I am forteen years old and in the 8th grade. I have read this bood and it is full of adventure, exitment, and history.

Fenady must be a big Humphrey Bogart fan. He has managed to capture the essence of Bogart's hard-boiled detective movies in this novel. "The Man With Bogart's Face" is a must-read.

Adam Dawson saw more than his share of action riding with Custer's unit in the Civil War. Now that the fighting and killing are over, he wants nothing more than to drift peacefully toward the West. His journey through Texas lands him in the path of Chad Walker, a man who lost his ability to care about anything as a result of the same war. Chad takes Adam under his wing, giving him a job at the ranch. Unfortunately, trouble follows the man who still wears the red neckerchief of Custer's soldiers. There Came a Stranger is an interesting read for the history buff and the non-history buff alike. His straightforward, unembellished writing style starkly portrays a fictional account of life in post war America. His characters' actions are well defined even through the difficult challenges they face. Their angst is palpable; the bleakness of the landscape and of life comes alive. Elsie Moyer

just a great book from fenady again. i've been a fan for years and stranger really hits the mark. if you haven't read his other books you should. nice, quick, fun, easy reading. something light and entertaining for a sunday afternoon. highly recommended.

The story is about a lonely man who after losing is wife and childrens after the war met a few people included three runaway childrens.

If I say that he's a bitter man and a strong man then you will know all about him because their's no more to it.

Mix that with a couple of thief staying in the nearest town waiting for stealing the bank. Add a whore and a banker and wait for a story that will begin only in the last 10 page of the book and you will feel like I did, angry that such a book had been written and more angry that people like Burt Reynold put their name on it.

And I was angry too at the reviewer who said: "An artful mixture of fact and fiction...with nonstop dialogue and much memorable character." What I have read is Character so poorly describe you don't care about them, they don't have any life and their story is so plain as to be a non story mix with a few war fact.

Forget it.

BOB ANDERSON - TRAIL DUST MAGAZINE

RUNAWAYS is not only a good read, but it also has all the elements for an outstanding family-oriented TV series! From the dust jacket: "Shad Parker was a sullen, embittered man who had lost his wife, children and farm when Sheridan torched the Shenandoah Valley. He had settled near Gilead, Texas on a hard-scrabble farm in the post-Civil War West...and the last thing he wanted was any emotional attachment to anything or anybody...not even a pet hound. A man with a NO TRESPASSING sign on his body and soul. Shad Parker has runaway from life, from emotion!

Enter the Coats children...young Austin, Pet and Davy, "runaways from the 'Faith, Hope and Charity Orphanage' who find shelter in a cave on Shad's land...until Shad finds them! He saves their lives from a rampaging panther and they in turn save his; still he will allow no bond between them."

And RUNAWAYS contains the 'evil element', too, in the presence of the Keeshaw Brothers...Deek, Tom and Bart, "fugitives who rode with Quantrill's Guerrillas." Tom and Bart break Deek out of prison and head for the town of Gilead...where they'll rob the bank on Christmas Eve!

Once the Keeshaws have hit the bank and all of their paths cross again, "Shad Parker, the Keeshaws and the three orphans...the love and courage of three children bring a new meaning and a new life to a man who thought he had lost everything...and a new family to three orphans who refused to give up hope."

This book is well-written ("Eighteen Sixty-Seven was a no-good time to be in Texas" and "The stars blinked down fomr the silent, black blanket of sky")...and the angle of the three children winning over a 'tough challenge' like Shad Parker literally tugs at your heart strings. And sets the stage for a face-off with the Keeshaws...and a warm Christmas-glow ending!

Fenady is always a joy to read. I have been a fan and friend for over 30 years! Like good wine, Andy had aged beautifully ad a writer. It's a tragedy that most movies, television and books today are not written for family entertainment. RUNAWAYS is for everyone to enjoy. You'll laugh and dry and have a good time.