Name: Dead Man's Hand
ISBN: 9780310723448

Eddie Jones

When fourteen-year-old Nick Caden vacations at Deadwood Canyon Ghost Town, he finds himself in the middle of a mystery involving ghosts of infamous dead outlaws, disappearing dead bodies, and murders.

Dead Man's Hand

Lynn Braden

Nick and his family take a vacation to Deadwood Ranch, which is a ranch with shows and entertainment based on the Wild West. Nick is not happy about taking the trip, so as soon as he arrives he is drawn to a sports car that he hears revving in a barn. When he goes up to the hayloft, he sees what he thinks is a murder of one of the performers playing Billy the Kid. Nick reports what he saw, but the body has disappeared and everyone thinks that the actor took another job and left. Nick knows what he saw and once he gets the help of his computer crime solving skills, he decides to investigate what he believes was a murder.

Dead Man's Hand includes a nice mystery with lots of suspects and clues to keep the reader interested. There is also a paranormal aspect that keeps popping up in the story to keep the reader guessing. Nick is a fairly bratty teenager, who is not very likable among other characters who are barely developed, making it difficult to find a reason to enjoy Nick's pursuit of a possible killer. Overall, Dead Man's Hand is an average mystery with an obnoxious protagonist.