THE POSSE

THE GUNSMITH

Book 33 of 486 to date + 19 Giant Editions

THE POSSE

By J.R. Roberts

Speaking Volumes, January 2014

Originally published by Charter, October 1984

What kind of men would trample a little girl to death? Only the worse kind of low-down, subhuman varmints – and that’s why Clint Adams agrees to join a posse to track down the gang of murdering bank robbers. But with a posse made up of a resentful deputy and merchants who don’t know one end of a gun from another, the Gunsmith is in for a lot more trouble than he bargained for – especially when he realizes the gang is heading for the one town in the West no lawman has ever entered!

Perhaps one of the more gruesome opening scenes to a Gunsmith book I’ve read and it’s no wonder Adams decides to join the posse.

All the main participants are well drawn – the robbers being portrayed as a bunch of double-crossing, savagely evil characters that had me urging Adams on to deal out some western justice.

The story is fast moving and is very readable. There are lots of references to previous Gunsmith books and this helps create a past for Clint Adams, fleshing out his character well.

The plot builds superbly and sees Adams and his companions facing certain death with no foreseeable way of escape. The method used to ensure Adams survives came across as a little unbelievable to me. A number of real people from America’s history arrive in the nick of time to save the day. Still, this provided an exciting and entertaining finale to the book that overall is a very enjoyable read.

American readers can get a copy here
British readers can get a copy here

WILD BILL'S GHOST

THE GUNSMITH 46
By J.R. Roberts
Charter Books, November 1985

The rumours are flying in Leadville – Hickok is still alive! The way the story goes, somebody else, and not Wild Bill, was killed by Jack McCall in Deadwood.

Clint Adams isn’t one to put much in rumours…but he’s never actually seen Bill’s body and he can’t swear that Hickok is dead. Besides, the Gunsmith and Wild Bill were great friends and if there’s a chance that Hickok is alive, it’s worth the trip down to Mexico to find out. Will the Gunsmith find Wild Bill alive, will he find an imposter – or will he find Wild Bill’s ghost?

This fast paced tale sees Clint Adams become involved in a Mexican revolution, or at least a planned uprising. The story goes that Wild Bill has been hired as a mercenary by the revolutionaries. Turns out those plotting to overthrow the Government are nothing more than bandits, but this doesn’t stop Adams making it known his gun is for hire too as a way to joining the mercenaries and discovering whether it really is Bill or not.

There’s a great selection of well-drawn characters for Adams to deal with. Gunrunners, bandits, Federal troops and an assortment of other toughs. Wild Bill isn’t the only real person that features in this tale, Luke Short has a part to play at the beginning. Then there’s the women, and there’s plenty of them in this story, all eager to jump into bed with The Gunsmith. As this is an adult western series the sex scenes are explicit. 

The story builds well to its final showdown that involves all the different groups of people during which Adams discovers the truth about whether Wild Bill is alive, is an imposter or a ghost. Of course, I can’t answer that here, but I will say anyone reading this book is sure to have fun finding out.

NAVAHO DEVIL

 

THE GUNSMITH 45

By J.R. Roberts

Charter Books, October 1985

It is supposed to be a festive occasion – the wedding of an old friend. And Clint Adams is supposed to be the best man – until the bride and groom are murdered on the night before their wedding.

Now, instead of attending a wedding, the Gunsmith is tracking down a chindi – the Navaho version of a werewolf. But this chindi is a man, cunning, savage, deadly, but still a man. Clint must find the chindi and destroy him – if the wolf witch doesn’t find him first . . . 

It’s been a while since I read a Gunsmith book and the portrayal of Clint Adams shows him as a much more aggressive, no-nonsense type of man than I remember. Not that that’s a bad thing, it’s just different and this harder personality fits the brutality of this storyline perfectly.

Navaho legend, ancient elders, savage deaths, sensuous women and a determined Gunsmith make for an enthralling mix. Add in the mystery of the Chindi’s identity and questions about who is digging holes, and why, in the ground of the property owned by the newly dead bride and groom and you have a guaranteed page-turner.

Bigotry is also a strong theme throughout this tale. Twisted words adding their own blend of harshness and confrontations as Adams and the Navaho lawman clash on methods and beliefs. 

There’s plenty of fast violent action as the Chindi tears its victims apart and Adams gets on the wrong end of the beasts claws a couple of times. There’s also a vicious surprise waiting that leads to betrayal and more deaths. The very end adds a touch of supernatural to the closing scene that is left to the reader to decide what the truth is.

