Death is a Grizzly is a western horror novel with adventure, gun battles, attacking Indians, and revenge borne of rage and helplessness. The great bear—an ancient species related to the modern day Kodiak grizzly—is wounded by a Cheyenne youth, the long arrowhead penetrating deep into his skull, but not quite enough to kill. The resulting infection drives him insane. During the cattle drive, the bear kills and eats some cattle. When the vaqueros go back to rope the bear, it kills and eats them also (Death is a Gambler). Bent on revenge, the cowboys sell the herd in Denver, then hunt the bear and set traps. But the bear is smart and begins to hunt them. Although the cowboys are well-armed and motivated, when the thunderstorm moves in after sunset, Mother Nature levels the playing field and the carnage begins.