Well researched

My g-g-grandfather went to the silver rush and never returned. He's buried in Denver. This gives me a much better idea of what may have happened. Very entertaining while packed with history and traditions. I hadn't thought of what fate was met by families of miners. This is a good glimpse of real life not portrayed in movies.

I enjoyed this story of the silver rush, set in Leadville, Colorado. I'm reading the second book in the series now and I'm increasingly uncertain whether the narrator, Inez, is a likeable and reliable narrator.

I will admit that when I looked at the cover of this book I was a bit skeptical. The cover design didn't really grab me, but I noted that it had won and award and it sounded interesting so I gave it a shot. And aren't I glad I did. The writing was fantastic, the plot construction was gripping, complex and enjoyable and the characters, in particular Inez, were completely realistic. What's not to love about a strong, independent, saloon owning, spirit drinking woman making her way in the Colorado mountains in the late 19th Century? The crime kept me guessing and by the end I just couldn't wait to find out what happened to Inez next.

Interesting read. The story takes place in Leadville, Colorado in 1879. At that time Leadville was a major silver mining boomtown in the Colorado Rockies. The main character is Inez Stannert, a widow and co-owner of a saloon. Joe Rose, an assayer and friend, is found dead behind her bar, his body strampled by a horse. Most believe that it was an accident, but when Inez is asked his widow to settle Joe's business affairs she finds things are not as they are supposed to be and that Joe had received threats. As Inez begins to look into the matter she soon learns that Joe's murder involved mining claims, falsified assays and a counterfeit ring. As the mystery deepens other murders occur and the suspect list mounts. The identity of the killers is not revealed until an exciting end and the author does an excellent job of establishing the setting and including authentic period details. The many characters are all well developed and interesting. They include Inez's black business partner Abe Jackson, a major mine owner, bankers, a miner, a female photographer, an artist, a madam and one of her prostitutes, the new minister with the mysterious past, the town marshal, as well real life personalities like Bat Masterson and Denver madam Mattie Silks.

Another good historical novel set in Leadville, Colorado in the 1880's.

Life in the 1800's in Colorado is beautifully drawn out. an excellent period piece.

This was my first time reading this author. The title of the book caught my eye and now I am so glad it did. I love historical novels and this one is set during the silver boom of the late 1800's . It is centered in the boomtown of Leadville, Colorado. As the story opens we are introduced to Inez Stannert, part owner of the Silver Queen Saloon and her partner, Abe Jackson. A whole can of worms is opened up when a good friend of Inez and Abe is found murdered behind the saloon. Joe Rose, an assayer of precious metals leaves behind a wife and young son. Who would want to kill Joe? As Inez, Abe and the town's new Reverend, Mr. Sands, begin to look into the death of Joe, hints of corruption and counterfeiting surface. This book was very well written. The characters have depth and are fairly interesting. I admit it got boring for a little bit but overall it was an interesting story. Interesting enough that I am eager to continue the story into book two. It is a series with book number six coming out in early 2018. From what I have gathered, it will be packed with historical facts even though this first book didn't have much history in the mix. It read more like a good western. I highly recommend this book and I will be keeping an eye on this series and author.

This took me a while to get into - it was nearly half way through before I felt like it really captured me. I’m not sure if that was the book or just me because it was very well written. I just didn’t find the characters and plot very interesting at first. But once it started to pick up, it became hard to put down and I wound up enjoying it.

In 1879, silver fever burns hot in Leadville, Colorado. Unfortunately for Joe Rose, an assayer of precious metals, his body is found trampled behind Inez Stannert's saloon. Educated on the East Coast, she eloped with a gambling man who has disappeared. Most of the townsfolk, including Inez's business partner, Abe Jackson, dismiss Joe's death as an accident. When Joe's widow Emma asks Inez to settle Joe's affairs, Inez agrees and uncovers skewed assays, bogus greenbacks, and blackmail, leading her to believe that Joe was murdered. Was he killed over money or for purely personal motives? An interesting novel that is fairly predictable, but still enjoyable to read.

~4.5 stars rounded up.

It's not often that a book does a lot of world building and has plot lines that do not really go anywhere but that makes the world seem more real. There are many fleshed out characters who add to the mystery but like real life, they may end up at a dead end, and that's fantastic, especially if this is intended to be a series.

The chapters were short, usually about six pages, which made the book go by fast. I enjoyed it and was able to finish the book in just a few days.

I have one nitpick and one problem with the book. SPOILERS if you need them:

SPOILERS!!!!

My nitpick: what was the point of adding Bat Masterson? It's a fictional story, why include a known historical figure into it when he does not even do all that much? To bring up a Star Wars reference, it's like when the fans go nuts when they first see the Millennium Falcon in the new Star Wars films. "Oh yay, I understand what that is, I have to cheer." It's unnecessary.

My problem: The story follows a strong female lead who is able to figure out so much on her own, but she needs to be rescued by her male love interest at the end of the story. Good job on figuring out everything and killing your captor, but you're trapped in a snowstorm. Please wait while the men the story (and your love interest) who solved the mystery independently arrest everyone and then rescue you before you die from the cold.

SILVER LIES by Ann Parker is a tale of greed and murder, set against the very authentic backdrop of Leadville, CO, in 1879, in the midst of its silver rush. Joe Rose, assayer and pillar of the community, is found dead behind the Silver Queen saloon, trampled in what appears to be a tragic accident. Inez Stannert, partner in the Silver Queen, isn't so sure, finding as she begins to look into his death that Rose may not have been as upstanding as his reputation indicated. Determined to do what she can for Rose's widow and son, Inez uncovers forces at work that seek at all costs to shut her down.

While set in a very real nineteenth century western town, Ms. Parker avoids all the Hollywood cliches of the modern western - no high-noon gunfights in the street, no white hats and black hats. Instead, she presents us with a setting that accurately conveys life in a silver boom-town, with all the forces - prospectors, assayers, investors, and those who seek their fortunes not from mining silver but mining the pockets of the miners. The plot is sufficiently intriguing to keep the reader guessing, and the characters are not one-dimensional cardboard cutouts. This is an excellent book for both the mystery fan and the aficionado of the genuine Old West. If it's on your to-read shelf, you're in for a treat; if it's not, you should put it there.

Very well written. Twists I didn’t expect and kept me guessing on a wrong path for much of the time. Fantastic read