The Proving Trail: A Novel

I won't sum up the plot, it's been done several times already on this page. I love this book. This is L'Amour's writing at it's best. It's a coming of age story, a mystery,and a western all at once. Excellent.

A good read for a quiet winters day, not a real long story, only 277 pages. Good story that keeps moving along and has as many twists and turns, as the trail that the young hero takes us on. Line up your friends and watch your backtrail.

Proving Trail really does proves that Louis L'Amour was one of our great western writers. The story centered around a young man, Kearney McRaven who was told that his father committed suicide but later learned that he was murdered. His quest for justice, revenge and recovering what should be his' is written in a highly skilled and easy to read book by late Louis L'Amour. The story read very well, interesting characters that dotted L'Amour's landscrape as well as the plot that expand in complexity while maintaining an quick pace. I believed this is one of Louis L'Amour's better efforts. His diverse characters are better developed and easily blend into the story. Mystery, romance, gunfights, there are something for everyone in this book. I am bit surprised that there isn't a movie made from this book. The source material is ideal for a good western. This book come highly recommended for any western reader fan, mandatory for any Louis L'Amour fan and anyone who like to read an entertaining quick reading book.

When Kearney McRaven is told that his father has killed himself, he refuses to believe it. Though only seventeen, Kearney knew that his father would never do such a thing. Someone is lying, and Kearney intends to find out. Nosing around he finds out that before his father's death, the elder McRaven had one almost ten thousand dollars and the deed to a cattle ranch. Kearney is determined to find his father's killer, because it is now obvious that McRaven had been murdered. But it seems that Kearney must also solve the myster of his father's shadowy past, a past which involves killers who will do anything to keep a startling secret.I just love Louis L'Amour's westerns! With plenty of intrigue, suspense, action, and romance, for any L'Amour fan this is a must read. One of the best things I like about this book is the mystery. I love mysteries and "The Proving Trail" is very much a page-turner. I could hardly put it down so I finished the book in record time. L'Amour also as usual puts a lot into his characters. Characters like Kearney McRaven, Felix Yant, Laurie McCrae, Billy Jenkins, Ben Blocker and more. L'Amour wonderfully displays the different types of people who made up the American frontier.Other L'Amour books I highly recommend are: All of the Sackett books, including my most favorites, "Jubal Sackett" and "Galloway, "Westward the Tide" "North to the Rails", "Broken Gun", "Crossfire Trail", and "Comstock Lode".

The young hero Kearney finds himself battling against the unknown when the past catches up to his father leaving him dead. Who would hunt an old man?... who is the man who keeps showing up and seems to have hostile intent? .... and will Kearney come out alive?