A. LESLIE SCOTT BIBLIOGRAPHY

The 2nd part of Anders Nilsson's Leslie Scott bibliography is now available from archive.org including books published before 1980.

https://archive.org/details/lesliescott_booksbefore1980_nilsson_2024

Alexander Leslie Scott (1893-1974) was a very productive American western writer best known for his stories about the Texas Ranger known as Jim Hatfield or Walt Slade. 

The present bibliography lists his books published before 1980, including 223 titles used for 185 different novels. For each novel all known reprints, including translations, are listed. The highest number of translations were documented from the Scandinavian countries, including 145 novels in Swedish translation. 

Cover scans are displayed of editions from Australia and a selection of European countries.

HAUNTED VALLEY

HAUNTED VALLEY

By Jackson Cole

A Chosen Western, 1949

Most, if not all of the books published by Wells Gardner, Darton & Co., Ltd., under their Western, or Chosen Western, line are reprints that most likely appeared in the American pulps first, perhaps in shorter versions and quite often under a different title. Haunted Valley is one of those books.

Haunted Valley was originally published under the title Riders of Embrujada Valley in the October 1943 issue of Texas Rangers and it stars long-running hero Jim Hatfield. Jackson Cole is a pseudonym shared by a number of authors and this story was written by A. Leslie Scott.

Hatfield, also-known-as The Lone Wolf, rides into the Embrujada Valley to find out just what is the source behind the troubles there and put a stop to it. The reader is one step ahead of the Ranger, as the author has already told of the theft and hiding of some black opals that are supposedly worth a fortune but are also tainted with bad luck. The author does keep some secrets from both the reader and the Ranger until he’s ready to reveal them, usually through Hatfield working out just what is going on. Hatfield seems to have knowledge of everything under the sun. This is helpful when he sets to solve a cryptic map that should reveal the location of the hidden opals. Hatfield has a habit of talking to himself and his horse, Goldie, whilst pondering the problems he has to overcome. 

The author moves his story forward swiftly, so there is never a dull moment. There is plenty of gunplay as Hatfield takes on a small group of killers, but who are they working for? There are also two rival ranchers who seem set on a range war, can Hatfield stop the bloodshed before it starts? Hatfield will find himself in all kinds of deadly situations, one of which is illustrated on the book cover, before managing to bring peace to the valley.

A. Leslie Scott’s writing pulled me into the story easily, his descriptive passages are excellent, and are a little poetic at times. I did smile at some of the terms used as they were definitely a product of their times, for instance where bad language should be it says “blankety blank blank” instead. Many of the characters, including Hatfield, talk old style cowboy lingo that I occasionally had to re-read to make sure I’d understood what was being said properly.  

Overall, Haunted Valley is an entertaining read that left me looking forwards to reading the many Hatfield stories I have in pulp magazines and a handful of books.

TRAIL OF THE DAMNED

TRAIL OF THE DAMNED

By Gil Martin

Cover art by W. Francis Phillips

New English Library, May 1975

Originally published by Robert Hale, 1966

One man dead at Jackie’s feet. Another, bleeding and dusty, lies gasping out his last words. And for Jackie Burrows killing becomes easy.

On the run, from the law and from himself, he changes his name and his women but he cannot change his life and the smoke from his gun hangs heavy on him – thick like blood.

From the moment that first bullet tore into a man there was no turning back – only the beginning of a trail of death for J.B. The Trail of the Damned.

The original hardback published by Hale was put out under the authors name, Martin Overy, as was NEL’s first paperback version in 1968. In America, Berkley put the book out in paperback form in 1967 under the pseudonym of Gil Martin. This was the name used on subsequent NEL publications too. 

Like the other books I’ve read by this author, the story is told in a very hard-boiled style and has a number of dark themes running throughout. Written in the first person we share Jack Burrows bitter observations on life and death, share his emotional turmoil when dealing with women and his desperation to stay away from the law who are hunting him for killing one of their own. 

From the excellent opening paragraphs that immediately pulled me into the story, I found this book difficult to put down. With each person Jack meets tension mounts as he fears he will be recognized, even though he has changed his name to Jess Burgess. Taking a job as ranch foreman for a man he knew back in the Civil War could be the perfect hiding place, until his boss, Frank, takes a new, young, wife. Jack is immediately attracted to her, and it seems the feelings are mutual. This is where the feel of the book becomes more like a crime noir novel, although it never loses its identity as a western, and I began to wonder if this young lady would prove to be a femme fatale. 

Jack is not an easy man to like but this is exactly why he’s such a compelling character. At times he’s harsh, cruel even, to those he finds himself working with and loving. He’s never hit a woman, but tells one there could always be a first time. He’s hardly ever at peace, scared someone will know or discover who he really is. Does Frank’s wife know the truth and if so, why is she keeping it to herself?

In Trail of the Damned, the author has written a gripping, taut tale in which the mental strains Jack struggles to deal with feel very real. Can a man who admits to being a killer ever find happiness or will he get his comeuppance? I can’t reveal that here, but if you do decide to read this book, then I’m sure you’ll enjoy finding out.  

Robert Hale, 1966

New English Library 1968

NO HALLOWED GROUND

 

Double-A Western Detective Agency 2

NO HALLOWED GROUND

By Steve Hockensmith

Rough Edges Press, October 2024

When the A.A. Western Detective Agency needs to hunt men down, it turns to its toughest operatives: former cavalrymen Oswin Diehl and Ira Hoop and their Mescalero Apache scout Eskaminzim. So, when the Double-A is asked to catch bank robbers fleeing across Missouri toward the Indian Territories, it sends the three to head the gang off. Along for the hard ride is Hoop’s wife and Eskaminzim’s sister, Onawa, who’s tired of waiting around to learn who won’t be coming home from the A.A.’s latest assignment.

