Girl with a Gun: An Annie Oakley Mystery

When a series of crimes take place soon after fifteen-year-old Annie Oakley joins Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, including the mysterious death of her Indian assistant, Annie fears someone is out to get her. With the help of a sassy, blue-blooded reporter, Annie sets out to solve the crimes that threaten her good name.

Fifteen-year-old Annie Oakley is the sole supporter of her widowed mother and two siblings. An expert markswoman and independent spirit, she hunts game to sell to the local mercantile to make ends meet instead of accepting a marriage proposal that could solve all her problems.

After a stunning performance in a shooting contest against the handsome and famous sharpshooter Frank Butler, Annie is offered a position in the renowned Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. Finally, she has a chance to save the nearly foreclosed family farm and make her dreams come true. But then her Indian assistant is found dead in her tent, and Annie is dubious when the local coroner claims the death was due to natural causes. When another innocent is murdered, Annie begins to fear the deaths are related to her. And to make matters worse, her prized horse, Buck, a major part of her act, is stolen.

Annie soon discovers that the solution to her problems lies buried in a padlocked Civil War trunk belonging to the show’s manager, Derence LeFleur. And so, with the help of a sassy, blue-blooded reporter, Annie sets out to find her horse, solve the murders, and clear her name.

My Review

I am a fan of the Wild West. I can remember reading some stories about Annie Oakley. I used to pretend that I was her. Thus I was excited to read this book. After reading this book, I do have to comment and say that I thought this was a quick and nice read.

The author did a good job of stay true for the most part about Annie Oakley. She was a favorite for me in this book. Although, she was not the only one. There is Buffalo Bill and love interest Frank Butler. For the time period of this story and the characters; I did enjoy this book. However, I felt that the mystery aspect of the story was a bit weak. I had no strong reactions to things that transpired within the story. This is where I did want a bigger "bang". Final thoughts: An enjoyable read.