A member of the Native Syndicate gang is sent to prison for murder. After serving his time, he is released but not after being given a task from Michael Wolfe, a fellow prisoner and fellow member of the gang.
Just before his release from prison, Tristan Stonehorse is told to kill a member of the Manitoba Warriors, but given no reason except that the safety of his daughter depends on it. Since he had a reputation as a stone cold killer, he undertakes the mission despite being hounded by Sgt. Cody Preston of the RCMP. In addition, he has one last act of vengeance to perform before he can be at peace with himself. The mission turns into an ambush and Tristan leaves a series of bodies in his wake as he moves toward one final violent act that will pacify his demons.
DRINK DIRT, EAT STONE is a fast-paced thriller where the past is never really dead and the future rests on one’s ability to throw the first punch or fire the first bullet. The protagonist is obviously conflicted, sometimes abhorring what he must do while, at other times, he seems to relish the pain he inflicts. The characters in the book are well developed, beginning with Tristan, who weighs justice on bloody scales. Sgt. Preston is a streetwise cop who fits well into this underworld, unlike the stereotypical Mountie with a red uniform and by-the-book mentality. The back-story of Tristan’s life before prison is revealed slowly, adding depth to both character and plot as he moves through a world littered in deceit and moral ambiguity. As the story approaches its climax, the multiple story lines converge until Tristan stands in the shadow of his final target. The ending of the book may seem disingenuous to some readers but, if one takes into account the struggle between right and wrong taking place within Tristan’s mind, the outcome is more believable. Above all, despite the labels placed on him, Tristan is first and foremost a member of the First Nations, Canada’s native people, and comports himself as one.
DRINK DIRT, EAT STONE is a gripping and well-written story of a man seeking to leave the violence of his past behind.
~IndieReader.