Belle Starr by Xavier Fauche

Why read the book?

Fort Smith is in uproar. Belle Starr, a wealthy and well regarded rancher, posts bail for every outlaw the sheriff jails, with help from a crooked judge, then recruits the freed men into her own gang for robberies and raids. Because of her good works and high friends, the town will hear nothing against her.

When forty horses go missing, Lucky Luke sees through the scheme and plays a bold trick. He gets himself arrested so Belle will bail him out, planning to infiltrate the gang and trap her from inside. The album mixes a real frontier outlaw with the usual cast for a sly tale of crime hidden behind charity.

Favourite quote

What I Loved

Belle Starr makes a fine adversary, a respectable face over a thieving heart. The con of charity covering crime is a neat idea.

Luke's plan to be jailed on purpose gives the story a clever hook. The parody of small town respectability and bought justice is wry and enjoyable.

Key Takeaway

A cunning tale where the lone cowboy plays prisoner to expose a charitable crook.

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