HELL BOUND FOR SPINDRIFF

HELL BOUND FOR SPINDRIFF

By Dale Graham

The Crowood Press, 2017

When outlaw Denny Blake betrayed the Arizona Raiders during a bank robbery in the town of Spindriff, he little realized the storm he would unleash. Sentenced to twenty years in Arizona’s notorious Yuma prison, gang leader Smokin’ Joe McCabe has vowed to kill Blake and burn the town to the ground, renaming it Hellfire.

Escaping after only two years, McCabe amasses a new gang and heads for Spindriff. On the trail he encounters another prodigal who has run foul of the town’s spineless officials. Red Spot Rick Norton has his own reasons for seeking vengeance and refuses to join up with McCabe. A clash between right and wrong is inevitable. But who will emerge victorious? Harsh accusations and hot lead will fly thick and fast before the final showdown.

It's been a while since I read a book by Dale Graham, who also wrote Black Horse Westerns as Ethan Flagg, so I thought it was time to give him another try. 

Hell Bound for Spindriff is a fast-moving story that combines a couple of different plots that soon had me wondering how everything would be resolved. I’m going to be a bit vague with the reasons for Norton’s return to Spindriff, but will reveal that one of them is a woman, a young lady he intended to marry but finds she is now engaged to someone else and she has nothing but hate for him. 

Dale Graham creates an impending sense of doom over the town and its citizens. These townsfolk won’t be any match for McCabe and his gang. Will Norton help them? Why should he though as nearly everyone wants him out of town. It seems Norton’s only friend is the retired lawman, Cody Saggart and he’s beginning to doubt Norton. 

The author includes plenty of action and a couple of twists before the story comes to a satisfying conclusion. 

American readers can get a copy here

British readers can get a copy here

Bitter Trail

By Dale Graham

Hale, January 2014

Lazy Jake Fontelle and his partner have gone into the freighting business. Approaching El Paso, they have no idea of the trouble they will encounter after coming to the aid of a dying Mexican. Before succumbing to his injuries, the grandee gives them a map detailing the location of an icon that was worn by the legendary Aztec leader, Montezuma. A secret revolutionary group has sworn to overthrow the Mexican government and he who wears the headdress will wield the power.

Can one man thwart their deadly ambition when others are intent on securing the priceless object for their own greedy desires? Outlaw Crazy Dog Charlie Moon has inadvertently stumbled upon the treasure seekers but, after a bloody showdown, will he emerge victorious?

Dale Graham brings four groups of people together on a collision course that sees mistaken identities leading to confusion and opportunities to get rich quick if your wits are fast enough and your gun hand even faster. Fontelle is also tempted by the fortune the headdress could offer but can the allure of a stunning woman offer more?

It would seem Dale Graham likes colourful names such as Lazy Jake and Crazy Dog as other characters have similar monikers too. He also uses many terms to describe people including a couple that don’t turn up in westerns that often; dude and dame – words that were around at the time but perhaps not used in the way they are here. Still these terms don’t detract from the tale which provides plenty of action, a deadly double-cross, and an intriguing storyline.

Dale Graham also writes Black Horse Westerns as Ethan Flagg and has had more than twenty-five published under both these names with more to come. 

Bitter Trail Amazon.com
Bitter Trail (Black Horse Western) Amazon.co.uk

Gunsmoke Over New Mexico

By Dale Graham

Hale, December 2011

Nobody in the town of Tularosa is aware of the secret harboured by the proprietor of the local firearms store. The truth is that Sol Henshaw has never fired a gun in his life. All that changes when the infamous Clanton Gang rob the bank in the sleepy New Mexico town.

Instinctively, Sol grabs the nearest revolver and runs into the street. A lucky shot kills the gang leader thus foiling the theft. Revered as a hero, Sol’s picture is splashed across the front page of the Tularosa Tribune. The hot-headed younger brother of Rafe Clanton also sees it and wants revenge.

But all does not go according to plan and innocent victims are placed in the firing line. How can Sol Henshaw save his family and bring the gang to justice? Much blood will be spilled before the final denouement.

