"Brand of Justice" works on many levels. The main characters are real; Dub and Tinkey come alive on the pages. The action begins immediately, pulling Dub, Tinkey, and the reader into a quicksand-filled swamp where right and wrong easily become confused. The themes of friendship, honor, morality, our legal system, and strong egos fight it out throughout the book. Mr. Rude keeps the reader in suspense with Tinkey coming up with one surprise after another. The ending leaves the reader wondering if Tinkey has at last found the elusive sense of justice he has so earnestly sought throughout the novel, or will his secrets eventually destroy him?
Curt, I believe, has found his true story-telling voice in this tale. I hope there will be many more Rude novels of this caliber.