Legendary outlaw Seth Strummar is the silent backer of a saloon-cum-brothel owned by his friend Blue Rivers in the desert town of Tejoe, A. T.

More a sanctuary for outcasts than an enterprise, the Blue Rivers Saloon attracts travelers seeking refuge off the beaten path. Here are three stories of pilgrims who arrived fleeing their pasts to find more hopeful futures.

In "Down the Rabbit Hole," Eleanor Hammond takes the train from Ohio as far as her money will carry her and walks into Blue's domain broke and hungry; maneuvering through the pyramid of masculine power, she aims for mercy from Seth's wife. In "Ladies in Waiting," Brett Cody, hired as a bodyguard, soon learns his new identity casts him as a hired gun; shoring up his self-respect in the face of his girlfriend's disapproval, he weighs their future in the light of honor.

In "Sweet-Talking Loretta," Loretta Rasch secures her place by claiming to be a widow; when her violent husband wrecks the establishment's peace, her new-found friends enclose her in a flawed web of protection. Realistic portrayals of brothel activities add spice to their struggles.

A western noir, The Blue Rivers Saloon is a new offering by the author whose work Kirkus Reviews named "on the cutting edge of new westerns. ".