Dale Graham, who also writes under the pseudonym of Ethan Flagg, has written another fast paced and exciting story in this, his nineteenth book. The tale really shows how the press can be as much of a problem as the events it reports on.

Character studies are excellent, particularly those of Sol and his family. The gambler, Iron Mike Steel, hired to be Tularosa’s new lawman, is another memorable character, as are the various gang members.

There’s plenty of gun action before the final showdown that sees Sol Henshaw deciding to make the ultimate sacrifice, whether he dies or lives is something I’m not going to reveal here, I’ll just say that I think most western fans will enjoy reading this book and be thoroughly entertained whilst finding out.

This book is officially released today, and if you want a copy I’d suggest you grab one quickly as BHW tend to sell out fast.

Duel at Del Norte

By Ethan Flagg

A Black Horse Western from Hale, January 2011

Russ Wikeley settles in the boom town of Del Norte, South Dakota, hoping to erase the memory of a sordid past, and after foiling a bank robbery he is persuaded to stand for sheriff in the forthcoming elections. However, a scheming gang boss by the name of Diamond Jim Stoner wants his own man to become sheriff and when he discovers Russ’s secret he is quick to spill the truth.

Stoner’s plan backfires but he is not prepared to give up that easily. Not to be thwarted in his plan to take over the town, Stoner hatches a new scheme to frame his adversary for robbery and murder.

Will Stoner’s dastardly plan succeed? And is Russ prepared to lie down and play dead? Both men are full of determination…but only one can be the victor in the final duel on the streets of Del Norte.

Like the previous book I read by this author this one reinforces my belief that he likes giving his characters colourful names. Here we get Blackfoot Reno, The Kansas Kid, Cimarron Charley, The Sagebrush Kid, and so it goes on.

The book is very readable, and Flagg crams a lot in. Time passes very quickly – in some cases months fly by in a couple of paragraphs, meaning you have to pay attention or you could find yourself wondering how things progressed so far in only a matter of pages.

Some of the situations Wikeley finds himself in are a little predictable, such the time he spends in prison but having said that the story is entertaining. Flagg also throws in a couple of surprises, mainly to do with the woman who he’s dating at the beginning, as readers of BHW would expect them to end up marrying at the end.

The book should now be available from the usual Internet sources even though it isn’t officially released until the last day of the month.

Apache Rifles

as by Ethan Flagg

A Black Horse Western from Hale, September 2010

When Brick Shaftoe receives an urgent cable from his brother, he hurries to the town of Brass Neck in New Mexico. For it is there that the Apache chief, Manganellis, is being supplied with guns to terrorize the small ranchers.

Soon after, Brick discovers that his brother has met with a fatal accident and he is sure that this is no coincidence. Shrugging off his sorrow, Brick vows to find out the truth about what has been going on in Brass Neck … no matter how rocky the road is along the way.

Ethan Flagg sure piles on the problems his hero has to tackle, not only is there the death of his brother and the gunrunning, there is a bunch of mean cowboys, and a homeless Mexican boy searching for his elder sister. It soon becomes obvious that all these storylines are going to combine for the final showdown.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author, who also writes BHW as Dale Graham, and it soon became evident he enjoys his words. Here’s an example: ‘Hartley renewed his glass, then imbibed a copious gulp before answering.’ Now there’s nothing wrong with this, it’s just that it took me a chapter or so to get used to his style, once I did the book pulled me into its plot and I became eager to find out just what would happen to the many characters. The author also likes colourful names such as, Flapjack Turner, Jug Lassiter, Buckweed Jackson, and Bareknuckle Beesley.

Descriptions are well done be they of surroundings, character descriptions, or action sequences. The Apache attack on a small ranch being particularly effective. There were surprises along the way too, as in who was killed. There is also a neat twist at the end after the reasons for the ranch attacks are exposed.

Apache Rifles is available now from the usual Internet sources, even though it’s official release date is right at the end of the month.