With a Kiss I Die

With a Kiss I Die is a love story entwined in the tragedy of the Mountain Meadows Massacre. Polly Alden, a young California-bound Arkansas emigrant, falls in love with Tom Langford, a Mormon boy she meets in the settlements of Utah Territory. Caught between the fear and hatred of the persecuted Saints for the emigrants, and the hostility of the emigrants toward Mormons who will not replenish their dwindling supplies, the young lovers defy mistrust and opposition as they aspire to a life together.

Follow the trail of the Arkansas emigrants and the blossoming affection of the star-crossed lovers in a compelling, engaging tale inspired by history—and the eternal conflict between good and evil, hatred and love.

“With his moving story of young love between a Mormon boy and an Arkansas girl, Rod Miller adds heart to a 165-year-old American tragedy. Set against the background of the infamous Mountain Meadows Massacre, With A Kiss I Die brings to life the chilling tale of one of the West’s most brutal acts of revenge.” —Sandra Dallas, New York Times best-selling author

“I like Rod Miller’s writing. He writes with assurance. Mainly I like Rod’s writing because he belongs to the “Go Big or Go Home” School, a curriculum I subscribe to, as well. In With a Kiss I Die, he tackles the still-sensitive story of the 1857 Mountain Meadows Massacre in nervous, riled, frightened, trigger-happy Utah Territory. Give it a read. Make up your own mind. If you can.” —Carla Kelly Winner of Spur, Whitney, and RITA Awards