016 - Gold

Set in 1871, Riders of the Purple Sage unfolds the gripping tale of Jane Withersteen, a wealthy ranch owner who finds herself at odds with her Mormon church leaders for defying their expectations—refusing to marry a powerful elder and forging friendships with Gentiles (non-Mormons). Enter Lassiter the archetypal Western hero, a mysterious gunslinger with a fierce sense of justice and an unexpected tenderness. While Lassiter aids Jane at her ranch, her friend Bern Venters embarks on his own thrilling journey through the rugged Utah canyonlands. This novel is a celebration of courage, romance, and the bond between good dogs and fast horses. And who, you might wonder, is the enigmatic Masked Rider? (Summary by Laurie Anne Walden)