When Oregon became the 33rd US state on February 14, 1859, it entered the Union as a free state, prohibiting slavery. But the new state's Constitution also included a racial exclusion clause banning black people from emigrating to Oregon, owning land, entering into contracts, or filing lawsuits.
Philip Margolin's new novel, Worthy Brown's Daughter, is set against this backdrop of Western expansion and racial conflict. Worthy Brown is a freed slave accused of murder in the attempt to rescue his captive 15-year-old daughter. Struggling lawyer Matthew Penney is torn between his client's innocence and his own self-interest. A crooked judge, a dangerous gold digger, and a crowded cast of frontier socialites and ne'er-do-wells keep the many-branched plot twisting and turning to the exciting finale.
Loosely based on a true story, Worthy Brown's Daughter is an exciting Wild West adventure with serious themes.
OTHER REVIEWS
The Oregonian
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NOTES
Phillip Margolin writes fast-paced contemporary thrillers like his hugely popular Gone, But Not Forgotten and the recent best seller, Capitol Murder.