Across the Rio Grande

by Edwin Derek

A Black Horse Western from Hale, September 2010

When Matt and his cousin Luke, a notorious bounty hunter, are besieged by the Mexicalaros, they know that they must fight their way to victory or die trying.

Everyone knows the Mexicalaros: the renegade gang who terrorize ranches and settlements on both sides of the Rio Grande are feared by all. Now, the cousins are forced to use that fear to recruit help from both sides of the border and to lead a counter-attack on the deadly Mexicalaros.

But will the Mexicalaros hit back? And how many must be slain before peace can return to the border? As Matt and Luke hunt for the leader of the deadly gang, the time has come to find out what the cousins are made of….

As far as I can tell this is Edwin Derek’s sixth Black Horse Western (there’s no list of previous books in this one), which have appeared sporadically to say the least, the first published way back in 1996. I have read, and enjoyed, his previous book, The Avengers of San Pedro.

Like Edwin Derek’s last book, this one features quite a bit of gun information, mainly the difference between Henry’s and Winchesters and how much better they are than Springfield rifles. There are lots of questions early on that will soon have the reader puzzling over the answers along with Matt Connelly, such as why would the Mexicalaros steal branded cattle when there are so many unclaimed animals wandering the land freely?

There’s plenty of action, particularly after Luke’s wife and her family are kidnapped, in fact the book almost becomes one long running gunfight from there until the end. All this is told at a swift pace and before you know it you’ll be turning the final pages, and, perhaps like me, hoping it isn’t another couple of years before another book appears carrying Edwin Derek’s name.

Across the Rio Grande should be available now from all the usual Internet sources.