When John Henry Doc Holliday died at age thirtysix in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, he left behind more than a reputation. He left a son. Would the boy live down the lies or live up to the legend?

Death Takes a Holliday follows Henry McKey Holliday s transition from unsure youth to confident, accomplished adult in the turbulent Arizona Territory of the waning years of the 19th Century. Henry is a young man locked in an ongoing quest for self and past while forging a future in a changing world. A stint in the First United States Volunteer Cavalry as a member of Theodore Roosevelt s legendary Rough Riders thrusts the youthful Henry into the Spanish-American War. Maturing is not optional, but obligatory.

Back home in Arizona life is good. Henry marries and raises a family, but violence intervenes. Rustlers murder three McKey cowboys, including long-time family friend, Texas Jack Vermillion. Devastated by the loss, Henry turns to the county sheriff for justice, but the lawman can do little. Holliday then looks to the Arizona Rangers, knowing their authority crosses boundaries and their tenacity, even so early in their forming, is legendary.

With his life in chaos, Henry s sense of balance is reborn with the appearance of a trusted friend. The future is out there, waiting. What it holds is up to Henry. As Doc Holliday's son, will he live up to the myth or become a legend unto himself?