Revenge Is a Dish Best Served Cold!

Revenge is a Dish Best Served Cold is novel by Raymond Cook. Based in the 1860s, it covers the struggles of a widowed woman in contemporary America.

Jess and Tamara Euland decide to move to Marble, Colorado, after the homestead act of 1862, which made a couple liable to 160 acres of land in certain, more fertile areas of the country. Tamara is against the move, but Jess convinces her with the promise of a better future for themselves. He surprises her one day by showing her the covered wagon and horses he’s bought for the journey, proving his intent of keeping her safe. Tamara then surprises him by telling him she’s with child. Encompassing six months, rough terrain and bandits, they reach Marble and acquire temporary residence. Once settled, all does not work out for them. Their neighbor, Frank Baker, wants their cattle to drink from the lake, which lies on the Eulands’ land.

Their feud heats up, until one day Jess and Tamara are caught off guard outside a store. Frank and his sons see them unguarded and shoot at both, killing Jess on the spot, and leaving Tamara seriously injured. Frank and his sons flee Marble, while Tamara, now a grieving widow and a mother, takes months to recuperate from the loss. Armed with a Colt 45 Peacemaker pistol and excellent shooting skills, this is the story of Tamara’s journey as she settles an old score for good.

The author recreates the whole Wild Wild West environment with excellent narratives. However, the reader may be bored by the minute-by-minute detail of their journey from Illinois to Colorado. Lengthy descriptions and minor happenings in the start can make a story a drag to read. The novel does pick up in the middle and finishes with a satisfactory ending. The element of romance is lacking in most places, but does make a historical novel interesting. Recommended for a one-time read.