Winding Stair
Douglas C. Jones

New American Library
2011 / ISBN: 9780451234797
Western
Amazon

Reviewed by Bob Walch

Since its appearance in 1979, this western novel has risen to classic status. If you missed it the first time around, this new reprint offers the opportunity to read a truly remarkable story.

Set in 1890, the plot revolves around a number of crimes, including the rape of a woman and the murder her husband in the Winding Stair Mountains. Eben Pay, a young attorney, narrates the tale of the chase, capture and trial of the men who committed the atrocity.

A courtroom drama unfolds in the Fort Smith, Arkansas, court of Isaac C. Parker, the famous ·Hanging Judge.· Pay is the assistant to the U.S. prosecutor and not only provides an account of what became known as the ·Winding Stair Massacre,· but the convoluted and shadowy background story as well.

For the naïve young lawyer, this becomes an important and unforgettable part of his continuing ·education.· Not only does he come to an understanding of the cultural clash between red, black and white frontiersmen, but he also sees, firsthand, how justice on the fringe of civilization is administered.

What made this stunning novel so popular when it first appeared was not only its harsh but realistic representation of the American frontier, but also the surprises revealed in its closing chapters. If you enjoy western novels that go beyond the usual stereotypes and clichés, this is one you·ll want to read.