Border War

THE JUDGE #9

By Hank Edwards

Harper, March 1993

Clay Torn is in the peaceful, booming border town of Eagle Pass when vicious Garza Santiago and his outlaw army strike. Blood and terror reign as Santiago plunders the city of its gold and guns and rides off with Judge Torn’s closest friend, Meg Slaughter.

Against good sense and risking his own safety, Torn rides through the burning town to get Meg back. If he must, he’ll take on the entire rebel army to rescue the woman who once saved his life.

If it’s action you want then look no further than this book. The story starts with a duel attack on Eagle Pass and the nearby fort and the gunplay never lets up after that as Torn and two companions take on massive odds in their attempt to free Meg.

Quite why Santiago has targeted this particular young woman isn’t apparent to begin with, and another question soon rears its ugly head, who has hired Santiago to kidnap Meg? Answers are soon discovered but knowing this doesn’t help in solving Torn’s quest, only throws more deadly odds in his path.

Hank Edwards is a pseudonym, this time finding Jason Manning writing behind the pen-name. Manning has created an excellent set of characters for this story; Meg Slaughter, torn between her feelings for two men; Lieutenant Chapman driven by love and who lets jealousy blur his decisions; Santiago, greed motivated and thinks nothing of double-crossing anyone if it’s to his advantage, to name but a few.

The story races along to its dramatic bloody battle that concludes with a large death toll and Torn riding off to face his destiny, hopefully free of the nightmares that have haunted him throughout this savage turn of events.

Border War is a great entry in this series and it leaves me eager to read the next book, Death Warrant, as soon as possible.