All Around Me Peaceful
During an elk hunt, Becky Carlsson and her husband Finn separate and circle around to meet at an appointed time and place. An early October snowstorm comes in, and Becky doesn’t show up. Finn reports her disappearance, and a search team is organized by the county sheriff. Snow hampers the early efforts, but the search continues. Nelson gives four differing perspectives, not only of the search and the difficult terrain, but also of Becky and Finn as individuals and as a couple. Secrets are revealed, and speculation is rife. The sheriff, Becky’s sister, a wilderness expert, and a marginal friend all have their theories about Becky, as well as their struggles to manage their own lives. This novel explores the intricate tapestry of a small mountain community, where lives intersect, fracture, and heal.
Publisher: Delta Books, 1989
“But freezing to death wouldn’t be so bad,” Becky said. “The Indians believed it was the best way to die. If you could not die in battle, you went up into the mountains in the winter. When the cold comes on you, you feel weary and peaceful. Under me peaceful, over me peaceful, all around me peaceful.”
“Add Nelson’s name to such fictional chroniclers of the rugged West as Thomas McGuane, Richard Ford, and Jim Harrison.”