Title: Cowboy on the Wrong Train: Mouse with a Clue
Author: Jeanne Ann Off
Publisher: BookWhirl Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-61856-484-9
Pages: 125
Genre: Mystery, Young Adult Fiction
Reviewed by: Jason Lulos
Hollywood Book Reviews
With Cowboy on the Wrong Train: Mouse with a Clue, author Jeanne Ann Off gives readers an endearing and suspenseful tale of mystery in a novel which could be classified as a coming-of-age western, and a morality tale. Although set in modern times, these characters and this story harkens back to simpler times, underscored by the hard work ethic of the ranch, a nostalgic nod to earlier pioneering times of the west, and a spiritual message of goodness and Christian fellowship. This might be neatly classified as young adult fiction, but older readers will also appreciate the suspense, the relatable characters, and the deeper spiritual meanings that augment and even help drive the plot.
Ty Grenshaw is a modest young ranch worker, living in small-town, Gully, Colorado. He prides himself on hard work and loyalty to the woman he loves: Patti Dileo. He is an unassuming man and, in the end, a reluctant hero. Patti, a young agent at Gully Real Estate, has brought out-of-state investors in to purchase a ranch. This group, led by the mysterious “Skeet,” seems legitimate at first. But when they are implicated in the murder of a local man, the simple life in this small town is upended. Ty, his friend George, and Patti go on about their work, all the while cautiously sifting for clues to unravel the real story behind the murder and these strange outsiders.
While searching for missing cattle, Ty ends up literally in the wrong place at the wrong time. However, his brushes with real danger enlighten him in more ways than one. The author builds the suspense quite well, always keeping the reader and the protagonists guessing. Ty and Patti learn of a “Secret Organization” whose radical aims not only threaten their lives but their way of life; their cultural heritage. Add to that a mysterious young girl, named Nirvana, living in the forest, and you have mysteries begetting more mysteries. So, what seems like a small coup by the Skeet-led cabal turns out to have much larger political and cultural implications. As these plots thicken, Patti undergoes a spiritual awakening mirroring Ty’s awakening to the cruel realities of the real world outside the quaintness of their small town.
This story really is a page-turner because of the action and suspense-driven plot. The author’s knowledge of ranch life and command of Biblical scriptures shine as the foundations of the novel. She even provides a glossary of Biblical quotes. The Christian themes give this mystery more depth and resonance because Patti’s and Ty’s spiritual awakening parallels their growing awareness of the conspiratorial threats to their very way of life. In the end, will the mystery be solved? That won’t be spoiled here, but I will say that this novel has some solid suspense and moral insights, giving readers a charming story with more than subtle hints at grander, spiritual significance.