But when the four reach Missouri, they learn that there’s much more at stake than the holdings of a single bank. The “gang” they’re after is actually a company of former Confederate Cherokees—and they’re backed by a powerful cabal of conspirators bent on avenging the South’s defeat in the Civil War.

What starts out as a chase to track down bandits turns into a battle for the future of the country…one our outnumbered heroes can’t possibly hope to win.

It’s great to see the second book in the Double-A Western Detective Agency series come out so soon after the first one. Hired Guns was a great read and I was left eagerly looking forward to another book featuring Diehl, Hoop, and Eskaminzim. 

The first part of No Hallowed Ground sets up the twisting plot superbly. Diehl and his companions wondering just what they’ve got themselves in to as they pursue the bank robbers in a mission to retrieve the contents of an ice-cream wagon that is being used by the robbers to transport their loot. Each time they met a new person the mystery deepens and it becomes clear that they haven’t been told the truth, but they’ve been assigned to the case and will do their best to get the bank’s property back. It’s only when the second part of the book is reached that the outrageous reality is discovered and the race to stop the gang becomes even more desperate. Trouble is things aren’t going to be that straight-forward as the author has more surprises waiting for his heroes and readers that will add more complications to the mission.

There’s a lot of humorous observations throughout the story, mainly coming from Eskaminzim as he often likes to wind-up his fellow detectives and enemies alike. Having Onawa along for the ride sees Eskaminzim’s competitive side become stronger than we’ve ever witnessed before, such as when he tries to prove he is the best tracker in the group.

Action scenes come thick and fast and these violent acts are often hard-hitting and offer some nail-biting edge of the seat reading, such as those that take place in a hotel. Hockensmith regularly switches from character to character, often leaving them in cliff-hanger situations thus ensuring you’ll keep reading to find out what happens to each of them.  

The final showdown is excellent as all the various factions battle for the contents of the ice-cream wagon and very few people escape the flying lead. This shootout provides some tense reading as everything is resolved in blood and fire. What happened to the loot was shocking but also made me laugh as did how the Double-A detectives decided to conclude their mission.

All I can now hope is that it isn’t too long before Steve Hockensmith writes another book about these operatives of the Double-A Western Detective Agency.

American readers can get a copy here

British readers can get a copy here

SIX-GUN WESTERN

SIX-GUN WESTERN

British Edition

Cover art by Joseph Szokoli

This edition doesn’t include any issue numbers or publication dates. It is a partial reprint of the American Six-Gun Western published April 1950 so I assume it came out not too long after as that was usually the case with British editions of American pulps. It also seems this was the only British edition of Six-Gun Western.

The American edition had 130 pages; the British was trimmed to 100. Two stories were cut to make this possible, these being Ray Gaulden’s Once a Badge Toter and the Six-Gun Smith comic strip The Gambling Lady by Berthold Tiedemann. 

This pulp differs to many that I have seen in that it features two or three drawings illustrating something that happens during each story and all the artists are named. What is a little annoying is that these illustrations often come a couple of pages before the events take place in the story so they act as spoilers. Some of the stories continue page to page and then you have to turn further into the magazine to find the last couple of pages, something I’m not a fan of. One story has its final paragraphs printed on the page before the tale begins. I just don’t understand why some of the adverts couldn’t have been moved around so the stories could be printed unbroken. 

This issue opens with Cow-Country Mail Call which is made up of a few letters from readers and comments by Dobie Dallas. 

Next, we have the novelette Short-Cut to Hell by E. Hoffmann Price with illustrations by William Meilink. This story was originally published in the January 1939 edition of Thrilling Adventures and was the first of four tales Price wrote featuring the character, Saul Epstein. This story was also the reason I picked out this pulp to read as way back in 2011 I read and thoroughly enjoyed the anthology Nomad’s Trail by Price which contained a number of tales featuring one of Price’s other pulp heroes, Simon Bolivar Grimes who was a series character in Spicy Western Stories.

Epstein is a secondary character in Short-Cut to Hell, who pops up a little to conveniently for me to help the main lead, Pete Barlow, take on a man who is trying to muscle in on his girl whilst they all travel in a wagon train. Epstein joins them mid-journey pushing his hand-cart from which he seems to sell everything you could possibly want. There’s also another young woman who shows an interest in Barlow and he doesn’t seem able to resist her advances. That’s not the only problem Barlow will have to deal with as there is a gang waiting to attack the wagons. 

Short-Cut to Hell was an ok read and contained a fair bit of action but overall was nowhere near as entertaining as the Simon Bolivar Grimes tales I’d previously read. Epstein was a fun character though, so I can see why Price would write other tales about him.    

The comic strip Tethered to Murder, featuring series character K-Bar-Kate by R. Hayden was next. This was competently drawn but the story wasn’t gripping in any way and was filled with too many nick-of-time moments for me.

The Grey Wolf by Charls Getts, with illustrations by Kingsland Ward, was much more to my taste. A mysterious stranger wearing the emblem of a wolf comes to the aid of an old settler and his pretty daughter whilst tracking down an old enemy. I guess it’ll come as no surprise that the person threatening the settlers is the man the stranger is hunting. The tale plays out pretty much as expected except for the ending and I was left wanting to read more by Getts.