The Gunsmith is an adult western series so this story does contain some explicit sex scenes but they don’t take up much book. 

Like all the Gunsmith books I’ve read this one proved to be a fun read that kept me entertained throughout.

The Scarlet Gun

THE GUNSMITH #44

By J.R. Roberts

Charter Books, September 1985

Lots of boys dream about being gunfighters, but when the kid brother of a pretty Irish woman picks up his six-shooter in earnest, Clint Adams is forced to get involved.

The Gunsmith is asked to find the boy and convince him to give himself up. But before he can that, Clint meets an incredibly beautiful young woman named Scarlet who is gunning for a rancher the kid has been hired to protect. Now, the Gunsmith’s good deed has drawn him into a dangerous crossfire – one from which he’ll be lucky to get out alive!

Like all Gunsmith books, this is an extremely fast read. It is dialogue driven and contains a twisting plot that moves forward at a rapid pace. The characters mentioned above are joined by a few others too, all with their own ambitions, and more than one dreaming of being the person who takes out the Gunsmith and thus enhancing their own reputations. As all the plot lines converge so does the readers anticipation for the final showdown that will see many of the leading characters facing off against each other.

The Gunsmith books are classed as an adult reading, which means they contain explicit sex scenes. This being one of the earlier books the reader will find a lot more of this type of action than in the later novels. The story starts with such an act, then the author lays out the plot, introduces the many characters and moves the tale towards the exciting final confrontation, all this takes up a good portion of the book. But, before guns are drawn in anger, the author inserts many more sexual encounters one after the other, not just for Adams but for one of the other main characters too. I’ll be honest and say I did find this a bit boring and speed-read these sections as I wanted to find out who would be left alive at the end, and whether Adams managed to keep the kid alive.

For followers of The Gunsmith series, this is a must read as one of the storylines seems to set itself up for a future book. Whether this happens I don’t know, but I certainly hope so and guess I will find out eventually as I aim to continue reading this series as time allows.

Long since out of print, Speaking Volumes has now re-issued The Scarlet Gun in book paper and ebook form.

The Ponderosa War

THE GUNSMITH #30

By J.R. Roberts

Charter Books, July 1984

They called it Battles Mountain, but it belonged more to the bank than to the Battles family. Now, they have to get their timber down the mountain fast enough to stop the bank from reclaiming the land.

Clint Adams is just passing through North Dakota, but when the Battles brothers help him out in a fight, the Gunsmith feels obliged to return the favour – especially since they have a big, good-looking sister. Helping to fend off the unscrupulous “banker,” Clint comes head to head with a gunslinger out to make his reputation – over Clint’s dead body!

Like all Gunsmith books this is a fast paced tale that is dialogue driven. There’s plenty of action but it’s the showdown between Adams and the gunslinger, Wallmann, that provides the tension and anticipation that kept me turning the pages.

The author also manages to include a lot of information about the timber business and the various jobs that have to be done to get the trees down the mountain. None of this comes over as if you’re reading a how-to manual but as a natural part of the story that provides knowledge to the inquisitive Clint Adams.

With this book being part of an adult series there are a few explicit sexual encounters, but these are easily skipped if you don’t like to read this kind of thing and doing so won’t ruin the story. And this is certainly a very enjoyable tale that finishes with a neat ending as Wallmann and Adams come face-to-face.

The Legend of Roxy Doyle

LADY GUNSMITH #1

By J.R. Roberts

Speaking Volumes, February 2017

Roxanne Louise Doyle, is Lady Gunsmith, the daughter of Gavin Doyle. The early legend of Roxy Doyle begins when her mother is killed on a wagon train, leaving her father to raise and care for his little girl. Before her father disappears, he leaves his daughter to be raised by a Mormon family. At age fifteen, Roxy leaves her foster family to find her father. In time she learns the hard truth that her father has become a famed bounty hunter who is now thought to be dead.

Roxy continues her relentless search and at age twenty she meets the famous Gunsmith, Clint Adams, who trains her as a gunfighter. Still searching for her father, Roxy meets the notorious Belle Starr and her handsome husband, Sam. Together they fall into an intrigue involving other legends of the West. Does Lady Gunsmith find her father? Does she live up to her legend with a gun in the final draw?

With over four hundred books published in The Gunsmith series it would be hard to believe that there aren’t any fans of the western genre that have not come across the author name of J.R. Roberts, or don’t know that it’s a pseudonym used by Robert J. Randisi who has authored more than five hundred published books. Now he turns his attention to a series featuring a heroine, Roxy Doyle.

