One Eyed Jacks — Bob Cherry

One Eyed Jacks is a riveting narrative that spans four decades in the lives of a group of raucous Texans in the late 1800's and early 20th century. Charismatic Phineas Farrow enters the dreary lives of Marvin G. Crush and the wealthy local widow, Stella Villard. Marvin has long felt a deep but unrequited love for this local beauty, but unknown to Marvin, she now seems to be drawn to the newly arrived Phineas instead. The three do finally agree to join forces in an outrageous scheme to bring economic wealth to their dying little railroad community, isolated amongst the searing sand dunes of far West Texas. But all is not as it seems. Through a tangle of deception, betrayal and utter failure, the colorful characters in the novel are propelled far beyond the little community and into a wilderness which further tests their Texas mettle, this time in a struggle for survival itself.