Longarm #299

LONGARM and MAXIMILIAN’S GOLD
 as by Tabor Evans

Jove, October 2003

Longarm latest assignment sees him acting as bodyguard to an arrogant Frenchman, Marquis de Sant Cerre. Seems some French gold has gone missing en route to Mexico, and now Longarm must help the Marquis in his search. But before the hunt begins Longarm finds himself thwarting a kidnapping and fending off attempts on his own life. He suspects there’s more at stake than some lost gold but the Frenchman’s lips are sealed...

A plot of political intrigue gives the author many opportunities to throw in many questions as to what is really going on, thus hooking the reader into reading on to find out the truth. Longarm’s relationship with the Marquis provides moments of frustration and humour, particularly with their competitive pursuit of the women they meet during their search.

The writer paces the story well, building up to an exciting climax that answered all questions. His portrayal of Longarm was good, apart from him coming across as a lot more foul-mouthed than other writers have shown him to be.

If you enjoy Longarm books, or just want a good western to read, this is well worth checking out.