Fans of the already mention Gunsmith series will have to add this book to their reading list as Clint Adams features quite prominently in this book, and it’s due to the tag of Lady Gunsmith that Adams decides to teach Roxy the art of using a handgun effectively. The story starts earlier than this though, and like any origin tale, often jumps back in time to tell of Roxy’s mother being killed and her troubled upbringing, and rise to legend.

Lady Gunsmith is classed as an adult series, and yes, it does contain a fair amount of explicit sex. What I found interesting is how Roxy soon learns that her beauty makes men crave for her and how this can be used to her advantage from an early age. This has a downside too, in that her stunning looks lead to a lot of unwanted attention that it turn leads to a number of deadly situations that are often resolved by gunplay.

Right from the start of The Gunsmith series, Robert Randisi, included many real life characters on both sides of the law, and this book continues that trend. I’m not going to mention who Roxy comes into contact with (other than those mentioned in the above blurb) so as not to spoil the surprise that is revealed at the end of the book.

If you’ve never read any of Robert Randisi’s other westerns you get what you’d expect from him, a very fast moving, dialogue driven tale that combines real and fictional characters in a plot that contains a touch of mystery that will keep you turning the pages and will leave you entertained and, like me, looking forward to the publication of the second Lady Gunsmith book, The Three Graves of Roxy Doyle, in May.

The Gunsmith is back in print

When Jove decided to stop publishing THE GUNSMITH series by J.R. Roberts with book 399: Death in the Family published March 2015, the man behind the pseudonym, Robert J. Randisi, searched for a new publisher so that the series could continue.

The ebook rights were quickly snapped up by Piccadilly Publishing and April 2015 saw #400: The Lincoln Ransom appear in ebook stores. A new ebook has been published every month since. 

It was hoped that a different publisher would produce paperback versions to tie in with the publication of the ebooks but for reasons unknown to me this never happened.

Almost a year later THE GUNSMITH has returned in print form. Published by Pro Se Productions books 400 and 401 have become available through Amazon in February 2016 (I’m not sure if they can be bought elsewhere). So for those of you who prefer books printed on paper and have missed buying your Gunsmith books in this form then what are you waiting for?

The Gunsmith's last ride for Jove

THE GUNSMITH #399:

DEATH IN THE FAMILY

By J.R. Roberts

Jove, March 2015

Clint Adams has always tried to do the right thing. But when he finds a toddler roaming a trail in Wyoming, he makes a choice that leads him down a path towards his toughest challenge yet – and possibly his last.

With the child in one hand and his gun near the other, Clint rides into a nearby town, where he finds a mysterious mayor, a sheriff who’s had one hard night too many, and a madam who’d be happy to start a home with the Gunsmith and his precious cargo. But a greedy rancher and his wife are curious about the child as well – and they’re ready to ensure he and Clint take a long dirt nap…

The last Gunsmith book from Jove (see below) has all the elements that have endeared this series to many, many readers, myself included. Short chapters broken into even shorter scenes that stick mainly with Clint Adams, but also tell what others are planning and doing, make it so easy to say to yourself I'll just read one more chapter and before you know it you’ll be swept up in the fast moving plot and then it’ll be impossible to put the book down before the end is reached.

The story is dialogue driven and includes plenty of exciting action, such as the Gunsmith taking on seven adversaries single-handed. Adam’s knack for second-guessing his enemies moves often see him one step ahead and able to deal with anything that is thrown at him. Why the toddler is wandering alone, and what happened to his family is soon discovered, as is the who put the child in this perilous position. But it is the why that demands you read on, and this comes as a shocking revelation, one I didn’t guess, that makes this such a hard-hitting tale and makes this a book that fans of the series should not miss, as is the fact that, as I already mentioned, this is the last Gunsmith book from Jove.

Like with many other western series Berkley have decided to cease publishing The Gunsmith series, but fans need not despair because J.R. Roberts (Robert J. Randisi) and Clint Adams are not yet ready to ride off into the sunset just yet. To explain more I’ll now hand you over to Mr. Randisi himself….

