"Sgt. Ford’s Widow" By Paul A. Barra: Review/Giveaway

Review by Terrance McArthur

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book and a link to purchase it.

In Paul A. Barra’s Sgt. Ford’s Widow, Sgt. Ford is not dead. His widow is not his widow. Tran Thi Linh is the widow of a Vietnamese barber. In acts of rage following a Viet Cong attack, she was beaten and raped. Sgt. Gil Ford, an MP, rescued her. Camp surgeons kept her alive, and Gil (with friends) used chicanery to get Linh out of Viet Nam to his ranch in eastern Wyoming, where she learns English by watching television. She takes over running the household, while Ford, a former sheriff’s deputy, works as a private investigator.

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Image Source The Permanent Press

Ellie Wyatt is newly widowed. Her husband had been beaten and robbed of six pigeon blood red rubies, but he died of cancer. The lovely widow hires the handsome PI to find the criminals and recover the gems.

What a world of people you’ll find—the aging sheriff who wants Sgt. Ford back on the force; a petty crook without scruples who talks his way out of (and sometimes into) trouble; a preacher in the forest who only has two converts; a pawnbroker who loves the goods he handles; a husband and wife who need a helping hand (no matter how dirty that hand is); a couple of hippie chicks; a storytelling ranch hand; a church organist who puts a town to sleep at night with music; and a big guy who gets mean even when he isn’t drunk. Just when you think it’s all over, there’s another story you hadn’t realized was there.

At the middle of it all is a triangle that isn’t a triangle—Ford, Linh, and Ellie. Ford—a man who does the right thing because it’s the right thing to do—watches over the scarred woman who watches over him. Linh may not know a lot of English, but she sees a lot about people. Ellie wants revenge, but she finds love . . . while she runs a dude ranch.

Sgt. Ford’s Widow is many kinds of books in one. It’s a time capsule of 1967 to 1971 (from Viet Nam to the independent hard-scrabble farmers of Wyoming); a semi-hardboiled detective mystery with touches of noir; a thriller with death on the line; a steamy (in your mind) romance that never takes you beyond the bedroom door; and a chance to read some really cool descriptions.

Barra has been shortlisted for several awards. If he keeps writing like this, he’ll hit it one day.

To enter to win a copy of Sgt. Ford’s Widow, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "widow,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen November 30, 2024. US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. If entering via comment please include your email address so we can contact you. You can read our privacy statement here if you like. 

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You can click here to purchase this book.

Terrance V. Mc Arthur is newly retired as a Librarian in Fresno County, California. He is also a storyteller, puppeteer, magician, and maker of pine needle baskets. On top of that he writes stories that range from rhymed children's tales to splatterpunk horror. He's an odd bird, but he's nice to have around.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.