Gunsmoke Tally by Frank Morris came next. H. W. Kiemle provided the illustrations. Hank Green was holed up in a cabin while his enemies scoured the countryside for him. When there came a knock at the door and a girl tumbled in, he was sure that it was just a ruse to get him where their guns could cut him down. The entire tale takes place in the dark cabin and is a very tense story that is filled with mistrust. Is the girl really who she says she is? Green doesn’t think so. Can she persuade him otherwise? Green starts to believe her but is soon full of suspicion again as his enemies fight their way into the cabin. I’ll certainly be keeping an eye-out for more stories by Morris as I really enjoyed this one.

Golden Girl by Ralph Sedgwick Douglas - a house pseudonym shared by a number of authors but I haven’t been able to discover who wrote this story. Illustrations are by Max Plaisted. The title is the name of the hero’s horse and the story tells the tale of Tuck Creighton’s return to his home spread after a year away. It seems his father is still sore at him though and there are a lot of very puzzling things happening on the be-devilled range. The author came up with some memorable characters for this tale, Whistling Willie, a youngster who can make the sounds of any bird, and a man called The Weeper who oozes evil and works for Tuck’s father. Of course, there is also a pretty girl involved. The author keeps you guessing at just what is going on and springs a couple of surprises during this well told tale, although there is a bit of an unbelievable event that helps Tuck free himself when captured and tied up. How everything was resolved was a little too perfect and involved a just-in-time intervention that for me was a bit of a let-down. I still liked this story quite a lot and would read more by this author if I ever discover who it is. 

The final story is Transformation in Skeleton Flats by John White and this was illustrated by Al Savitt. Jeff Markle was the young offspring of a no-good, shiftless family, and treated with pretty low regard around Skeleton Flats. But it is sure surprisin’ what a shave, a haircut, a bushwhacking and a girl can do to affect the life of an unkempt range rannihan! Jeff puts the blame on himself when Julia Latham’s brother is shot by a gunman trying to kill Jeff as he believes this will help him get close to Julia and win her affections. A mis-guided plan if there ever was one. White tells his story well, even if it is unbelievable making this the weakest tale in this issue of Six-Gun Western. 

Overall, this was a readable pulp that introduced me to a couple more authors I’d like to read more of. 

FIGHT FOR THE VALLEY

 

FIGHT FOR THE VALLEY
By Lee Leighton
Panther Books, January 1962
Originally published by Ballantine Books, 1960

Five long years of waiting…nursing and nourishing his hatred…learning how to slap leather fast enough…growing from a frightened young boy to a fast and fighting man…waiting, always waiting for the final day of reckoning – until, with savage suddenness – it came!

The above blurb makes this sound like it’s going to be a tough, dark, brutal read to me. Boy, was I wrong. The book is beautifully written and I soon found myself caught up in the storyline. I wanted to know what would happen, so had to keep turning the pages. But, where was the action? 

The book is split into three parts; The Boy, The Youth, and The Man. The story follows Tommy Gordon as he grows from a naïve youngster struggling to understand adults and his feelings towards two young women. He lives on a ranch but is not wanted by the owner, Mike Dugan, although the rest of the family accept him with open arms. Witnessing a horrific beating, Gordon leaves. He drifts from place to place. Grows into a capable young man. Gordon is then drawn back to the area of the ranch he once called home and it seems inevitable this will lead to a violent confrontation between him and Dugan.

Lee Leighton is a pseudonym used by Wayne D. Overholser, and I think this is the first full-length book I’ve read by him, although I have read a couple of his short stories. Overholser began his career by writing for the western pulps in 1936. 

Here's a quote from Overholser discussing his output in general “I have tried to be accurate in describing my settings and consider character more important than action.” That is exactly what you get in Fight for the Valley. It’s an excellent portrayal of character development, of a growing young man. Although there is very little in the way of gunfights the book does contain a couple of hard-hitting scenes that help shape Gordon and some of the other characters, one of these scenes being quite heart-wrenching and I though Overholser handled this particularly well. It was obvious from the beginning that Gordon and Dugan would face-off and I was glad to find that it didn’t quite play out as I expected and that it provided a satisfactory conclusion to the tale.

I have a couple of other westerns put out under Overholser’s own name and one co-authored with Lewis B. Patten – this latter book written for the children’s market – and a few short stories, so I guess the question is will I be reading any of them anytime soon? The answer has to be nope, not in the foreseeable future as I prefer my westerns to have a lot more action in them. Having said that, if I pick out a pulp or anthology that includes one of his stories I will read it, and I aim intrigued by the book he wrote with Patten to see how their styles mix and how they went about writing a children’s story.

NEW WORK ON A. LESLIE SCOTT

 

NEW WORK ON A. LESLIE SCOTT

by Anders N. Nilsson and James Reasoner

Towards a Bibliography of Alexander Leslie Scott, Focusing on Jim Hatfield, Walt Slade, and the Reprint of Pulp Stories as Books distributed as free PDF for reading online at, or downloading from:

https://archive.org/details/lesliescott_bibliography_nilssonreasoner_2024/mode/1up

Alexander Leslie Scott (1893-1974) was a very productive American western writer best known for his stories about the Texas Ranger known as Jim Hatfield or Walt Slade. The 206 novel-length Jim Hatfield stories were published in the Texas Rangers pulp magazine 1936-1958 under the house name Jackson Cole. 69 of Scott's Walt Slade novellas were published in the Thrilling Western pulp magazine 1940-1951.

Many of the Hatfield stories were reprinted as Popular Library paperbacks, whereas a large number of Walt Slade stories were published as Pyramid paperbacks. Many of Scott's pulp stories were also reprinted as hardcover remakes. Other authors studied here are Tom Curry, Peter Germano, Roe Richmond, Claude Rister, Lin Searles, and the two pseudonyms Buck Billings and Tex Holt.

