In "Wild Thorn, Charley LeBlanc returns to the place of his birth only to find himself caught up in corruption and intrigue. The black sheep of a distinguished Virginia family, Charley has now settled in Montana to escape his felonious past. When he heads east for a brief trip, he discovers that an old mountaineer woman he has befriended is dead under questionable circumstances. Charley wants answers and sets out to find them.

He's hampered by a local law force that remembers only too well Charley's previous misdeeds. But he's unexpectedly welcomed by the richest man in the area -- and his sexy, younger wife. The deeper Charley digs, the more he believes the old woman's death is not what it first appeared. And before long he uncovers a devious and dangerous enemy.

Brilliantly written, with a strong sense of place and an intriguing cast of characters, "Wild Thorn confirms William Hoffman's place as a writer of rare and extraordinary talent.