The Prairie Dance

＂Infusing vivid imagery and fine detail...
...reminiscent of Louis L’Amour or Cormac McCarthy.＂ -IndieReader

Get ready for a wild ride in the Wild West in this literary western as two women, a determined young runaway and a rough-and-tumble former slave, team up to survive against all odds on the Kansas prairie in 1871!

Maggie Glass refuses to hide her mixed heritage and won’t be held down by an arranged marriage. But she finds herself stranded in the middle of nowhere when two dangerous KKK members throw her from a racing stagecoach. She must rely on her wits and her parasol to fight the buffalo wolves that stalk her. That is, until the cigar-smoking, saloon-loving, gruff Black Mary comes to her rescue.

Mary Fields is no stranger to trouble, but her luck takes a turn for the worse when she loses her job after winning a shootout. Out on the lonely plains, she encounters Maggie and the two embark on a journey filled with danger, outlaws, and a quest for differing notions of freedom.

As they journey through a world of uncertainties, Maggie’s thirst for independence drives her forward, right into the arms of an outlaw so dangerous it is illegal to apprehend him. Meanwhile Mary fights to stay true to herself. With their futures on the line, will they survive in a volatile world of shootouts and fast draws?

Step into the pages of John Rae’s literary western for a tale of inner strength, self-discovery, and the unbreakable spirit of two unforgettable women. Don’t miss out on this unforgettable journey of self-determination!

A deeply-woven novel within a novel, The Prairie Dance stitches together the yarns and anecdotes of several African Americans who lived in the Wild West. If you like free-spirited heroines, paths to enlightenment, and period-piece stories of inner strength, then you’ll love John Rae’s literary western.