staring Tom Selleck (Rafe's name was changed from Caradec to Covington in the series.)From the cover:
The only thing Rafe held sacred was his word - and now he had sworn to a dying man that he would save his Long Valley ranch for his wife and daughter, Ann. But Ann thought Rafe was moving in for his own crooked gain, and played right into the deadly hands of the greedy ranchers plotting to destroy her. Then Rafe figured a way to save Ann and the land. It would be dangerous - but that was the only way Rafe Caradec knew.
