The Heritage of the Hills

"The Heritage of the Hills" by Arthur Preston Hankins is an early 20th-century novel set in a tough and unruly part of California. The story centers on Oliver Drew, a young man who inherits land called the Old Tabor Ivison Place after his father passes away. As he tries to make a life for himself in this untamed area, he gets caught up in the risky dealings of a local gang named the Poison Oakers, while his relationship with the independent Jessamy Selden brings personal struggles into the mix. The book begins with Oliver Drew traveling through a beautiful but dangerous landscape, finally reaching the small town of Halfmoon Flat, where he sees a heated argument turn into a fatal gunfight, showing just how violent the area is. Shortly after, Oliver hears about the well-known Poison Oakers gang and gets a serious warning about the land he now owns; this exciting start gets ready for Oliver’s challenges as he tries to find his place in a chaotic world and the secret surrounding what his father left him, especially about his father's final words and the meaning of his newly owned land.