'Strong at the Break' an amazing read

Fifth-generation Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong has issues from her past that collide with the present in “Strong at the Break,” Jon Land's latest page-turner.

Malcolm Arno, the head of a militia movement, has a bold plan to launch a second Civil War in the United States. As a little boy, he watched his father killed by Caitlin's father. He sees his future vision of America as a perfect way to kill her.

Former outlaw Cort Wesley Masters is dating Caitlin, and his boys love having her around. One of his sons runs away toward Mexico to visit a friend. Surprisingly, he's ambushed and kidnapped.

Meanwhile, a veteran of the Iraq War who lost both his legs asks Caitlin for help. He claims what he learned overseas prompted an attempt on his life.

When these various elements intersect, it will force Caitlin to confront harsh truths, assuming she can survive.

Land and his precise writing create an amazing read, combining elements of the best of the Old West and the action thriller. Caitlin seems so real, the reader expects her to walk into the room. And she more than lives up to her last name.

<b>“Strong at the Break: A Caitlin Strong Novel”</b>

By Jon Land

Forge Books, 352 pages, $25.99, <a href="http://www.jonlandbooks.com/" target="_blank">jonlandbooks.com/</a>