Anna Finch and the Hired Gun: A Novel by Kathleen Y'Barbo ~ Christian Bookshelf Reviews

Friday, July 1, 2011

Anna Finch and the Hired Gun: A Novel by Kathleen Y'Barbo

Posted by Melanie on Friday, July 01, 2011 with No comments

Anna Finch and the Hired Gun: A Novel by Kathleen Y'Barbo

My Rating:

Soon after I finished 'The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper', I started 'Anna Finch and the Hired Gun'.

I was pleased when I saw that many of the same characters from 'The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper' made an appearance in this book (Jeb Sanders, Anna Finch, Charlotte Beck, and Daniel Beck - to name a few).

There was about a 5 year gap between books (1880-1885), but it didn't feel like that much time had passed.

'Anna Finch and the Hired Gun' gave me a completely different view of Anna Finch. When I read 'The Confidential Life of Eugenia Beck', I kind of thought that she was just a wealthy woman seeking to find a husband - mainly Daniel Beck. Now I see that it was really her father that wanted her wed and that her dream was to be a reporter.

"When a female of marrying age is no longer amenable to remaining under the guidance of her father, it is my opinion she should be handed off to a husband who can perhaps do a better job of it." His eyes, the color of her own, narrowed. "And you, Anna Finch, have proven by your audacious behavior today and, I daresay, on many as-yet undiscovered occasions in the past, that you are well beyond any control I might have over your person and behavior." - Page 16

I was shocked, relatively early in the book, when I found out an interesting fact about Miss Anna Finch. I'm not going to say what it is, because I feel it would spoil both books if I did, but I will say that it was unexpected!

Anna Finch first met Jeb Sanders when she accidentally shot him (he was hidden in a log that she was using for target shooting). She at first thought that he was an outlaw - little did she know he worked as a Pinkerton Detective Agent and that her father would end up hiring him to be her hired gun.

He saw her socializing with Wyatt Earp and outlaw Doc Holliday, and formed opinions of her that weren't true. He longs to see justice for Ella, the woman he loved and thought Doc Holliday murdered, but now that he's a believer, he knows that vengeance is the Lord's, not his.

I loved how there were history facts mixed in with a ficticious story. This book kept me entertained and wanting more. I found 'Anna Finch and the Hired Gun' comical, romantic, and (at times) adventurous.

This book was just as good, in my opinion, as 'The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper'. I loved 'Anna Finch and the Hired Gun' and I recommend it! The next book I'm going to read is - 'The Inconvenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck' by Kathleen Y'Barbo.