Killer Chase

By John Davage

A Black Horse Western from Hale, March 2011

It was supposed to be a simple bank robbery until a nervous member of Wolf Cotton’s gang shot the bank manager, thereby rousing half the people of Suta Springs.

Wolf and Ab Cooper were killed during the getaway while Curtis Jordan managed to disappear into the back streets. But Drew Hudson, the trigger-happy gang’s newest member, got away clean – and with the loot!

When Drew doesn’t bring the money he owes the others to their pre-arranged meeting-point, an enraged Curtis vows to find and kill him. Meanwhile, Deputy Danny Ridge is more interested in discovering the identity of the person who gave Wolf Cotton the key to the bank’s back door.

Who will get their comeuppance first? One thing’s for sure: the chase is on!

Having read John Davage’s first BHW, Unsigned Avenger, and really enjoying it I was looking forward to this, his second book. Would it be as good as that first one?

John Davage writes in an easy to read style, his chapters being short – only a couple of pages long, as each one follows the trail of a different character. The book starts during the bank raid, giving the story an action packed opening that leads to a number of questions for Suta Springs lawmen. These puzzles being perfect hooks to ensure I kept reading. Also the relationships between various characters provide some great possibilities as to how these friendships might turn out, again keeping me reading to see if I’d guessed right.

The book moves forwards at tremendous pace as the surviving members of the gang escape with deputy Ridge in pursuit. This chase is further complicated by a fourth person joining the hunt. Three of these people are intent on killing the others. Along the way other characters become aware of who the outlaws are and attempt to get the money for themselves anyway they can, such as blackmail. Eventually the four main players come together for an exciting final tense shootout.

So, to answer my question as to whether I’d enjoy this book as much as the first one, I have to say yes, definitely. And once more I find myself eagerly looking forward to John Davage’s next.

Killer Chase is officially released at the end of this month, but is available now from some Internet bookstores.