Crown of Dust

A “remarkable” historical novel about a woman hiding from her past in a hardscrabble Gold Rush town (The Washington Times).
 
The gold rush has taken hold of the Wild West. Pioneers from around the country congregate in makeshift settlements like Motherlode in hopes of striking it rich. It’s here that Alex, disguised as a boy and on the run from her troubled past, is able to blend in among the rough and tumble prospectors living on little more than adrenaline and moonshine.
 
Word spreads quickly when Alex becomes the first in Motherlode to strike gold. Outsiders pour in from wealthy east coast cities, primed to cash in on the discovery. But these opportunists from the outside world have no place in Motherlode and threaten to rip the town—and its residents—apart. Alex must fight to protect her secrets—and her life. And against the odds, it’s here, in this lawless outpost, that Alex may finally be able to find friendship, redemption, and even love.
 
“Beautifully written.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
 
“A moving portrait of outcasts and nonconformists who build their own community . . . Evocative historical background and thoughtful social observation make this a promising debut.” —Kirkus Reviews