Mary Stevens was a typical eighteen-year-old girl, living in 1908. She was ready to graduate from school and start her adult life. She lived in Orderville, Utah, a community established for those who wanted to live the United Order. Four shots ended her life one April afternoon and shocked the small community. There had only been one outsider in town at that time and he mysteriously had disappeared. The community knew it was him. The posse knew it was him. But, if it was not him, could it be one of their own? Based on the shocking true story of a small town murder.
About the Author: Roger Blomquist Ph.D. was born and raised in the Wild West of Utah, Texas, and the deserts of Southern California. His mother and Grandparents grew up in Southern Utah giving him a special tie to this land. After working for many years as an architectural designer, he found himself dressed as a cavalry soldier in Johnston's Army. He was ordered to report to Alpine, Utah, to be in the film, Mountain of the Lord. That moment in time changed his life. He worked on many historical and Western films after that and discovered a dormant love of history deep within him. He decided to return to school and pursue an education and career teaching history on the university level. He hoped he would be able to spark a similar love of history in his students, as had been awakened in him. He then earned his bachelor's and master's degree in American Frontier History. While studying under the renowned Fred Gowans, Roger decided that since he could not afford the period saddles he needed for film, he would learn how to make them himself. Fred informed him of an old saddlemaker who had been trying to get him to come and learn, so he and Roger made all the necessary arrangements. They studied together under this saddlemaker and while in the process of learning, both made their own 1870's style saddle. Because of this, he did both his thesis and dissertation on these historical saddles and their makers. Roger then went on to earn his doctorate degree at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, which is one of the top ranked universities in the country for Westward Expansion in American Frontier History. His saddlemaking has continued and True West Magazine awarded him as the "Best Western Saddlemaker in 2005." He also continues to work in the film industry as a wrangler, actor, and scriptwriter/producer as the occasion requires. He wrote and produced the short museum film for the Camp Floyd/Stagecoach Inn State Park and Museum, which is available for viewing on YouTube under Camp Floyd: Forgotten City in the Desert. He also taught history on the university level for about eight years when he decided to turn his hand to historical fiction writing. He has also written a series called South Pass that begins with a family who suddenly finds themselves headed west with the first handcart company in history shortly followed by 1/3 of the United States Army to put down the imagined Mormon uprising. The first volume, Handcart Journey is now available and volume two is soon to follow.