Death in the Time of Pancho Villa, a novel by Sandra Marshall, blends the Mexican Revolution’s real-life people and facts together with compelling fictional characters and situations. The story takes place in the Texas/Mexico border town of El Paso, 1911.
Rose Westmoreland travels by train from Ohio in search of her missing husband, Leonard. His well-to-do parents are disapproving of a woman traveling alone, but Rose must know what has happened, good or bad. All Rose knows is that Leonard, an accountant, was sent to El Paso by his employer to audit the company books, and a short time later he disappeared.
Rose is fortunate to find a woman’s boarding house where she is befriended by the owner and another guest, a young Mexican expatriate. The three women plot together how Rose might find her husband. The further she delves into the mystery, the more complicated and dangerous the situation becomes. As it happens, Rose’s arrival coincides with a critical Mexican revolutionary battle that takes place in Juárez, directly across the Rio Grande River.
Rose’s investigation gets even more puzzling when it appears her husband’s reason for being there was far more complicated than auditing books. Drilling rights among competing international oil companies enter the fray and Rose’s situation becomes even more dire as she gets closer to the truth.
I very much enjoyed Death in the Time of Pancho Villa, the first in “A Rose in Old El Paso” series. The author weaves historical people and events into a realistic, captivating mystery. When I’m reading fiction, I always enjoy learning more about real- life characters and the author’s portrayal of Francisco “Pancho” Villa, a Mexican revolutionary general, made me want to learn more about him.
This sounds like another good book. I love reading about the early 1900s. Thanks for sharing your thoughts about it with us.
Thanks for your comment, Carmen. I really learned a lot about Pancho Villa. I’d always thought he was a “bad guy,” but he wasn’t. The author did a lot of research for this book, which i admire.
Yes ,there is something about having just enough factual information with a dash of fiction twisted in. This sounds like a good blend of both. Will add to my reading list.
I’ve always liked historical novels. It makes learning fun! Thanks for your comment, Judith.