'An exercise in pure, old-fashioned storytelling... fresh, fast and sure... The work of a master craftsman' Washington Post 'The plot of Seven Samurai and The Magnificent Seven, with the numbers whittled down and a few twists added... a conclusion that had to make Parker smile as much as his readers will' Los Angeles Times 'Beneath the trappings of this gunfighter novel, Parker really has something to say about ... men and women in the Old West' Library Journal 'Parker fans will expect the action and the smart-ass banter, but it's the sense of melancholy and irrevocable sacrifice that will separate this fine novel from most of the author's recent work' Booklist 'Stunning... This is one of Parker's finest' Publishers Weekly

Robert B. Parker has long been acknowledged as the dean of American crime fiction. His crime novels featuring wise-cracking private-eye Spenser have earned him a devoted following and critical acclaim, while his standalone novels continue to hit the American bestseller lists on publication. At the 2002 Edgar Awards, Parker was named Grand Master of Crime Fiction, an honour shared with Alfred Hitchcock and Ellery Queen.