HIRED GUNS

HIRED GUNS

By Steve Hockensmith

Rough Edges Press, September 2024

When former Army officer Oswin Diehl ventures into Mexico in search of fortune, he encounters more than he bargained for-bandits and chaos. Saved by old comrades Ira Hoop and Apache scout Eskaminzim, Diehl is offered a job that leads him to Arizona Territory and a showdown against a powerful conglomerate harassing local mine owners.

As Diehl and his resilient team face off against the hired goons of Consolidated American Mining Corporation, the stakes rise. With the brutal chairman, Kingsley Le May, and an army of operatives led by an old enemy, former Texas Ranger Thomas Breck, the battle turns into a deadly game of wits and survival.

Amidst the dust and gun smoke, alliances are formed, love is kindled, and a desperate struggle for freedom unfolds. Will Diehl, Hoop, Eskaminzim, and the fiery mine owner Catrin Gruffud overcome their adversaries and prevail in the ultimate showdown? The hired guns are locked, loaded, and ready for justice.

This book features detectives working for the Double-A Western Detective Agency. An organization that fans of Steve Hockensmith’s Holmes on the Range series will already be acquainted. This series isn’t about the Amlingmeyer brothers though, but it does star a couple of operatives that have ridden alongside Big Red and Old Red. 

The Holmes on the Range books are told in the first person, Hired Guns is written in the third. This allows Hockensmith to regularly switch between various characters, often leaving them in cliff-hanger situations. Like the other books, this one contains a fair amount of humorous banter and scenes. The main difference is that this book has a lot more violent action as Diehl, Hoop, Eskaminzim and Romo find themselves faced with an enemy that has a small army to help him get what he wants.

Steve Hockensmith paces the story superbly, building to a terrific final showdown. Characterization is excellent and descriptions paint vivid pictures in the mind. The author also pays homage to scenes from a well-known spaghetti western or two. The story also contains some neat twists and turns and a touch of mystery. 

If you like traditional westerns that are packed with tough, brutal action, mixed with elements of humour and have plots that will keep you guessing until the end, then look no further than Hired Guns. Me? I’m really looking forward to the follow-up story, No Hallowed Ground, which I believe is due out this October. 

Oh yeah, who can forget Prince Pudding Paws?

American readers can get a copy here

British readers can get a copy here 

THROUGH WESTERN STORMS

THROUGH WESTERN STORMS

Edited by Richard Prosch

Independently published, August 2024

Crashing thunder! Pelting sand! The whirl of confusion and the winds of madness.

Join 13 unsurpassed storytellers to journey through Western storms with tales of perseverance, grit, and courage as vast as the 19th-century American landscape.

This is an excellent collection of well-written short stories that either feature characters battling against the elements or emotions. You’ll find tales that are heart-breaking, those that find humour in desperate situations, and everything in between. There are stories that feature real people such as Nannita Daisey and Oscar Wilde. There’s one that is about a strange long-necked creature. Others tell tales about soldiers, mechanics, and detectives. Most are about ordinary people struggling through life. 

One of the things that I enjoy about anthologies is discovering new authors and nearly all of these writers are new to me. I’ve only read stories by three of them before. Of course, it’s all subjective to the reader when it comes to picking out favourites, which authors you want to read more of, or singling out stories you aren’t so keen on.

If you pushed me to pick out my favourites, I’d name in the order they appear in the collection, A Death on the Concho, Valiant-For-Truth, White City, and Noah’s Lament as being my top choices. I will quickly add that the others are very good too.

If you want to introduce yourself to the work of some current authors, perhaps discovering some new favourites in the process, then I’d suggest you grab a copy of Through Western Storms as soon as you can. 

Contents

Another Man’s Sea by Vonn McKee

The Lost Diary of Nannita Daisey by Nancy McCabe

Hurricane at Hogg’s Holler by Scott McCrea

Go On by Jim Jones

Windmiller by Jackson Lowry

A Death on the Concho by Jane Little Botkin

A Cowtown Wind by Natalie Cline Bright & Denise F. McAllister

Valiant-For-Truth by Elisabeth Grace Foley

A Newspaper Comes to Cripple Creek by Big Jim Williams

A Death in the Family by W. Michael Farmer

White City by John D. Nesbitt

Noah’s Lament by Preston Lewis

American readers can get a copy here
British readers can get a copy here

LAWDOG

 

LAWDOG
The Life and Times of Hayden Tilden
By J. Lee Butts
Berkley, November 2001

“That morning a kid reporter from the local newspaper made his way up the stairs to meet me on the retirement home’s porch. He wanted my life story, secrets and all, and he wasn’t fixing on settling for anything less. After some thought, I asked myself: What can it hurt? All them killers are long gone by now. Ain’t no point in keeping it to myself anymore…”

In the Old West, where a man could be shot for just about anything and the law was that there was no law, Saginaw Bob Magruder hit bottom in the depths of depravity. Known everywhere as the most ruthless of all wanted criminals, Saginaw Bob could kill a child without thinking twice.

U.S. Marshal Hayden Tilden was still a growing boy when Magruder curved the path of Tilden’s life – and butchered his entire family. Left to fend for himself, young Hayden vowed to exact vengeance on Magruder, if it took his whole lifetime. So began his personal crusade – and the beginning of an extraordinary career. Hailed as the most fearless lawdog of the Old West, at times Tilden blurred the line between U.S. marshal and hired assassin. And in doing so, he etched a name for himself on the pages of American history by saving the West, time and again, from its fiercest enemy – itself.