OUR MAN CLINT

The Gunsmith Continues

By Robert J. Randisi, aka J.R. Roberts

It was a bloodbath, probably fitting, given how long adult westerns and mens adventure paperbacks have been spilling blood within their pages.  But in one fell swoop publishers, with seeming disregard for the readers—or the readers that were left, anyway—cancelled all the Adult Western series—notably the long running Longarm and Gunsmith series—and mens adventure series—most notably, the Mack Bolan series.  This move, as of April of 2015, will not only rob loyal readers of the adventures of Custis Longarm and Mack Bolan, but will also put entire stables of writers out of work. Both series, along with many others, were written by multiple writers, having supplied work for many working writers for a good 40 years.  In fact, the Adult Western genre not only invigorated the western genre and kept it alive, but provided income for dozens of writers over the years. And now it’s the end of an era for all of them . . .

. . . except The Gunsmith.

Why?

Very simple answer. For the most part, the Gunsmith was created and written by one man. When Charter Books contacted me in 1981 and asked me if I could create an Adult Western series for them, I jumped at the chance.  I created a bible and, when it was approved, signed a two book contract.

 Then a contract for a third.  And then they called me and said they wanted to go into the genre whole-heartedly, and could I write a book a month.  I was 30 years old, had no idea if I could write a book a month, but I said “Yes!”

I started writing under the pseudonym J.R. Roberts.  When I attended my first Western convention I discovered what anomaly the Gunsmith and I were. There were several other monthly adult westerns running at the time, and they were being written by three or four writers under a single house name. A “house name” is a name used by many authors on one series.  My “J.R. Roberts” nom de-plume was a pseudonym used by one person, not a house name. (It was only after Berkley Books purchased Charter Books and wanted to keep the Gunsmith going that they asked if they could hire two more writers, just to build up an inventory. The writers were to be approved by me, and I was to own even those books which I did not write, and receive a royalty. It made me even more of an anomaly in the genre. Once we had built up a one year inventory, I went back to writing all the books.).

And I have done so since then, for over 32 years.  Gunsmith #1: Macklin’s Women came out in January of 1982, and there has been a Gunsmith every month since then.  Berkley Books decided to end of the run in March of 2015 with #399, and I was given enough warning so that I was able to place the series elsewhere and assure that Gunsmith #400 would appear in April of 2015, with no break in the action.  They will appear with a new cover design in ebook for from Piccadilly Publishing, and in paperback from Western Trailblazers.   And Our Man Clint will go on appearing in a book a month for as long as my flying fingers can flex. 

So to those loyal Gunsmith readers who pick up each and every month, you may continue to do so, with heartfelt thanks from me, and from Our Man Clint Adams. 

I should also thank Charter Books, where it all started, and then Berkley Books, which has kept the series going all these years, as we all move on to the next bend in the road. 

 

The Silent Deputy

THE GUNSMITH #385

By J. R. Roberts

Jove, January 2014

The Gunsmith is being followed – but so far, his stalker hasn’t shown any sign that he’s got a mind to kill. Clint Adams has no clue as to the young man’s identity or motive, so the only thing killing him for the moment is his own curiosity.

Clint’s chance to lay low turns calamitous when a saloon in Labyrinth, Texas, is robbed, leaving two dead and one wounded. Suddenly the Gunsmith finds himself acting as sheriff, and there’s a mysterious stranger keen on playing the role of his new deputy…

This book continues a storyline that started in the previous Gunsmith novel, Louisiana Stalker, but you don’t have to have read that one first to enjoy this book as J. R. Roberts includes just enough background information to explain what happened previously. Roberts expertly weaves this ongoing story thread into the plot of this book.

Like the majority of Gunsmith books this is a very fast moving tale laid out in short chapters, of which most are about three pages long. This encourages the reader to read just one more chapter, then another, and before you know it the end has been reached.

The main storyline is of the Gunsmith on a vengeance hunt, out to kill those who robbed the saloon and shot his friend, Rick Hartman. The straight-forward revenge plot is enhanced by having the Gunsmith’s stalker riding alongside him and further complicated by the reason behind the robbery and shooting.

Does the Gunsmith find out who the Stalker is? Does he discover the Stalker’s reasons for tracking him? I don’t think I’ll spoil anything by answering both those questions with a yes, but I won’t reveal any more than that.

Like many times before, when finishing a Gunsmith book, I was left feeling thoroughly entertained and eager to pick up another.

Louisiana Stalker

THE GUNSMITH #384

By J. R. Roberts

Jove, December 2013

Capucine Devereaux is being stalked. The infamous Baton Rouge madam is used to unwanted attention from the weaker sex, but one man’s obsession is unnerving her. Making matters worse, Lee Keller, the gunman she hired to deal with her stalker, has his own fixation with Capucine that’s distracting him from doing his job.

