Darryl Matter: 8 books

The year was 1873. Joe Argile was down on his luck--and damned mad at the world. He'd lost his last dollar in a card game and then, after an altercation with the bartender, the sheriff had told him to get out of town. The big Colt on Argile's hip had helped him out before when he was broke, and he saw his opportunity to rob the lumber yard in the next town down the trail.

Christmas Eve, 1932. Times are hard. Customers at Mike's Diner that night included a homeless man in need of a hot meal, a young woman with car trouble, and a discouraged young man who had just lost his job. Mike would do his best to help them all--and make Christmas a little better for everyone.

A small plane crashed in a remote region of the national park three weeks ago. No trace of its pilot was found. The plane's registration suggests a link to organized crime. Now three men are at the ranger station. They're "going camping." The ranger has suspicions as to whey they're there--but October is no time for inexperienced hikers in those mountains.

Two bullies have plans to beat up young Landon Jones on Halloween night, but Landon's pet crow has its own plans to keep Landon and itself safe.

It was a well-planned robbery. Carl would drive the getaway car. Larry and Tony would break into the convenience store late at night when it was closed and no one was around. They'd be out and away with the cash in five minutes. They'd done it before. What could possibly go wrong?

The year was 1921, and Sheriff Bill Brewster had a murder on his hands. His only possible link to the killer was a pair of blood-stained coveralls discovered in a trash can. Forensic science was in its infancy in the early 1920s, but in the hands of Dr. Winslow Tegan, the coroner, those coveralls would provide a number of clues to the killer's identity.

The year was 1903. It's near midnight, and Sam's Saloon is bustling with activity when a young stranger burst through the door. He's looking for the sheriff because he's just seen a dead man out east of town--and there's a piece of paper with writing on it clutched in the...

"Uncle Ezra," as he was known, the 90-year-old semi-retired cemetery caretaker, has one real friend--the cat called Blackie. When Halloween came around, Uncle Ezra would do his best to keep the vandals out of the cemetery. At his age, however, Ezra is too old to chase them away as he once did, but Blackie is there to help him--as only Blackie can.