Desert Reckoning: A Town Sheriff, a Mojave Hermit, and the Biggest Manhunt in Modern California History

Winner of the Spur Award for Best Western Nonfiction Contemporary

Winner of the LA Press Club Award for Best General Nonfiction

On a scorching summer day, Donald Kueck-a desert hermit who loved animals and hated civilization-gunned down beloved deputy sheriff Stephen Sorensen when he approached his trailer. As the sound of rifle fire echoed across the Mojave, Kueck vanished.

In Desert Reckoning, Deanne Stillman recounts a tragic tale, delving into the hidden history of Los Angeles County and tracing the paths of two men on a collision course that could only end in the modern Wild West.