Troy Madigan, the son of a Confederate veteran, and his sister Rebecca, grow up in 1880s Abilene, Texas. Rebecca proves at an early age to be a femme fatale and sets in motion the major events of the story. Troy, after killing a man in a gunfight defending his sister's honor, ends up in Dodge City as a cowboy. Eventually moving on to Wichita, Troy finds his calling as a lawman. Filled with rich historical detail and lively characters, Ray Renek's Notch hastens to a tragic and surprising conclusion.