Let’s start off by saying this is a great book. You don’t have to get very far into it to understand why it became the first of a series. Whether it was originally intended to be book one in a series about Hayden Tilden or a standalone, I have no idea. Part of me wonders if it was written as a standalone as it covers so many years.

J. Lee Butts has written a tough, and at time brutal, western. One that easily held my attention throughout. Tilden is a great character, as are many of the other people who appear in this story, be they other lawmen, outlaws, a reporter, or an old-timer that Tilden is friends with in the retirement home. There are also a handful of real people who Tilden meets, one of whom he works for. 

Butts also includes some wry observations, and moments of humour, mostly during the scenes set in the retirement home when Tilden reflects on old age and life as a retiree. 

The book is written in the first person, told through Hayden Tilden. The idea of having a reporter wanting to do a story about the life of an old-timer isn’t new, but it came over as fresh and was certainly very engaging. In fact, I started to look forward to the next part of Tilden’s conversations with the reporter as much as I did the many scenes of violent action. 

Covering such a large portion of Tilden’s life means the story is told as a series of incidents as the lawdog and his fellow marshals trackdown various outlaws. There’s even time for Tilden to fall in love. It is also interesting to see how Tilden develops from a young man into a tough lawman and learns how to use guns so efficiently. And, even though the book, at times, feels like a series of vignettes, everything is linked by the outlaw Magruder who always seems one step ahead of Tilden.

Why it has taken me so long to get around to reading this book, as it and the rest of the series have sat on my shelves since they were published, I have no idea. I’m certainly glad I decided at last to pick it up and give it a read. I’m now looking forward to reading the second book, Hell in the Nations, very soon.

American readers can get a copy here
British readers can get a copy here

TEXAS RANGERS - October 1956

TEXAS RANGERS
British Edition, Vol. X1, No. 12
Atlas Publishing, October 1956

This issue of the British Edition of Texas Rangers takes all its stories from the American issue published in March 1956. The British Edition only contains four stories, compared to eight in the original American publication. The same cover art by Sam Cherry was used on both editions but the border and lettering were changed somewhat. I’ve posted the American cover at the end of this review so you can compare it for yourselves.

The Jim Hatfield tale Guns Across the River by Jackson Cole is the opening novella. Jackson Cole is a pseudonym used by a number of authors. This time around it’s Peter B. Germano writing behind the penname. I believe he wrote 16 Jim Hatfield adventures out of the 205 or so Hatfield stories that appeared in the pulps.

Hatfield, known as The Lone Wolf, was caught square in the crossfire when the ghost of a dead man and the invasion of sheep brought war to Peaceful Valley. Germano includes quite a large cast of characters in his twisting plot that makes you wonder how he can possibly tie up all the story threads in such a short tale. This is something I’ve often marvelled at when reading other books by Germano under his pseudonym of Barry Cord, yet he always succeeds, and this novella is no different. There’s also some female interest for Hatfield but we know the Ranger is never going to settle down, don’t we? Guns Across the River is packed with action and told in a hard-boiled style and proved to be a very entertaining read and is right up there with the very best Hatfield stories I’ve ever read. 

Germano re-wrote Guns Across the River as War in Peaceful Valley which came out as one half of an Ace Double in 1959 as by Barry Cord. Jim Hatfield became Deputy U.S. Marshal Matt Vickers. 

The first short story is Moment of Violence by George Roulston. This tells of Matt Strombo’s return from prison after being sentenced for stagecoach robbery and killing the driver. As the tale unfolds, we discover it wasn’t Matt who pulled the trigger but his partner in the hold-up. Of course, Matt’s return to Dandy Crossing arouses many emotions in the townsfolk and more violence ensues. I enjoyed this tale a lot and found it to be a great introduction to this author. I have one of Roulston’s other stories, Court Day, in another issue of Texas Rangers that I hope to read very soon.

Next up is Miguel’s Private Miracle by H.G. Ashburn. An Indian boy had thoroughly believed in the white man’s God till the scalp-hunters came… This short story has a strong religious theme that I found a bit overpowering. It is very well-written though, but it does contain something that I found hard to believe. Different, but not really to my taste. 

The third and final short story is The Reluctant Hangman by John Jo Carpenter, which is a pseudonym use by John Reese. With the sheriff ill it’s up to his deputy, Hiram Cutler, to perform a hanging. This is something Cutler has little stomach for and so he struggles psychologically with the task he’s been called to perform. This proved to be a gripping tale with a well-thought-out ending that I devoured eagerly. I can’t remember reading anything else by John Reese, and this tale left me wanting to try more of his work as soon as I can. 

Overall, I’d not hesitate in recommending this issue of Texas Rangers, if you can find it, as it contains some very strong storytelling indeed. 

RANCHERO

LONG RIDER

Book 21 of 27

RANCHERO

By Clay Dawson

Diamond Books, December 1992

Born to settler parents. Raised an Indian. He was Long Rider. A man caught between the blood and hate of his two peoples…He lived by his own code in a land where death came quick and vengeance could last a lifetime.

Long Rider’s always dreamed of seeing the Pacific. But his dream turns into a nightmare when he arrives in Los Angeles and discovers a shady deal by greedy speculators out for Spanish land. But the crooks have other ways of getting what they want – and one of those ways is murder…

The book’s opening scenes see Gabe Conrad (Long Rider) saving the owner of one of the last rancheros from a crooked deal that would see his land and home stolen from under him. This leads to a shootout that leaves four men dead and Conrad promising to kill the man behind the plot to steal the ranchero if he sees him again. Conrad wonders if it was a mistake leaving the man alive and that decision will haunt him later.

