Finding Mr. Sunday

Surely, this book has shades of Louis L’Amour—the detail that reflects extensive research or first-hand knowledge. It also calls forth Zane Grey, with its narrative and story lines. To me, it brought back memories of Gunsmoke and Wagon Train, Jimmy Stewart, Robert Mitchum, and, more currently, a young Tom Selleck. But this book is more than a “Western” novel or a cowboy movie. The story of mid-nineteenth-century America, it took me from Missouri to San Francisco right along with Will Sunday, Kate and Mary Nel Daniels, Ish and Maggie, Hank and Rio—good, honest, hardworking, and, mostly, likable characters. I wanted them to be safe, to be loved, and to make it to California. Through this narrative about Will and his friends, the real story about going West unfolds. It’s not a nail-biting, danger-at-every-turn pulpy work. It is a solid, deliberate story about people, moving through a certain time and certain places and struggling with whatever life brings. So, Finding Mr. Sunday is good historical fiction that tells and teaches but is easy on the heart. I would have given it five stars, but, like many first novels, it drags a bit in the details, which ironically serve to make the times, places, and characters more true to life.

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this western novel that covers travel by wagon train back in the late 1860’s and early 1870’s from Independence, Missouri to an ultimate trail’s end in California. The story begins as Mr. William Sunday and his young son, Will Sunday, leave Petersburg, Virginia. My hometown, and they travel to St. Louis, Missouri on their way to California. Young Will Sunday suffered a broken leg after being kicked by a mule in St. Louis. Will’s Dad left his young son with a gunsmith, an old family friend, and headed to California. Will grew up in St. Luis and was cared for as if he were the son of the gunsmith. Will headed for California on his own. He was severely injured on the trail and was cared for by a young widow and her young daughter. Will, the widow and her daughter and an older couple that worked for the widow travel in a wagon train going west. There is a lot of western-cowboy action through the book. The reader will find that it is difficult to put down. I wish I had the stamina to read it all the way through in one sitting. I recommend this book. It is filled with action and western adventure. It is very obvious that Dick Ward, the Author, carefully researched the geography and history and carefully planned his story line.

It’s fascinating to read a story about the settling of the West. How anyone survived is incomprehensible. The characters were fun to get to know.

Good relaxing read.