Purple Yarn

A series of murders test the friendship between Tyler Spurlock, an idealistic lawyer, and Loice Eubanks, a county sheriff prone to quick judgments. Set in the West during the 1880s, the murders come at a bad time for the sheriff, faced as he is with political opposition in his re-election bid and problems caused by his wife. Although Spurlock indirectly aids Eubanks' political campaign by accepting an appointment to represent the prosecution in a criminal action brought against the sheriff's opponent, he does not hold back when he undertakes to defend persons whom the sheriff believes responsible for the killings. As so often reflected in his work, Goolsby employs realistic court-room drama and memorable characters to tell his story.