The Texas Job

Set in 1931, this well-crafted crime novel features Texas Ranger Tom Bell, a supporting character in The Right Side of Wrong, Wortham’s third Red River mystery. Bell becomes a target when he discovers a dead body on the outskirts of Pine Top, a bustling oil boomtown in East Texas. Caught in an ambush, he narrowly escapes getting shot before he can report the killing to local lawman Sheriff Dobbs, who has his hands full policing the deluge of roughnecks who have poured into Pine Top in search of work and riches. Unfortunately, the beleaguered Dobbs is disinclined to assist in the ongoing pursuit of a fugitive killer Bell believes is hiding in the town. In addition to evading murderers, Bell winds up battling cutthroat swindlers and greedy predators who are executing landowners in a race to seize land that may yield oil. Authentic settings and richly drawn characters complement Wortham’s striking depiction of the Texas oil boom and the unavoidable corruption, greed, and anarchy that accompany it. Hopefully, Bell will be back in a sequel. Agent: Anne Hawkins, John Hawkins & Assoc. (Feb.)