Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Book Review of Two Brothers: The Lawman / The Gunslinger (Two Brothers, Bks 1-2)

Two Brothers: The Lawman / The Gunslinger (Two Brothers, Bks 1-2)
jjares avatar reviewed on + 3413 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1


This is the story of a pair of twins, born while their mother journeyed up the Rocky Mountains with a wagon train. Her husband had died hours before during an Indian fight. The twin's mother died after childbirth and two separate families took one of the two boys.

The Lawman: SHAY McQUILLAN 5 stars

Of the two great stories, this one had a mystery in the plot, which added extra interest. Shay's fiancée had been killed in a train wreck (that was part of the theft of a shipment of money in a strong box). For the past 18 months, US Marshal Shay has been trying to drown his grief in an alcoholic stupor.

Suddenly, someone tries to interfere with his self-pity and Shay looks up - and sees himself. He was never told that he was a twin. Tristan Saint-Laurent explains the story; he also wants help finding the party that stole the strong box of money.

Shay hasn't been much of a marshal for the previous year and a-half; and some of the citizens aren't too impressed with him - especially a hotel waitress, Aislinn Lethaby.

Tristan goads Shay into resuming a more active marshal role. There are plots and sub-plots aplenty, which makes for an interesting study of the twins.

The Gunslinger: TRISTAN SAINT-LAURENT 4 stars

Although Tristan spent his younger years as a bounty hunter and hired gun, he wants what Shay has - a wife and home. He decides that he likes having a twin and decides to buy land in the same town and take up ranching cattle.

While contemplating his aloneness, Tristan suddenly sees hundreds of sheep over-running his land - along with Emily Starbuck and her herding dog. She immediately tells Tristan to leave HER property.

Tristan displays considerable tact and reason while dealing with Emily ... and then the enraged cattlemen. I could see why Tristan had survived in his previous profession - bounty hunter.

The stories are engaging and highly readable!