The Fugitive Trail

by Zane Grey

First published 1957

Amazon

4.2(536)

In the Texas Panhandle after the Civil War, a man accepts blame for a crime committed by his brother and becomes a fugitive in a region still unsettled by wartime loyalties, rustling and violent raids. His effort to protect his family leaves him living under suspicion even when his own actions are more honourable than the reputation attached to him.

The trail brings him into contact with ranchers, outlaws and Texas Rangers, making concealment increasingly difficult. The novel centres on sacrifice and identity: taking another man’s guilt may preserve a family bond, but it also allows a false story to shape every later relationship until the truth can no longer be avoided.