In her new historical mystery anthology, All God’s Sparrows and Other Stories, Leslie Budewitz entertains as she educates. This collection is comprised of three previously available short stories and one newly written novella, all of which feature Mary Fields—an instantly memorable character with whom readers will feel an instant bond.
The first three stories were all originally published by Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine and each of them was nominated for at least one major writing award. The title story—”All God’s Sparrows”—won the Agatha Award for Best Short Story and is a great introduction to the character of Mary Fields.
Mary Fields, also sometimes known as “Stagecoach” Mary or Black Mary, is a real historical figure who is relatively obscure despite all her accomplishments. Mary Fields was a former slave who traveled to (and remained in) Montana to nurse Mother Amadeus—a prominent figure among the Ursulines—back to health after a serious bout with pneumonia. Because so much knowledge about her life has been lost to time, Leslie Budewitz is able to convincingly weave some fiction into and around the historical details that are documented.
Each of the first three stories is set during Mary’s early days in Montana, while the final novella reveals more about Mary’s later years in the Wild West. Readers will discover that with each of the tales, Mary is presented as a champion for the underdog—whether it be helping a biracial child gain access to education or aiding in the investigation of a death for one of the newer members of her community. Not surprisingly, much of Mary’s advocacy focused on improving the lives of women in the West—something that has led to her being viewed as a feminist icon.
With the evocative setting and some carefully chosen period details, Leslie Budewitz transports readers back to the past. With the lawlessness of the Wild West as a starting point, Budewitz highlights the many ways that Stagecoach Mary pushed back against the injustices of an unfair society, making people take notice of her—not because of the color of her skin, but because of the heart and compassion she always showed to others.
All God’s Sparrows and Other Stories feels as though it might just be the beginning of Leslie Budewitz’s exploration of Mary Fields’s life. Whether there are more stories to be mined from this remarkable woman’s journey remains to be seen, but until then, readers will cherish the opportunity to learn more about her while being swept away by these well-crafted and compelling tales. A historical afterward provides a nice conclusion to the collection with its goal of filling in some information gaps that are fascinating, but not central to the plots of the stories contained within.
BUY LINKS: All God’s Sparrows and Other Stories by Leslie Budewitz
Disclaimer: A e-galley of this title was provided to BOLO Books by the author. No promotion was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel.
