The Ohio River Trilogy is based upon historical events in the lives of Zane Grey's ancestors. Betty Zane was Zane Grey's first book and he published it using money from his wife's family. The novels are all set in the late 1700s during the movement of the frontier to the Ohio River Valley. Betty Zane was a resilient frontier woman who was beautiful, talented and skilled, and she more than held her own in a man's world. She was also in love and there is plenty of romance in this trilogy. However, the frontier was wild, harsh and challenging. The novels detail the skirmishes and bloodthirsty warfare that was waged between the Native Americans and the settlers. Zane Grey doesn't hide the cruelty and hatred felt so strongly on both sides. The trilogy offers a fascinating historical insight into the formation of the United States as well as a great read that will keep you intrigued and delighted.