Saturday 30 January 2010

Sharpshooter McClure

by I.J. Parnham
A Black Horse Western from Hale, January 2010

Mike McClure had been a deputy sheriff for only a week when US Marshal Jesse Cole recruited him for a dangerous undercover mission to infiltrate the hired guns who were harassing the homesteaders of Harmony. But in a dreadful night of bloody carnage the mission ended in failure and with the marshal dead, Mike had to flee for his life.

To escape from the gunslingers on his trail, Mike holed up with Brandon Webb’s Wild West Show where he assumed a new identity. But no matter how successful he became in his new life, Mike could never forget the terrible events he had witnessed. One day he must return to Harmony and call upon all his gun skills to bring the guilty parties to grim justice.

What starts out as a straight-forward western plot soon becomes more complex as Brandon Webb’s Wild West Show is introduced to the storyline. Those who have read other books by Ian Parnham will be expecting twists to the story and this book has plenty of those.

Ian Parnham also has his hero horrifically disfigured, which came as a shocking surprise that added an extra element to the story, one that is used to great effect latter in the tale.

The book is fast moving, full of action and well-crafted characters – particularly McClure, who can’t seem to do right no matter how hard he tries. Ian Parnham creates a gripping air of suspense during the Wild West Show’s final performance that results in an exciting showdown.

Another book that proves I.J. Parnham is an author worth reading.

Sharpshooter McClure should be available now from the usual Internet bookstores or from the publisher direct.