Sheriff Without a Star

By I.J. Parnham

Hale, December 2011

Despite his four years of distinguished service Sheriff Cassidy Yates lost the confidence of Monotony’s townsfolk because his error of judgement led to the death of Leland Matlock’s son. But when the star Cassidy had worn with pride was removed from his chest, Leland claimed he knew something that would shed new light on the sheriff’s downfall.

Before Leland could reveal what he knew he was shot, but Cassidy still had the instincts of a lawman. He believed Leland’s shooting was connected to the death of his son and that if he could uncover the link it would restore the townsfolk’s confidence in him. So Cassidy embarked on his greatest challenge: to get the star pinned back on his chest where it belonged.

Ian Parnham presents the reader with another story about Sheriff Cassidy Yates. You don’t have to have read the others in this series to fully enjoy this novel, as it’s a stand-alone story. And what a tale it is, full of twists and turns that enthral, peopled with a great set of characters, and expertly paced.

My favourite character has to be hired assassin Rockwell Trent. Hired to kill a number of people Rockwell is slowly becoming unhinged as he finds each of his intended victims dead moments before he’s about to take them out. The question of why this is happening, and who is killing them, is just one of the many puzzles that hook the reader and won’t let go until the reason is discovered.

The story is mainly told through Cassidy but does follow other characters too, such as Rockwell Trent. Quite how the different storylines are entwined isn’t obvious, nor is the reasons behind the various plot threads. Everything comes to a head in a fast moving and violent shootout that ties everything up neatly.

If you’ve never read a Sheriff Cassidy Yates story then this book is an excellent place to start, and I’m sure that after you’ve read it you’ll be eager to hunt out his past adventures.

Sheriff Without a Star is officially released on December 30^th but is available now from the usual Internet bookstores.