Bobby Underwood saves the best ‘til last in this final novel of his Wild Country Western trilogy. All the wonderful characters from “The Wild Country” and “The Trail to Santa Rosa” return for this third installment of Western enjoyment. I thoroughly enjoyed all three, but this one is my favorite. It’s a fine adventure story with the superbly written action, romance, and humor that I’ve come to expect from this author. The cowboys and their loved ones are on a quest for a hidden, and possibly, haunted valley, hoping to find a huge herd of cattle. There’s also an incentive of a chance to find a lost shipment of gold from the Civil War. This was page-turning fun. I couldn’t put it down.

The characters are real people who are easy to care about. You want everything to work out good for them, like they’re your own family or friends. Underwood writes with such passion, it shows in his work. The writing is so tight during action scenes, you forget you’re reading, and catch yourself holding your breath until the dust settles. He smoothly inserts historic tidbits that enhance the narrative. If you’re a fan of Western novels, do not miss this one. ( )