Driven by poverty and high taxes in Cornwall, England, tin miner Bill Edwards heads for the gold mines of California seeking a better life for him and his young family.
Success and wealth seem easily achievable for Bill and his wife, Beth, as they settle in Grass Valley, California. Bill rapidly becomes an underground boss and earns money, position and power. Life is good for the family and Bill even gains a reputation as a skilled Cornish wrestler. Well-respected and motivated to continue excelling even though he achieves his early goals easily. Yet greed and ambition bring conflict, within the family and at work. Finally Bill murders a rival. Can he escape punishment this time?
Set in northern California, just after the American Civil War, The Gold Miner vividly reveals the tempestuous and colorful life during the Gold Rush.