Battleborn

These stories, mostly set in the "Battleborn" state of Nevada, sear and scorch the heart with hard-bitten, hopeful, brokenhearted and unforgettable characters. The modern west as sketched by Watkins echoes with haunted visions from the past: the Silver Dollar Queen, Gold Rush fever, Helter Skelter. As I finished the last line, I turned back to begin again. ~ Reviewed by Amy Palmer