In desperation, the madam turns to Clint Adams to get both stalkers out of her life. Keller doesn’t like the idea of being replaced and plans to put the Gunsmith in Boot Hill. But unknown to Keller, Clint has a stalker of his own who’s trailed him from Arizona to Lousiana – and he won’t let anyone else kill his prey…

This entry in the long running Gunsmith series is a tale filled with intrigue as the author doesn’t reveal the identity of two out of the three stalkers until he is good and ready too. This is also the case with the stalkers’ motivations. Both these storylines make for strong hooks that defied me to put the book down until I’d discovered the answers

J. R. Roberts’ smooth, fast-flowing, writing style is a joy to read. His pacing is superb, both building in pace and suspense as all the story threads start to converge, setting the book up for an exciting conclusion as rivers burst their banks and Baton Rouge, and the surrounding areas, begin to vanish beneath floodwaters.

Most of the story threads come to a satisfying end but J. R. Roberts (Robert J. Randisi) expertly leaves one hanging that will be continued in the next book, The Silent Deputy, thus ensuring I will be reading that when it comes out next month. 

THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF JAMES BUTLER HICKOK

GUNSMITH GIANT EDITION #16

by J.R. Roberts

Jove, April 2013

Clint Adams does not do interviews. So, when a writer from New York tracks Clint down in Denver for a story, he refuses to talk. That is, until he learns that the writer is looking to report on Clint’s old friend, Wild Bill Hickok – and to paint Bill as a coward.

The writer is claiming that most men Wild Bill killed were shot in the back, making Bill sound like some no-good snake. Clint won’t stand for Bill’s reputation to be dragged through the mud. He’d rather break his own rule and sit down with the writer to tell the true story, for once and for all. But to preserve the legacy of one James Butler Hickok, Clint might have to open some old wounds and share some tales he never thought he’d tell…

For all fans of the Gunsmith series, particularly those who’ve read the early books, this giant edition is a must read as it tells the tale of how Clint Adams first met Wild Bill Hickok.

J.R. Roberts switches neatly from the present to various times in the Gunsmith’s past to relate incidents in Wild Bill’s past that Clint Adams also found himself involved in, such as Hickok’s first time on Buffalo Bill’s stage. 

Of course the present day story has its own troubles as it seems there are people interested in the writer and the book he is working on, but why?

The story is told in the fast paced style we’ve come to expect from J.R. Roberts (author Robert J. Randisi), being dialogue driven, with bursts of quick-fire action. Chapters are short, two or three pages long on average, and switch regularly from character to character.

Overall, I’d say this is a book that should be enjoyed by all western fans who like their stories to contain real people and don’t mind a bit of graphic sex in their reading material. Me? I’m looking forward to the next giant and in the meantime will be digging out some of the regular sized books I’ve yet to read. 

Bullets and Lies

TALBOT ROPER #1

By Robert J. Randisi

Berkley, September 2012

When former Pinkerton Talbot Roper receives a job offer from an ailing Civil War veteran whose Medal of Honor is about to be revoked, he agrees to help his fellow serviceman. Some believe that Howard Westover’s medal was undeserved, but Roper is determined to track down the men who served with him and get their signed affidavits to prove that his Medal of Honor was earned…

But Roper’s journey is soon derailed when he discovers that two of his contacts are already dead – one hanged twenty years ago, one murdered minutes before his arrival. The men who served with Westover are being hunted down, and Roper’s increasingly dangerous investigation earns him the next spot on the hit list. Aware that someone has been lying to him, Roper can stay one step ahead of the assassin. But the question remains: Will his quick wit be enough to save him from the line of fire and secure a dying man’s legacy?

Readers of J.R. Roberts’ (a pseudonym used by Robert J. Randisi) Gunsmith series will have met Talbot Roper a number of times before as he’s often worked alongside Clint Adams in those books. Now Roper gets his own series and this should be on the must read list of all Gunsmith fans, and those who enjoy Robert J. Randisi’s work like myself.

Unlike The Gunsmith this isn’t an adult series, so should also appeal to westerns fans who don’t like explicit sex in their reading material.

Roper has to deal with an excellent set of characters, such as the Westovers, their lawyer Harwick, gunman Kilkenny, and old associate Donald White. It isn’t long before Roper is wondering if he can trust any of them, and this along with the undisclosed reason behind the removal of the Medal of Honor kept me glued to the book to find out the answers. Who is killing the men Roper is attempting to track down, and why? Was Roper or White the target of a sniper’s bullet? All these questions come thick and fast causing a lot of headaches for Roper as he tries to second-guess his unknown enemies next move.

