as by Frank Scarman A Black Horse Western from Hale, 1997
Will Cantrell is on the run. Heading into Cassandra County to meet a man whose testimony might help him. Saving a woman, Libby, at the River Way Station he’s appalled to discover that she’s the wife of the tough and unforgiving Cassandra County lawman, Cates. Libby promises to keep quiet about who saved her but secrets can’t be kept for long. Cantrell not only has Cates and his posses after him but the U.S. cavalry too. With no one to trust, except maybe Libby, Cantrell finds deceit and danger waiting at every turn.
Frank Scarman (author Lawrence Robinson) managed to hook this reader instantly by providing questions early on in this story such as, is Cantrell guilty or not? Who is the man he’s going to meet and why would he help him? What will Cates do when he finds out his wife is covering for an outlaw? Even before the answers come Scarman throws in more questions that just made me want to continue reading to find those answers.
Scarman introduces some great characters that aren’t all who they seem to be when first meeting them. The book builds fast to its climax with loads of action along the way making for an entertaining and hard to put down read.
One thing I found amusing was how many of the people and places had names beginning with the letter C, don’t know why the stood out to me but it did.
Final conclusion is here’s one reader who’ll be looking for more books by Frank Scarman.
Coincidentally, I mention Laurie Robinson in the opening paragraph of an article on Western Writing I was asked to contribute for the August edition of The Author, the journal of the New Zealand Society of Authors (PEN NZ Inc.).
ReplyDeleteI mentioned that he was a reserved Christchurch businessman who also wrote westerns under the names Lee F. Gregson (the main one) and Tom Anson. When he died in 1999, many at his funeral were astonished to learn that he'd had any books published at all. His daughter said she was unaware he'd written so many.
So that means I have at least three more of his books - as by Lee F. Gregson - to look forward to reading.
ReplyDeleteWhether you read Scarman or Anson or Gregson - you can bank on a good story.
ReplyDeleteLee F Gregson's 'Braid' is recommended.
Ray
Braid is one I have Ray, I'll have to dig it out.
ReplyDelete