Outlaw Canyon

By Jack Sheriff

A Black Horse Western from Hale, February 2011

Going home is not always as easy as it sounds, as Rafe and Seth Laramie discover when they fall foul of an angry posse. Mistaken for a pair of bank robbers, they are forced to flee a hail of bullets and hide out in the town of Greybull. There, they encounter the enigmatic Mort Sangster and use his cunning to slip away from the posse unseen.

But all is not as it seems. When the Laramie brothers follow Sangster to his cabin, they find themselves amongst outlaws who are plotting an elaborate crime. The outlaws invite the brothers into the fold…but what bloody battles lie ahead if they choose to go along for the ride?

Jack Sheriff starts this book like a straightforward story of a case of mistaken identity, one that you expect to follow the path of the Laramie brothers then having to prove their innocence. But the author soon has you wondering as to just what is really going on as the story begins to twist as the plot becomes more mysterious as questions come to light, such as who is really behind the outlaw activity, and just what crime are they planning. As more characters are introduced so the plot deepens.

Jack Sheriff writes in an easy to read style that flows smoothly, ever increasing in pace as the book builds to its finale. His descriptive passages are very visual and the actions scenes gripping. The twists to the tale prove to be strong hooks, and you’ll soon be wondering who’s going to double-cross whom.

Surprisingly, for a Black Horse Western, there aren’t any major roles for women, not that I’m saying they should be included in every story. In fact not having some love interest came as a welcome change.

Jack Sheriff is one four pseudonyms used by John Paxton Sheriff for his Black Horse Westerns, and this book is officially released at the end of this month, although it should be available now from the usual Internet sources.