Amazon Dorien Grey's Web Page Category:  Western Publisher: Zumaya Publications ISBN-10:  139781934135334 Pages: 232 Copyright: November 1, 2006 A multi-genre novel (western/romance/adventure/mystery) with a twist--in thatthe protagonist just happens to be both a cowboy and gay. Calico Ramsay finds himself with the responsibility of escorting two 17 year old orphaned twins from Chicago, Josh and Sarah Howard, safely from the rail line's end in Ft. Collins to their aunt's isolated Colorado ranch. But things have begun to go terribly wrong even before the twins arrive, and it doesn't take Calico long to realize that someone does not the trio to get to their destination. There is enough action, adventure, and mystery to satisfy both diehard western fans and even those who don't normally care for the genre. The gently developing romance is non-threatening to those willing to acknowledge that every human being has a right to love and be loved. BRIEF EXCERPT: The train came chuffing and wheezing into the station like some asthmatic dragon, wreathed in smoke and steam. The great black wheels slowed wearily to a crawl, bell clanging in unnecessary notification of its arrival. Calico stood on the platform, watching the grimy windows move past.The train ground to a sqeaky, grinding halt and the clouds of steam slowly disappeared like ghosts at dawn. Calico tried to watch in both directions as the train emptied around him: men in derbies with long, straight cigars, cowboys toting saddles and saddlebags, gloved and parasoled ladies in frilly Eastern hats and bustles, ranch women looking awkward in their Sunday best, young children running and jumping and screaming in excitement either at the wonder of seeing the iron monster up close or in joy at being freed from its confines. People greeting one another, hugging, shaking hands, and milling around. Calico wondered how in hell he was going to spot two half-grown kids in all the melee.

Calico, by Dorien Grey
Calico, in the sense of a mottled or variegated color pattern describes the novel itself. For it combines the traditional Western with mystery and romance in an unusual but satisfying mix.

Readers already familiar with Grey's Dick Hardesty mystery series will find this new venture on the author's part makes for a darn good read; the middle section, about the trek across the dangerous Colorado range country, is especially a page-turner. Though already available as an e-book, it is good to have this revised published version.

Drewey Wayne Gunn, Reviewing the Evidence

Dorien Grey's Calico
Is there anything Dorien Grey can't write? If you like westerns you'll love this one. It includes a romance with, as Grey refers to it) a twist. The twist is that this is a gay romance and I have to tell you, no matter what lifestyle you follow, the growing love story between Calico and Josh is a thing of subtle beauty.

My feeling is that a love story is a love story, and this is a particularly nice one, with growing sexual tension developing as only a master of characterization could write it, slowly and with great tenderness. I doubt that many people will be able to read this book and put it down untouched.

Grey has managed once again to create a cast of characters you really, truly care about. This is Grey's forte; wonderful, warm human characters you fall in love with right away and never forget, even long after you've put down the book.

A brand new style, a great western novel, a whole new side of Dorien Grey.

Beth Anderson http://www.bethanderson-hotclue.com