Railroad Schemes

by Cecelia Holland

Book Overview

Crafty politicians, railroad barons, bank robbers, and bounty hunters just barely on the right side of the law are all on stage as the transcontinental railroad comes at last to Old Los Angeles.... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0812579003
• ISBN13: 9780812579000
• Release Date: January 1999
• Publisher: Forge
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 4.2" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

Cecelia Holland's tale of late 19C California

Railroad schemes opens as fifteen year old Lily Viner's abusive father Jewell is in cahoots with King Callahan and his gang to rob the railroad money coming into Virginia City via stagecoach, and they use Lily as a red herring to bait the trap. Things go terribly wrong, Lily's father is killed and King Callahan, the robber with a heart of gold, takes Lily along with him as they escape from the one handed Railroad detective Brand, who is bent upon capturing King and hanging him as a criminal. Lily and King's travels take them from Virginia City to Los Angeles, with glimpses at the Railroad barons, crooked politics, life in the Hispanic community and more as the author paints an entertaining look at the old west and California before the Southern Pacific Railroad came and changed life forever. King was the perfect foil for Lily as the crook with the heart of gold and Brand a perfectly rotten villain of the piece. I found Lily to be highly engaging and I especially loved how the author brought in Lily's love of books as a way of bringing her character to life - those references to Villette, Wuthering Heights, Great Expectations and more added the perfect extra touch. While not quite up to a five star read, this was a very quick, albeit enjoyable tale, and I am very much looking forward to reading part II of her story in Lily Nevada. Four stars.

GREAT BOOK!!

This book is a really great read!! Cecelia Holland has done it again with a very, very good book with likeable characters that you hate to leave when the book ends!! The story is about Lily Viner, the daughter of an outlaw. When Lily's father is killed by the railroad villian Brand, she is taken care of by King Callahan who is an outlaw and it very set against the railroads. King eventually becomes sort of a father to Lilly and helps her try to hide from Brand but Brand, of course, finds them and adventure follows!! A SUPER READ!!

KOOL

This book is good. it is about an abused crook's daughter. she has it rough. When her dad dies everything changes. She has to go on a mission that her father told her too. know she is on a train with a one armed man. She wants to hate him but her emotions are powerful. this is a GR8 book!!!

Pure California Gold!

I agree with the other reviewer for this book. This was one of the best, most engrossing novels I've read in years. Ms. Holland transports the reader back in time to a newly evolving Los Angeles. Lily Viner is an incredibly strong, immensely enjoyable heroine. I have never read a book where I've yearned for a copy of the sequel so much (sorry, Gone With The Wind fans).

Exellent! Can't wait for the sequel.

This book was one of the best books that I have ever read. I kept telling my older sister all about it and was afraid that I was talking way too much. Cecelia Holland did a very good third person narrative and created very likeable charachters that you quikly get attached to. It is the story of Lily Viner, an outlaw's daughter, and King Callahan. When her father is murdered by Brand, an outlaw who is all for the Railroad, she is taken under the wing of King, also an outlaw, who is very much against the Railroad being established. King takes Lily to Los Angeles to hide from Brand. They end up staying with Serafa, whose husband (now dead) used to be King's partner. King of course falls in love with Serafa, and becomes the father of Lily. But they can't hide from Brand forever.