THE RUNNING IRON SAMARITANS

By Barry Cord

Ace, May 1973

Wandering cowmen, Long Jim and Windy befriend troubled cripple Lincoln Fervans and his wife at the V Bar Ranch. Lincoln has received warning notes telling him to leave his spread. Fearful for his and his wife’s life Fervans sells the ranch to Long Jim and Windy and now they become involved in the mystery of "Miguel" whose name is on the note. The men must soon draw on every reserve they have to track down a killer - to save their lives and see the ranch is returned to its rightful owners.

Barry Cord packs a lot into the pages of this story. There’s an excellent mix of characters, all of whom may have hidden agendas, even the Sheriff. And what of the Englishman known as Tally Ho, does he know what his ranch hands are doing and are they working under his orders? Then there’s the ghost of Miguel who seems to have come back from the dead to reclaim the V Bar Ranch, and is pretty handy with a rifle. 

I’ve read many books by Barry Cord and have enjoyed them all and this story is as equally entertaining, perhaps not up there with his best, but very good nonetheless. The story is a little more straightforward than a lot of Cord’s work. It doesn’t contain as much mystery as others or that many twists to the plot. In fact, the reader knows just about everything that is going on throughout, although Cord does spring one or two surprises later in the tale.

This is also the third story I’ve read about Long Jim and Windy and I don’t believe there are any more. It certainly doesn’t matter what order they are read in. In fact, I’m not even sure in what order they were originally published. This one is part of an Ace Double and is backed with another Long Jim and Windy tale, Desert Knights, that has the same publishing date. The other book, The Coffin Fillers, I’ve seen listed as being first published both in 1972, 1973 and 1974. I do think it’s a shame Cord didn’t write anymore books about Long Jim and Windy as they are a couple of likeable rogues. 

Barry Cord is a pseudonym used by Peter Germano and for me he is certainly an author worth checking out.

The Coffin Fillers

 as by Barry Cord

Gunsmoke, 2004

Two old-timers ride into Apache Wells looking to visit an old friend who’s prospecting in the area only to be told he’s gone missing, possibly dead as his ghost is haunting the Mesa. Sheriff Caulkins is nervous as the bank is holding a substantial amount of money and he suspects all new arrivals as possible bank-robbers. It’s also rumoured that outlaw Bighead Nevens is aiming to steal the money. Then the sheriff’s deputy goes missing too. Another new arrival in town is Professor Eccleston, he’s selling an elixer called Tigro and has brought a real live tiger to help promote it. Looks like Zachary Stack, the town undertaker could have a lot of business coming his way...

This is a reprint of a short novel originally published in 1973 and is the third story by Barry Cord (real name Peter Germano) featuring his heroes Long Jim and Windy. I’ve enjoyed all the books I’ve previously read by Germano and had high expectations of this one.

There are quite a few more characters involved in this story than those mentioned above, most of who could be something more than meets the eye, and you soon start asking yourself just what is going on?

The fast pace of this intriguing tale drew me in and all too soon I’d reached the last page. As I neared the end I began to wonder how Germano could tie everything up in so few pages (the book is only 111 pages long), but I needn’t have worried as he did so magnificently, once again proving to me that he’s a writer worth looking out for.

Desert Knights

as by Barry Cord

A Black Horse Western from Hale, 1995

Windy and Long Jim weren’t looking for trouble, they just wanted to hand over a corpse to the local law. But the law in Goliath didn’t seem too interested, and when it turned out the dead man was a friend of Windy’s nephew, Quincy, they decided to take the matter into their own hands. Suddenly they found themselves in the middle of Mexican bandit, El Porcito’s, plans for a revolution.

From Windy and Long Jim’s discovery of a corpse strapped to the back of a camel you know you’re in for an entertaining read. Barry Cord (rn. Peter Germano) writes a fast paced and tough story that I found impossible to put down, in fact finished it the same day I picked it up.

As the mystery surrounding Quincy and why he was in Goliath gets more and more complex, more characters are introduced and it begins to look like Windy and Long Jim will never find Quincy. Even the local law want them out of town.

Cord seems to be a master of letting the reader think he knows what’s going on and then introducing someone else to further complicate matters. Here this is dramatically done with the arrival of Quincy’s wife Linda whose attitude is superbly written, her comments and treatment of those around her having me laughing out loud.

Linda isn’t the only strong woman in the book, there’s Maria, but what is her role in the story? And what of Felipe, the boy thief? All of Cord’s characters will play important roles in the outcome of the book.

If you haven’t read a Barry Cord book yet, then maybe it’s time you did.

 

Get a copy here.