"The events of that small-town summer forever alter David Hayden's view of his family: his self-effacing father, a sherif who never wears his badge; his clear-sighted mother; his uncle, a charming war hero and respected doctor; and the Hayden's lively, statuesque Sioux hosekeeper, Marie Little Soldier, whose revelations are at the heart of the story. It is a tale of love and courage, of power abused, and of the terrible choice between family loyalty and justice." not my review, but exactly what I would have said if I could have said it. A slim and deceptively straightforward book, without a word wasted.

This small book is a treasure - evocative of To Kill A Mockingbird and written in the voice of a young adolescent boy. It doesn't take long to read, but it will stay with me for quite a long time. The prose is spare, precise and haunting. I felt as if I knew the Hayden family at its conclusion. ( )

Hauntingly good. Burns a image into one's mind, leaving a shadow that lingers far down the road. ( )

At only 175 small pages, you might expect that Montana 1948 would be a simple novel of limited substance, designed to tell a brief story that could be relatively easily forgotten. You would be wrong. David Hayden's tale of a childhood irreparably destroyed packs a hefty punch, and gives readers plenty to think about, even after they have turned the last page. I have been fortunate to be able to study this book closely in English lessons, and have been impressed by the amount of depth and complexity that Watson manages to cram into such a concise novel.

To me, Montana 1948's real strength lies in just that - its conciseness. While it is reminiscent of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird in many ways, it is infinitely more compact and engrossing. While Lee's writing meandered (dare I say lazily?) at times, relying on the reader to press on through the story, Watson grabs the reader's attention right from the word 'go'. There is always something happening – if there isn't, the story progresses immediately. No time is ever wasted. In short, Montana 1948 could be called To Kill a Mockingbird for less patient readers.

Watson's style, however, sacrifices nothing for its succinctness. Most authors conjure up characters in a few words, describing them simply, as though from a position of relatively superficial understanding. Watson writes about his characters as though they are real people with whom he has lived for twelve years. There is something incredible about the way he breathes life into them, describing their idiosyncrasies, values, personalities and vices, as only someone who has observed them over a long period of time can do. I have come across very few authors who can flesh out characters the way Watson does.

Most of the time, choosing a book to read involves some kind of sacrifice. If you want a good page-turner, you have to sacrifice some depth. If you want a deeper read, you've got to be prepared to turn those pages yourself. Montana 1948 is a wonderful example of the rare middle ground – easy to enjoy and hard to forget. Definitely a recommended read.