The book is 268 pages long and they just seemed to fly by as I was easily caught up in the mystery elements of this gripping fast paced tale. Robert J. Randisi writes in an easy to read style that flows effortlessly, making the book a joy to read.

Bullets and Lies is a very entertaining story that left me eagerly looking forward to the next in the series, The Reluctant Pinkerton, which I believe is due out in July 2013.

THE CHINESE GUNMEN

THE GUNSMITH #2:

By J.R. Roberts

Speaking Volumes, December 2011

Black Wind, Arizona is torn apart with prejudice and hatred, fuelled by the greed of a ruthless town boss and his hired gunslicks. A nearby colony of Chinese immigrants, the hapless victims of violence, turn to Clint Adams for help.

A lovely Oriental enchantress persuades him to join her people – and to share her bedroll. So The Gunsmith will train the Chinese laborers in the art of Western warfare, until he discovers he has his own score to settle with the wild town.

The Chinese Gunman original appeared in paperback form in February 1982. Now it’s been republished in a variety of formats and the version I’m looking at here is the audio book. Although I’ve read many Gunsmith books, this, the second entry in the long running series, is one that I’ve never got around to before.

Adams runs into all kinds of trouble and intrigue in this fast moving tale. The main bad guy who goes under the name of Himself, turns out to be a worthy adversary. On meeting Himself Adams gets a shock as he knows this man, indeed this man has played an important part in the Gunsmith’s past, is somewhat responsible for making Adams the man he is today. The story contains flashbacks to explain this past, and this I found fascinating as it filled in a lot of Adams back-story, including of the time he was a lawman.

The identity of Himself is not the only surprise waiting for Adams as others are not being completely truthful about who they are. It isn’t long before the Gunsmith is suspicious of not only Himself but the Chinese too, not to mention activities within the whorehouse. So there is plenty of mystery elements to hold the readers attention as the story unfolds at a rapid pace.

The audio version of The Chinese Gunman is presented on 4 discs (it can also be bought as MP3s) and has a running time of approximately 5 hours. Each disc is divided into a number of short tracks so if you have to stop listening part way through it is very easy to find your place again. After hearing a few of these tracks there is a brief interlude of music that signals chapter ends. Barry Campbell in clear and easy to hear speech reads the story; he alters his tone for dialogue and often lowers or raises his voice to differentiate between characters.

Overall I found this to be a very entertaining story, and will add that it’s essential reading for fans of the series due to the telling of so much of Adams’ background.

Macklin's Women - audio book

THE GUNSMITH #1:

MACKLIN’S WOMEN

By J.R. Roberts

Speaking Volumes, December 2011

Ex-lawman Clint Adams makes his living as a travelling gun trader, a job which takes him all over the West. In a sleepy Missouri town he finds a trio of beautiful women who will do anything – pay any price – to be reunited with their former “protector,” Con Macklin.

The Gunsmith agrees to take them to him and rides out on the dirty and dangerous trail to Mexico. He delivers the women but faces an army of hardcases led by Macklin – who wants his women back and The Gunsmith dead.

This story first appeared as a paperback book way back in January 1982 and has now become available as an ebook, a paperback, and an audio book produced by Speaking Volumes, and it’s the latter I’m looking at here.

Mackin’s Women is presented on 5 discs (it can also be bought as MP3s) and has a running time of approximately 6 hours. Each disc is divided into a number of short tracks so if you have to stop listening part way through it is very easy to find your place again. After hearing a few of these tracks there is a brief interlude of music that I presume signals chapter ends – I didn’t have my copy of the original book handy to check if my assumption is correct.

The story is read by Barry Campbell in clear and easy to hear speech; he alters his tone for dialogue and often lowers or raises his voice to differentiate between characters.

As many readers will already know The Gunsmith books are billed as an adult western series and the difference between the amount of sex in this story and those being published today is dramatic. Gunplay is a regular occurrence too, with Clint Adams often finding himself outnumbered, his superb ability with a gun keeping him alive as he kills an impressive number of hardcases. Along the way Clint finds himself backed by his old friend Wild Bill Hickok and meets a man called Earp. There’s also a few puzzles for Clint to ponder on, such as trying to discover just what Macklin’s treasure is and where it’s hidden, along with what Macklin is planning to do with his small army of outlaws, and who is sending gunmen to kill Macklin’s women.

Listening to this story proved to be a pleasurable experience and I’m now looking forward to hearing the second book very soon.

