MATAMOROS: Civil War Adventure, Romance and Espionage in an Old West Border Town by James Kahn – Action/Adventure Romance, Westerns, Western Romance

With the American Civil War as a grisly backdrop, James Kahn shines a light onto the real old West in his latest novel, Matamoros: Civil War Adventure, Romance and Espionage in an Old West Border Town.

The tiny Mexican town of Matamoros becomes a haven for traders, traitors, ex-slaves, and card sharks. Bring the war into the mix with Northern and Southern agents, both self-appointed and official, and the result is perfect for plenty to go wrong.

Clayton Wilkes owns the Brave River Gambling Emporium and can smile and shoot almost in the same breath.

One day he demonstrates his wit and daring for all to see as he confronts a man suspected of cheating at a high-stakes card game. In so doing, he draws the attention of a Northern operative.

Enter Isaac, an ex-slave and Clay’s closest confidant. Isaac’s talented and educated, able to speak the King’s English when called upon, or revert to slave jargon when necessary. After all, southern slavers and rebel spies lurk about in Matamoros and its Texas counterpart, Brownsville – and freed slaves can never be too careful.

There are fortunes to be made at the large shipping port. Those aligned with the rebel cause trade raw cotton to Europe and receive payment in much-needed weaponry. But they’re not the only ones making money. Clay’s riches stand to be boosted by the conflict flaring around him, including Napoleon III’s interest in conquering and controlling Mexico.

In the middle of it all, Clay’s personal life transforms with the unexpected return of his erstwhile partner in scams.

The alluring Allie, a self-made woman with whom Clay shares romantic but somehow inexpressible feelings, arrives on the scene. Allie employs her fascination with the art and science of photography, séances, and other con artistry as she and Clay try to get a handle on what’s going on in Matamoros.

In his varied roles as author, medical advisor, TV and film producer, and novelizer of iconic films like “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,” Kahn comes well qualified to identify and explore the dichotomy that makes the best stories even better.

The action in this broad panorama of love, crime, and war rises to a cinematic fever pitch as plot streams swirl and splash. Matamoros brings some real people to life, notably John Wilkes Booth, styled as Clay’s distant cousin. In the end, Kahn’s deftly drawn “postscript” begs for a sequel.

There’s nothing quite like a shady border town to spark larger-than-life characters onto new adventures. The ever-evolving goings-on in Brownsville on the American side and Matamoros across the river, in such tight sequence at such a significant time and so masterfully arrayed by Kahn, will excite and engage all fans of Americana, Westerns, and Romances. What can we say? It’s a thrill a minute set for success – and one book we can highly recommend. Matamoros won 1^st Place in the CIBAs, Laramie Awards for Americana Fiction.

One more thing, for a multimedia experience, Kahn has produced a Matamoros CD of original Americana music, each track about one of the characters in the novel. Click here to find out more.