The author slows the pace down after the shootout and writes of Conrad pondering whether he can become a settled man although his calling is to drift from place to place. Offered a home on the ranchero he questions his lifestyle. There is quite a lot of reflection in this part of the book as memories of how he became to be known as Long Rider are told, as are details of his original vengeance quest that was the theme of the first book of the series. Whether this is the same author who wrote that I have no idea, but if it isn’t the author has certainly done his research on Long Rider’s past. It’s not just Conrad’s backstory that is explained, there is also plenty of historical content outlining Spanish settlement and their way of life, of honor, and how the Americans began to steal their land. So, through this lengthy portion of the book, there is little in the way of action, except for a few competitive games between those who live on the ranchero.

Conrad also falls in love. This is the main reason for him to give up the life of a drifter. Marriage to Mercedes, a home on the ranchero, and acceptance from those that live there is very, very tempting and Conrad believes he can live a happy life on the ranchero.

The land grabber seems to be forgotten. Seems he’s given up on stealing the ranchero. There’s hardly any mention of him. Yet the threat of him returning is always there. There’s not a lot of the book left by the time his presence is felt again and then the action ramps up a lot. Vicious violence described in graphic gory detail sees Long Rider determined to kill the man he should have sent to Hell when he first stood up to him. 

The book is well written and very readable. For me, though, there was a lack of action. It took too long to get to the final confrontation between Conrad and the land grabber, but when it came it was certainly well done and will satisfy those who like exciting, bloody action in their western reading. For fans of the series this is a must-read book to see whether Long Rider will rein in his wanderlust and settle down in marriage. 

THE SMOKING IRON

 

THE SMOKING IRON AND OTHER STORIES
By Elisabeth Grace Foley
Independently Published, May 2024

I’ve read a few of Elisabeth Grace Foley’s other western books, both novellas and short story collections, and The Smoking Iron and Other Stories is another superb read. Seven tales that captured my imagination easily as Foley’s excellent descriptions put me right in the scene with her engaging characters. I could feel the bitter cold in Dakota Clothesline as a new bride faces questions about her marriage in the shadow of a prairie blizzard and I could hear the music in Professor Pruitt’s Circulating Concert Company as a travelling band of musicians get accused of robbing a bank.

Even though some of Foley’s storylines seem like typical western plots to start with, she always manages to turn these themes on their head to offer a fresh take to the tale. The story Sheep Need a Shepherd being a perfect example. It begins like it’s going to be another range war story, which in some ways it is, but by having a new minister bring in the sheep causes problems for the established cattlemen as they aren’t sure how to deal with him. This stirs up controversy among his new congregation. Can the words of the Lord solve this standoff?

My favourite story was the last tale, The Smoking Iron, which is a twisting mystery. A man is found shot beside a branding fire and a young rancher is accused of murder—but what crime was really committed there? How the truth was brought to light was something I’d never have guessed. I can’t remember ever reading anything like it before, so this came as a very welcome surprise.

Some of the stories are thought-provoking, others will make you laugh, and another may bring tears to your eyes. All are well worth reading.

Contents

Dakota Clothesline

The Heiress and the Horse Trade

Sheep Need a Shepherd

Professor Pruitt’s Circulating Concert Company

Lark’s Nest

Big Aspen

The Smoking Iron

American readers can get a copy here

British readers can get a copy here

BRASADA

BRASADA

By Luke Jones

Consul Books, 1962

The Civil War was lost, and he was sheriff in a Texas beaten to her knees by the North. The Texans called him a Yankee-lover; the Northerners called him Texas trash. So he lived alone, and walked a lonely road alone, acknowledging no master but justice.

He was in a cleft stick. If he went after his quarry he would be accused of siding with the Yankees, and the thought made him sweat. Bitterness had cut deep into the South. The temptation to throw in his badge and clear out was strong in him, for a sheriff in these parts was in a very dangerous position. But he kicked his horse into a trot, dreading the ride ahead of him, his only support his gun and his courage.

This is the second, and last book that English author Peter Watts wrote as Luke Jones. Watts wrote many other westerns under two more well known pseudonyms; Matt Chisholm and Cy James. Altogether, Watts had around 100 westerns published.

One thing Watts is known for is that his books are action packed. After reading the first two or three chapters of Brasada I had to wonder if this book was going to be the odd one out. Watts uses the opening chapters to flesh out his characters, especially that of sheriff Wake Hopshaw as he contemplates old-age, his secret admiration for the Mexican girl Consuelo who seems out of his reach, and struggles with his duty to the law or the people of Texas. Northern soldiers order Wake to bring in an outlaw who seems to still be fighting the war. Wake argues that Bob Masters hasn’t committed a crime in his jurisdiction and until he does, he won’t track him down. This, of course, cause animosity between Wake and the soldiers and finally leads to Wake being on the run from them too.

The story goes through many twists and turns including murder, a secret meeting between a mystery man and woman, Wake fighting for his life against known and unknown enemies, and much more. It isn’t long before Wake’s desire to see justice carried out his way can only have one outcome; his death, and I was soon thinking this was how the book would end. 

The book is fast paced, has an intriguing plot, touches of humour, tough characters, and plenty of violent action. It’s a story of one man against the rest told in very readable prose. It is a product of its time though and it does occasionally include terms that people of today might find offensive when referring to characters of certain races. 

Perhaps not one of the best books to come from Peter Watts, but it is still a very entertaining and it left me wanting to read another of his books very soon. 

