Domingo's Trail

By Greg Mitchell

Hale, September 2012

Vicious Mexican bandit, Estrada, is holding an American to ransom in the Sabinas Valley and has arranged for two different expeditions to come and shower him with gold in return for a safe release. But vengeful Apaches appear and also a mysterious Mexican, named Domingo, who warns that the captive is dead and that Estrada means to slaughter them all.

With the combined ransom parties now joined in their mission, they are ready for bloody battle with both Indians and bandits. Can Domingo’s advice be trusted? And will all who follow his perilous trail survive?

This book doesn’t really have a standout hero or heroine figure as Greg Mitchell tells his story from the viewpoint of various characters in the ransom parties, none of whom seem able to completely trust each other, these mistrusts becoming stronger when the two parties team up to fight a common enemy.

There’s plenty of action, in fact the last three quarters of the book reads like one continuous gunfight as the ransom parties attempt to escape from the Mexicans and Indians.

It is never a foregone conclusion as to who will be alive at the end and there are one or two surprises along the way as some of the characters show their true colours. The mystery as to who Domingo really is provides compelling reading.

Greg Mitchell is a pseudonym used by Paddy Gallagher and once again his fast paced style and great storytelling prove that he is a western writer worth reading.