★ Selah Award Winner for Middle-Grade Fiction ★ It's all for show ... right? That's the question Nick must answer. "This is an authentic old west ghost town, son. Around these parts the dead don't stay dead." - Sheriff Wyatt Earp Nick Caden's vacation at Deadwood Canyon Ghost Town takes a deadly turn toward trouble when the fourteen-year-old finds himself trapped in a livery stable with the infamous outlaw Jesse James. The shooter whirls, aims and... vanishes. Great theatrics, Nick thinks, except now he's alone in the hayloft with the bullet-riddled body of someone playing the part of Billy the Kid. By the time the sheriff arrives, the body disappears. Soon Nick is caught in a deadly chase-from an abandoned gold mine, through forbidden buffalo hunting grounds, and across Rattlesnake Gulch. Around every turn, he finds another suspect. Nick and Annie Oakley - both playing parts in this dusty Old West charade - track clues on the knife's edge of danger. Their understanding of the clues, suspects, and necessity for solving the case drives them into the shadows of mystery. Smiles, winks, and nods become the pair's stealth communication. Every stolen glance, every muttered exchange in the flickering lamplight, becomes a tender moment of friendship born of desperation. The closer they inch to the truth, the more complicated the case. Each brush of Annie's hand against Nick's sends a jolt of awareness, warning him that there is more -so much more - to this case than meets the eye.Will Nick solve the murder before his family leaves Deadwood? Or will the town's desperate need for tourists' income bury the haunting truth about souls, spirits, and the destiny of those who die? Complete the "Official Criminal Inquiry" to see if you can solve the case before Nick. With questions at the back of the book, you can fill in the answers while you read. When finished, your book report should be thorough enough to catch a crook! Parents can trust the Caden Chronicles to be safe reading for children. There is no sexual dialogue or situations, violence, or strong language, only a wee bit of humor and stories that point readers to the best-selling book of all time. Dead Man's Hand is an excellent book for tween, teens, and young adults who love a good mystery adventure.