GHOST OF THE RIO GRANDE

A Mexican ranch hand becomes a legend when he gets drawn into a battle with corrupt American landowners, Texas Rangers, and German spies in this historical novel set in the early 20th century.

In 1915, Fabriciano Garcia works on a South Texas ranch on the Rio Grande owned by Victoriano Gonzales and managed by his father-in-law, Casimiro Munoz. When four Texas Rangers approach on horseback, Fabriciano braces for trouble—they are known for their unpredictable violence, especially during a time when tensions between American and Mexican landowners are on the rise. The leader of the pack, Capt. Benjamin Johnson, announces his intention to commandeer the ranch, and when Victoriano protests, they gun him down. Fabriciano intervenes and shoots two of the Rangers dead. He has no choice but to flee across the Rio Grande for safety, leaving behind his wife, Manuela, and his two children, for now he is a fugitive and will surely be hunted down by vengeful Rangers. He seeks solace at the hotel of François LaBorde, a Frenchman and the employer of his brother, Carlos. Fabriciano and François become close friends—they both detest the American robber barons as well as the Mexican president, Venustiano Carranza, who opportunistically plays both sides. Fabriciano not only opposes the Americans and their collaborators by stealing their herds, but he also joins forces with François against German secret agents. The spies are encouraging Mexico to invade the United States, thus keeping America out of World War I, a neglected aspect of modern history astutely explored by Holbrook and Garcia. Fabriciano becomes a near mythical figure known as the Ghost, an indomitable warrior who survives and even financially prospers despite extraordinary odds against him.

With scrupulous care and impressive lucidity, the authors portray the complex political situation in Texas, a tinderbox only made more volatile by the intervention of the Germans. Nonetheless, this is not principally a political novel despite its political elements as well as the inclusion of historical figures like President Woodrow Wilson. Rather, this is closer to a picaresque adventure, one in which Fabriciano transforms from an ordinary man into a legend, especially after his attempt to intercept a payment of gold sent from the Germans to Carranza. Fabriciano’s exploits are as daring as they are implausible—he manages to weather the assaults of German U-boats and torpedoes as well as eluding American fighter planes dropping bombs and a troop of Texas Rangers pursuing him. Of course, this all becomes more than a touch unbelievable, even absurd, and the authors immoderately carry out his apotheosis. As François puts it, “The Ghost is going to disappear into thin air without being caught by the authorities. And Fabriciano Garcia shall be spoken of frequently as the man that became invisible and dissipated like fog in the morning sun, never killed or captured and having stolen a treasure of immense wealth.” But whether or not the authors intended it, the combination of rigorously documented history and flights of imaginative fancy makes for a compelling read, the former a genuine source of edification and the latter of lighthearted entertainment. In the final analysis, Fabriciano’s unlikely journey remains an enjoyable one for readers.

An enchanting blend of history and fantasy.