Reviews: (by author)

Couloumbis, Audrey. The Misadventures of Maude March: Or Trouble Rides a Fast Horse. New York : Random House, 2005. $15.95

Not since Matty Ross of True Grit has the Western genre featured such memorable young heroines as 11-year old Sally and her older sister, Maude. They live with their Aunt Ruthie in Cedar Rapids, until one day a gunman's stray bullet leaves them once more orphaned and alone. To escape the not-so-benevolent hospitality of Reverend Peasley and his family, the girls decide to head south in search of Aunt Ruthie's brother, Arlen. So begins this fast-paced and often hilarious Western yarn, full of historically-accurate detail and slam-bang action. Sally narrates as the girls set out on their perilous winter journey from Iowa to Missouri. Along the way, Maude inadvertently acquires an unsavory and undeserved reputation as a dangerous outlaw which turns the pair into fugitives from justice. Sally, whose lust for adventure has been honed to a keen edge by her rabid consumption of dime-novel westerns, finds herself immersed in a real-life quest that surpasses even the fevered imaginations of her favorite authors. Maude, on the other hand, is a very different creature for whom life on the run has no appeal whatsoever. The tale provides a nicely crafted exploration of the sisters' contrasting personalities as they cope with the vicissitudes of the Wild West, complementing the exciting plot with well-developed characterizations. Author Audrey Coloumbis has penned a strong story with special appeal to young girls.

- Mark Janssen, March 2006

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