The
Leadville
Herald Democrat
October
30, 2003
Silver
Lies
is story of
1879 Leadville
By
Jenn Wiant
- Herald Staff
Writer
When
Joe Rose is
found trampled
in an alley,
State Street
salon owner
Inez Stannert
seems to be
the only one
interested
in figuring
out who killed
him.
Joe
and Inez are
characters
in Ann Parker's
novel Silver
Lies, which
takes place
in 1879 Leadville
at the height
of the mining
boom.
Inez
is the spunky
part-owner
of the Silver
Queen saloon
who speaks
her mind and
isn't afraid
to fight for
what she believes
is right.
She also has
a tendency
to fall for
powerful men,
including
real-life
sheriff Bat
Masterson,
mine owner
Harry Gallagher
and the mysterious
Reverend J.B.
Sands.
Silver
Lies
is a fast-paced,
intriguing
murder mystery,
but also an
educational
look at historic
Leadville
and the mining
life. Readers
learn about
how claims
are staked,
what precious
metal assayers
do, and some
of the strategy
and politics
behind mining.
The reader
gets a good
feel for what
life was like
in a place
where drinking,
gambling and
visiting brothels
are staples
of life, and
death is so
common that
it is often
not thoroughly
investigated.
Parker's
easy style
makes the
novel easily
digestible,
and the large
cast of characters
and numerous
sub-plots
make everyone
a suspect
and keep the
410-page novel
interesting.
Well-placed
hints eventually
lead to the
killer, but
one moment
of foreshadowing
towards the
middle of
the book is
overly obvious
and almost
gives away
part of the
ending.
Silver
Lies
is Parker's
first novel
and a winner
of the 2002
Colorado Gold
Writing Contest.
Parker is
a science
writer living
in Silicon
Valley whose
ancestors
include a
Leadville
blacksmith
and a Colorado
School of
Mines professor.
Her grandmother
attended high
school in
what is now
the National
Mining Hall
of Fame and
Museum.
Parker
became interested
in Leadville
six years
ago at a family
reunion. When
her uncle
Walt mentioned
that her paternal
grandmother
was raised
in Leadville,
Parker immediately
asked about
the town she
knew nothing
about. She
became thoroughly
intrigued
by this story
about Leadville
in a Colorado
guidebook:
a gravedigger
hit silver
while digging
a grave at
Evergreen
Cemetery in
the 1880s.
He immediately
staked out
the graveyard,
leaving the
dead body
frozen on
top of the
snow until
spring.
Parker
had written
about a third
of Silver
Lies
and had done
so much research
about Leadville
when she came
to visit the
city for the
first time
that she "felt
like I was
coming home,"
she said.
After
that first
visit, Parker
returned to
Leadville
annually.
While here,
she chatted
with Judge
Neil Reynolds,
took photographs,
and spent
hours in the
library. Parker
was also able
to look through
letter George
Elder, grandfather
of local Bob
Elder, had
sent to his
family while
he was living
in Leadville
during 1879
when Silver
Lies takes
place.
"Everyone
has been so
helpful and
so welcoming
to me in my
journey,"
Parker said
of Leadville
residents.
Silver
Lies
is now available
at The Book
Mine.
http://www.leadvilleherald.com/
