Montana 1948 by Larry Watson

In Montana 1948, written by Larry Watson, the events that took place

irrevocably changed David Hayden’s life in several ways, both good and

bad. The novel Montana 1948, is written from the point of view of

David, the son of the Mercer County’s sheriff, Wesley Hayden and

features many events which are indelible from his memory.

The death of Little Marie Soldier, David’s housekeeper, was the first

event, which would ultimately change David’s life. After her death,

David experiences great discomfort in his own home, as he believed

that there was “death in the house” and that “every door seemed to

require a bit more effort to open and close. There always seemed to be

a sound – a whisper – on the edge of your hearing, something you

couldn’t quite make out.” The death of Marie also altered the way

that he thought about his father, in that before he thought that he

was not a true sheriff, saying that he “didn’t even look like a proper

sheriff” and that he carried “the wrong kind of gun for a sheriff.”

However, after Marie passed away, David went on to realise that the

“har...