The Mad Scientist of the West

THE GUNSMITH #360

By J.R. Roberts

Jove, December 2011

When Clint Adams receives a summons to appear before Grover Cleveland, he makes his way to Washington post-haste. After all, the Gunsmith is a man loyal to his leader and his country. At the White House, the president asks Clint to take on a job: bodyguard for famed scientist Nikola Tesla.

Tesla’s revolutionary research in electricity has caused some to call him a mad scientist, and it seems someone wants to put an end to his experiments. Clint heads to Colorado to meet up with Tesla, but it soon becomes clear that keeping the eccentric scientist out of trouble will be no easier than harnessing a bolt of lightning…

Right from the very beginning of this series the Gunsmith books have regularly featured real people. I’ve always enjoyed this and have often waited for each new book wondering if another would appear in it, and who it would be. Of course there have been many appearances by people who have guest starred in a variety of western books but it’s the less expected people that for me makes this one of the best series around that uses real historical characters, like Tesla in this one (another that has always stood out to me is #183: The Flying Machine – which sees The Gunsmith getting involved with the young Wright brothers).

The story moves fast and is told from a variety of viewpoints, even that of a mountain lion – this animal being just one of those hunting Adams and Tesla - this big cat being used effectively as misdirection at one point.

There’s plenty of action, of more than one kind – remember this is an adult series – lots of great dialogue, and a humorous scene near the beginning involving Tesla and a girl.

I’ve always found The Gunsmith books to be very easy to read and read this one in two sittings, finishing it with a feeling of having been well entertained, and wanting to start another straight away. Fans of The Gunsmith should make sure they don’t miss this one, as should readers who enjoy fictional books containing real people.

The Gunsmith #352

UNBOUND BY LAW

By J.R. Roberts

Jove, April 2011

Riding across New Mexico, Clint Adams finds over a dozen dead people showing no visible wounds. Disgusted by the scene, he rides into the surrounding towns, determined to uncover the identities of the victims and bring their murderers to justice.

But Clint’s investigations only raise eyebrows among the locals, who leave his questions unanswered – and brings him to the attention of those responsible for the massacre. People who have no qualms putting the Gunsmith at the top of a hit list…

I’ve often thought the tagline on the front of the Gunsmith books is a bit misleading: ‘The all-action western series’, as there is very little fighting with either guns or fists in many of the books as that tag implies, and this entry into the series is one of those. What it does have is an extremely well written sense of urgency, a fast flowing style that sweeps the reader up and defies you to put the book down before you find out the answers to the questions Clint Adams is looking for.

The plot is fairly straightforward. The method of killing the people Adams finds is not hard to guess when he discovers them, in fact the author tells us anyway only a few pages later. It’s who did it, and why, that becomes the main thrust of the story.

Once more J.R. Roberts presents the reader with a collection of well-created characters. This story turning up a very memorable man in the form of the hired gun that doesn’t want the fame he could get for being the man to kill the Gunsmith. He’ll do it provided he can keep out of the limelight.

The story is dialogue driven, and this provides lots of tough talking as the characters attempt to bluff and double-guess each others intentions. Of course being a book in an adult series there is quite a bit of graphic sex too.

Like many Gunsmith books I found this to be a quick and entertaining read that left me wanting to read another straight away.

Andersonville Vengeance

A GUNSMITH GIANT NOVEL

as by J.R. Roberts

Jove, November 2010

Giant edition #15

Commandant Henry Wirz put Clint through hell as a prisoner of war, and when the Union won, Wirz paid for his crimes with a public hanging. Or did he? Word is, the low-down scum is living in Frisco as a U.S. Senator. Now a fellow Andersonville inmate intends to get the job done right this time.

There’s no way Senator Winston is actually Wirz, but because Clint didn’t actually see him hang, he needs to discover the truth – a truth that will have the Gunsmith risking his life for an innocent man, or seeing justice done once and for all.

As to be expected from a Gunsmith book, this story moves forwards at a tremendous pace and is told in short chapters, many of which are dialogue driven.

The author, Robert Randisi, introduces the reader to many terrific characters and spends some of the story following their movements, and plans – although not all is revealed which keeps the reader guessing as to just what is going on, and whether more people than just Senator Winston may not be telling the truth as to just who they are. All these questions make for a very difficult book to put down before the reader discovers the answers in a race against time and an exciting final showdown.

Long time readers of the Gunsmith series will be pleased to discover that this story provides a little more information about Clint Adams' background, of the time he was a prisoner in Andersonville.