HANGING MOON

SHELTER

Book 2 of 33

HANGING MOON

By Paul Ledd

Zebra Books, 1980

On a tip, Shelter is heading into Arizona territory hunting down a man named Plum, a sergeant in the death-battalion who had double-crossed him seven years before.

On his way he takes a job leading a small party of travellers through to Fort Bowie. Much to his surprise and delight, the group includes a luscious-looking young woman named Drusilla, who makes no secret of her availability and desires.

But there is a special reason why the party wants Shelter and deadly guns along: beneath the floorboard of the wagon lies a cache of gold. And when Shelter finds out who hid it there and why – the pleasure trip to Bowie becomes a trip to hell!

The above is the blurb from the back of the book, and the third paragraph isn’t exactly correct as the travellers don’t want Shelter along to protect the hidden gold. In fact, hardly anyone knows it’s there. It always amazes me when book blurbs don’t tie in with the story and I have to wonder how editors allow this to happen.

Hanging Moon begins shortly after the ending of the first book, Prisoner of Revenge. It’s at the end of that story that Shel discovers the whereabouts of Sergeant Plum and it’s also when he met Linda, the girl whose company he is enjoying at the beginning of book two. The Shelter books are classed as adult westerns so that means there are some explicit sex scenes to be found within. After the opening sexual encounter, these scenes don’t take up too many pages and can be easily skipped if you so desire. 

Shel takes a job as a stagecoach guard as the stage is heading in the direction he needs to go. The stage is held up and gold is stolen. Shel manages to get the stagecoach back from the outlaws but not the gold, he’s not concerned about that as the coach driver is badly wounded and needs attention fast. Arriving in town, Shelter is accused of being in cahoots with the outlaws but the law doesn’t have any proof, so Shel leaves town with a small group of Quakers, most of whom resent him for tagging along. Soon Shelter discovers the wagons are being followed but he has no idea who by. Could it be the law who believe he will lead them to the outlaws who stole the gold from the stagecoach, our is it the Chiricahua who are raiding in the area?

The author writes a fast-moving tale filled with action and includes many tense scenes, especially those depicting the crossing of the desert whilst in desperate need of water. He also fills in the reader as to why Shel is so determined to track down and kill the soldiers who double-crossed him, so there isn’t any need to read Prisoners of Revenge before this book. Shelter is an interesting hero in as much as he is only interested in finding the men he is after and won’t be distracted by stolen gold or women. Sure, he’ll enjoy the latter but he’s always going to ride on and leave them behind. Although most of the story played out as expected, the end wasn’t quite as I imaged and that came as a welcome surprise.

Paul Ledd is a thinly disguised pseudonym for Paul Lederer, an author whose work I’ve always enjoyed. I wouldn’t put Hanging Moon up there with the best of his work, but it did hold my attention throughout and entertained me enough to want to read the third Shelter book at some point.

DARK FRONTIER

DARK FRONTIER

By Matthew Harffy

Head of Zeus - an Aries Book, July 2024

A man can flee from everything but his own nature.

1890. Lieutenant Gabriel Stokes of the British Army left behind the horrors of war in Afghanistan for a role in the Metropolitan Police. Though he rose quickly through the ranks, the squalid violence of London’s East End proved as dark and oppressive as the battlefield.

With his life falling apart, and longing for peace and meaning, Gabriel leaves the grime of London behind and heads for the wide-open spaces of the American West.

He soon realises that the wilds of Oregon are far from the idyll he has yearned for. The Blue Mountains may be beautiful, but with the frontier a complex patchwork of feuds and felonies, and ranchers as vicious as any back-alley cut-throat back in London, Gabriel finds himself unable to escape his past and the demons that drive him. Can he find a place for himself on the far edge of the New World?

The story begins with Gabriel already in America. He’s in Huntington to meet an old friend, John Thornford, who owns a sheep ranch. Moments later he witnesses a killing. Turns out the killer, Jed White, works for John and is in town to collect Gabriel. During the ride out to the ranch he learns that John has been killed, supposedly by cattleman Grant who wants John’s land. John’s wife, Mary Ann, asks Gabriel to use his experience as a policeman to find out who killed her husband.

Dark Frontier starts off like your typical land grab tale but soon becomes more of a murder mystery. There’s also a lot for Gabriel to learn about how life differs in the American West compared to London, especially how justice seems to be dealt out at the end of a gun rather than through a court of law. Gabriel’s past also rears its head in memories of fighting alongside John in Afghanistan and of the dark times trying to track down the person known as Jack the Ripper back in London. Both have left terrible scars in his soul and destroyed his marriage too. To say more would ruin Gabriel’s backstory and how he tried to overcome these nightmares. Yet the horrors aren’t just in his past. Gabriel’s investigation will uncover more darkness. The truth behind John’s death is hard hitting and came as a complete surprise. 

Gabriel’s relationship with John’s wife, children, and ranch hands, especially White, are well developed by the author and I was soon caught up in their lives. Action scenes were handled well and the mystery behind the murder of John soon had me trying to guess why he’d been killed and by whom. All these story elements hooked me easily and I found the book difficult to put down as I needed answers as much as Gabriel and Mary Ann. 

Dark Frontier is Matthew Harffy’s first western and it proved to be a great introduction to his writing. Harffy hints in the author’s notes that it probably won’t be his last. I hope that is true as I’d certainly be eager to read another western by this author and would also like to say that I believe most western fans will find this book to be an entertaining and fulfilling read. 

