In the harsh world of 19th-century Colorado, just surviving your first year of life—especially in a high-country mining town—is nothing short of a miracle. Gracy Brookens knows. As the only midwife in Swandyke, a hard-won mining town in Colorado’s Tenmile Range, she’s seen plenty of kids done in by hunger, illness, the elements, and even their own parents. But Gracy’s biggest challenge comes when she’s accused of murdering the infant son of the town’s prominent mine owner. The Last Midwife (Denver author Sandra Dallas’ 16th novel) is part love story, part mystery, and all beautiful, textured depiction of Colorado’s early mining history. Richly drawn characters carry the story from its explosive first chapter to its surprising final line. Along the way, Dallas deftly balances the dark central plot with Gracy’s poignant history, dropping subtle hints about the book’s conclusion. Dallas fans won’t be disappointed—and those just discovering the brisk prose of this Business Week bureau chief turned novelist surely will be hooked.