This novel
about the California Gold Rush brings a human aspect to the mad
dash for riches in the Old West.
Emily Fairfield sails
to California in 1850, expecting her lawyer-turned-gold miner
husband to meet her in San Francisco. Instead, she finds herself
in a lawless land dominated by gold fever. Determined to find
her husband, Emily meets an old man who tells her that he was
last seen at El Rio de las
Calaveras, which translates to the
River of Skulls.
“A wonderful story of a brave,
adventurous woman, her family, and events in the period which
spans 1850 to 1906. The author vividly portrays the events and
gorgeous scenery of the foothills in which she lives.”
– C. Leandro, family support
officer, Santa Margarita, Calif.
“River of Skulls
unfolds in an engrossing narrative of life in California’s Gold
Rush era. Careful research on the part of the author is
reflected in the story’s period setting and dialogue, fulfilling
the reader's desire for authenticity. The life of a gutsy woman
and her family makes this a page turner, right up to the end!” –
M.J. Post, artist and textile designer, Portland, Ore.