That Girl Montana

About the book

Known as 'Tana, the young woman at the center of this romance resists the assumptions others make about her origins and future. Dan Overton encounters her among the Kootenais after an act of courage has earned their gratitude, while his eastern companion Max Lyster sees the country through very different expectations. Gold discoveries and the expanding railway bring opportunity, but they also intensify curiosity about identity, ownership, and the past. Ryan begins with a glimpse of later suspicion surrounding 'Tana, then returns to the events that made her a subject of local speculation. Her practical competence contrasts with efforts to classify or manage her. The narrative's portrayals of Indigenous people carry period stereotypes, even as relations across communities form an essential part of its frontier world.

• Independence and identity
• Frontier change
• Trust and concealed history

Why read it

The contrast between 'Tana's competence and other people's interpretations of her gives the mystery a strong personal center.

English Grosset and Dunlap text with the 1901 Rand, McNally copyright