As always, once I’ve read one Gunsmith book I find myself wanting to pick up another straight away, and with so many in my collection yet unread, the only question I have is which one to read next?

And does Senator Winston turn out to be Henry Wirz? Sorry, that’s a question I’m not going to answer here, so I guess you’ll just have to pick up a copy of the book and find out for yourselves.

The Gunsmith #42

THE WYOMING CATTLE KILL

as by J.R. Roberts

Charter, July 1985

Along the Powder River in Wyoming the cowboys’ strike for better conditions has failed and now cattle are being rustled and men are disappearing, presumed killed. The law can’t find the answers. Clint Adams, The Gunsmith, rides in a saves the beautiful young daughter of the strike leader from being hurt by a group of toughs. Now Adams is caught up in the mystery of the missing cattle and once legendary range detective Heck Thomas joins the hunt the odds start looking better for the cowboys…

Once more a Gunsmith book that has Clint Adams meeting up with a real person from the history of the American West. Although both Adams and Heck Thomas are in the book from almost the word go it isn’t until near the end that they meet face to face to finally solve the case of the missing cowboys.

The book is told in the usual fast paced style I expect from this series, with very little scene description, the author preferring to stay with the characters and their movements.

Like most Gunsmith books I’ve read there is little gun action until the end, the earlier part of the storyline introducing the various characters and building up the plot. This all sets the story up well to finish with a final exciting confrontation.

A book not just for Gunsmith fans but for anyone who likes fast moving reads.

The Gunsmith #330

THE DEAD TOWN

as by J.R. Roberts

Jove, June 2009

In the middle of a hellish dust storm, Clint Adams is glad to stumble into Jasper, Kansas. But the town is deserted, except for one stubborn spitfire of a woman. She tells Clint about Jasper’s past, about the fatal mistake they made in hanging an innocent man – and about those who came for vengeance. And now the Gunsmith is going to bury the sins of the past once and for all…

The dead town of the title only plays a small part in this fast moving book, and has some very memorable scenes involving missing bacon. Once this mystery has been solved Adams finds himself helping out a woman – in fact he helps more than one woman in different ways as the tale progresses.

The story soon becomes a chase tale. The hunt sees Adams riding through various towns and meeting a variety of lawmen along the way. One of these has stuck in my mind, not least because he rides alongside Adams for much of the book, and sides him in the final gunfight, but for his name. J.R. Roberts (Robert J. Randisi) must have had fun creating this character, for this lawman has another job too, that of the undertaker, and his name is Deadly.

This book, like the majority of The Gunsmith books I’ve read, soon sweeps you up in the story with is easy style and dialogue driven prose, which once again proves why this series is so popular.

The Gunsmith #334

MESSAGE ON THE WIND
as by J.R. Roberts
Jove, October 2009

Clint Adams is travelling wherever the wind takes him when he comes across an unusual cry for help. A scrap of paper from a newspaper he’s never heard of is carried to him on the breeze with three desperate words scrawled on it: Please help us! Thing is, the newspaper is dated two years ago – and it’s from a town Clint’s never seen on any map.

When Clint starts asking folks about the mystery town, he can’t get a straight answer. Determined to get to the bottom of things, Clint pays a prison visit to a convicted murderer with a cell full of secrets. There are some hard cases who won’t make it easy for Clint to know the truth – and as he gets closer, the Gunsmith runs the risk of getting blown away…

Written in J.R. Roberts’ (Robert J. Randisi) usual fast paced, smooth flowing, dialogue driven, style, this book is filled with mystery. Who wrote the message? Why do they need help? Why does every person Clint asks about the town of Organ Pipe deny any knowledge of it when it’s obvious they’re lying? Is prisoner Joe Hickey telling the truth?

All these questions lead to more, and I soon found I needed to know the answers as much as the Gunsmith, which made the book very difficult to put down. I had my suspicions as to what was going on but each of my thoughts was proved wrong with each plot twist, such as Joe Hickey’s explanation of what had happened to the town of Organ Pipe.

If all these puzzles aren’t enough problems for Clint Adams, there’s the man aiming to kill the Gunsmith and there’s also a jealous man. Of course Clint finds time for some moments of pleasure with a couple of women he meets – after all this is an adult western. And after a tense showdown all the plot threads are neatly tied up, which leads me to recommend this book to all readers who enjoy a western full of mystery. Fans of Robert Randisi’s work make sure you don’t miss this one.