Not read

A GOOD MAN is a good book, a very good one in fact. It's the third book of Guy Vanderhaeghe's acclaimed western trilogy, set in 1870s northern Montana and its Canada borderland. The rich history of the Indian wars is woven into the fictional tale of Wesley Case, a former Canadian Mountie turned rancher near Fort Benton (MT), and his nemesis, a hired assassin named Michael Dunne. Case is also an undercover liaison between the American and Canadian militaries in Fort Benton and Fort Walsh. For you history buffs of the American West, there's plenty to sink your teeth into here, as it involves Sitting Bull and the Sioux's flight into Canada after the Little Big Horn massacre, and, peripherally, Chief Joseph's surrender. The real-life RCMP officer, James Walsh, often called "Sitting Bull's boss" by journalists of the era, is also a key player in the story, brought vividly to life here in his dealings with both Case and the legendary Chief. And there is also a love story, involving Case and a strong-minded widow, Ada Tarr. The historical and fictional blend seamlessly in this exciting and compelling story of 19th century frontier North America. A GOOD MAN is a book hard to put down, and Guy Vanderhaeghe is, as always, in complete command of his subject. Very highly recommended.

- Tim Bazzett, author of the memoir, BOOKLOVER ( )

Multi-award-winning author Guy Vanderhaeghe's eagerly awaited new novel is a dazzling follow up to his bestselling The Englishman's Boy and The Last Crossing (a Canada Reads winner!).

A Good Man culminates what could be thought of as a trilogy of books set in the late nineteenth-century Canadian and American West, and it is a masterpiece. Vanderhaeghe skilfully weaves a rich tapestry of history with the turns of fortune of his most vividly and compellingly drawn cast of characters yet. Vanderhaeghe entwines breathtaking, intriguing, and richly described narratives that contain a compelling love story, a tale of revenge and violence, a spectacular battle scene, the story of an incident in Welsely's past that threatens his relationship with Ada, and much, much more. While raising moral questions, this novel weaves the historical with the personal and stands as Vanderhaeghe's most accomplished and brilliant novel to date. ( )

A very enjoyable story in the "Wild West". It has intrigue, romance, villainy, politics, history, conflict, and more. The variety helps maintain interest, as does the shifts in point of view and style (from letters to prose). The history and politics of the Canadian and American relationship including the Native component is also really interesting. Not a super challenging read, but delightful. ( )

Guy Vanderhaeghe doesn't write quickly enough for my liking but the results can't be argued with. It was 2002 that The Last Crossing was published and 1996 when The Englishman's Boy came out. In those intervening years I manage to forget what a great writer her is.

This book is billed as the conclusion of a trilogy but that's not really true in my mind. Yes, the previous two books are set in the prairies (on both sides of the 49th parallel) as they are just being opened up but that's about all that is in common. So, don't feel you have to read the other two to enjoy this one. This is a great book all on its own.

Wesley Case grew up in a privileged family in southern Ontario and went to University. At University he joined the militia, mainly so he and his buddies could ride around in uniforms and carry swords. When the Fenians invade Canada the militia are called into duty with somewhat predictable results. One of the results is that Case is dishonoured. In order to get away from that reputation he joins the North-West Mounted Police and is sent to Cypress Hills. He soon tires of that life and decides he is going to take up ranching near Fort Benton, Montana. Major Walsh of the NWMP has been ordered to share information with his counterpart, Major Ilges, in Fort Benton. The two men are barely on speaking terms so Wesley agrees to act as liaison. In Fort Benton he falls in love with the wife of a local lawyer, Ada Tarr. Lawyer Tarr has been threatened by a disgruntled client and he hires Dunne to protect the family. Ada shows some small kindnesses to Dunne as a result of which he is sure Ada loves him. When Lawyer Tarr dies and leaves Ada with nothing but debts, Dunne and Case each feel sure that soon she will agree to marry. Ada doesn't really want to remarry although she does fall in love with Case. Dunne discovers that Ada and Case are sleeping together and he determines to take Case out of the equation.

Meanwhile, Sitting Bull has fled the USA after the Battle of Little Bighorn. Major Walsh comes to admire Sitting Bull and helps him and his people. The Canadian government doesn't want to be responsible for all these Sioux so Walsh is supposed to persuade them to return to the US but he doesn't think Sitting Bull should return. Case goes to the Cypress Hills with a US committee intent on convincing Walsh to get Sitting Bull back to the States.

With Fenian raids and Indian uprisings and a psychopathic killer this book certainly has its share of violence. But nothing was gratuitous and I'm sure it is reflective of the times. The question arises as to who is the "Good Man" of the title. Is it Wesley Case who has a skeleton in his closet but who seems to genuinely care about his friends? Is it Major Walsh, the career policeman who doesn't care to be dictated to by politicians? Is it Sitting Bull who wants to care for his people and is willing to undergo personal privations in order to do so? It's certainly not Dunne, the man who cold-bloodedly kills a young boy in order to test his resolve.

I loved many of the descriptive passages of the countryside. I looked up information about Fort Benton on the internet and I mean to visit there sometime. Situated on the Missouri river with abundant grassland around it must have been a piece of paradise and maybe you can still see some of that. ( )