Dark Frontier comes out on July 4th 2024 in both hardback, ebook and audio. It will be released as a paperback in the UK in January 2025 and in America in April 2025.

American readers can get a copy here.

UK readers can get a copy here.

BLACK LIST, WHITE DEATH

HOLMES ON THE RANGE

BLACK LIST, WHITE DEATH

By Steve Hockensmith

Rough Edges Press, December 2023

This is the tenth Holmes on the Range book and the third to contain more than one story. The contents are as follows:

The novella “Black List” sees the Amlingmeyer brothers ride into the Arizona Territory on a quest to unearth a buried secret, coveted by a ruthless cattle baron. Can Old Red's deductive skills, inspired by Sherlock Holmes, solve the mystery and protect them from the cattleman's hired guns?

This is followed by the short story "Expense Report: El Paso," where Big Red embarks on his first solo mission to collect a bandit's head. But what if the head has other plans?

The final, and longest story of the three is "White Death," in which the Amlingmeyer’s investigate mysterious deaths at a tuberculosis sanitarium deep in the Colorado mountains. As they search for clues, a sinister figure lurks in the shadows. When a sudden blizzard traps them with the patients, staff, and the killer, the suspense reaches its peak.

As usual, the stories are told in the first person through Big Red, and his often-humorous observations had me laughing out loud. Each story is full of suspense and Old Red’s talent for noticing overlooked clues help in solving the mysteries they face. Having said that, Old Red doesn’t appear in Expense Report: El Paso and for most of the third story he is hidden away in quarantine leaving Big Red to do his best to unmask a killer. Can he do this alone? That’s not for me to reveal here, so you’ll just have to read the book and find out for yourselves. The three stories are all very different to each other and to any of the previous Holmes on the Range tales. 

Steve Hockensmith’s well thought-out plots had me guessing (wrongly) as to just what was going on. Even when I thought I was on the right track in Black List, I soon found myself proved otherwise. 

After that, I gave up trying to work out how each story would end and whodunnit, and just enjoyed the twisting storylines that I would have found impossible to unravel, especially the plot of White Death. The author though, has answers for all of the Amlingmeyer’s questions and everything makes perfect sense by the end. The short story had me wondering in disbelief, but the way Big Red signed off his report made everything clear…I think. 

Black List, White Death is another excellent addition to the Holmes on the Range series. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys western mysteries. 

American readers can get a copy here.
UK readers can ger a copy here.

BAD TIMES COMING

BAD TIMES COMING

By Gil Martin

Cover art by W. Francis Phillips

New English Library, January 1976

Originally published by Berkley Publishing, 1973

Lonnie Brice was travelling alone . . . but not for long. Swept into a savage storm of violence brought on by the notorious Nolan gang, Lonnie is faced with a life-and-death decision. Does he become one of them, a murderer and a rapist, or does he resist?

With the help of Charity, a young girl held captive by the gang, Lonnie stages a dangerous struggle to free himself from the ruthless band of outlaws and from the punishment they have planned for him.

Arriving in a town just in time to be mistaken for a bank robber, Lonnie Brice finds himself in jail, which in turn leads to him killing a deputy to stop the lawman beating one of the outlaw gang to death. Brice escapes with the prisoner he saved and finds himself a reluctant member of the Nolan gang. Riding with them he witnesses the atrocities they commit with obvious relish. Brice is sickened by this, especially how they treat women, but is powerless to stop them. He wants to leave the gang but is told the only way this can happen is when he dies. When a young girl is taken captive, Brice does his best to defend her and this leads to a desperate attempt to get away from the outlaws. But the gang aren’t going to let Brice and the girl escape their clutches easily and set out to kill them both.

Bad Times Coming is a brutal story, told in a hard-boiled style that suits the harshness of the tale perfectly. The story is told in the first person through Lonnie Brice. He has a lot of dark thoughts and struggles to accept the outlaw life he’s fallen into by bad luck. Even though he hates the men he now rides with, he cannot see how he can leave them except in death. The author writes Brice’s feelings of despair extremely well and his descriptions of the violent scenes are hard-hitting and graphic. One of the highlights of the tale is a train robbery which doesn’t go as well as the Nolan gang hope, the aftermath of which is captured beautifully by cover artist W. Francis Phillips. The ending of the story wasn’t quite what I expected but perfectly suited the tone of the tale.

There has been a lot of speculation as to the identity of Gil Martin, and I think it’s safe to say it’s a pseudonym as copyright is assigned to Martin Overy. As far as I know only seven westerns came out under the name Gil Martin, and at least one of them was also published as by Martin Overy. I’ve also seen comments stating that Gil was the name of Overy’s wife but whether this is true I have no idea, nor whether the rumour is right that she wrote the books but they were submitted by her husband to publishers as it was easier for male authors to get westerns accepted for publication than women. Whoever Gil Marin really is matters not to me. All I know is that the two books I’ve read so far by this author are great reads if you like your books to have a dark tone to them, and I’m looking forward to reading another very soon.

FARRELL'S WAR

THE BADGE

Book 15 of 24

FARRELL’S WAR

By Bill Reno

Cover art by Shannon Stirnweis

Bantam Books, February 1990

Sheriff Tug Farrell’s put twenty-nine men in their graves, and he’s about to push the count even higher. A vicious bank robber named Devlin has invaded his territory, taking down two banks in Denver County – and killing Farrell’s father. As rage and revenge war with his lawman’s honor, Farrell hits the trail. But Devlin’s not the only killer up ahead. Raven Morrow, a deadly vixen from Farrell’s past, is waiting with gun cocked. But it’s Morrow and her blood-hungry bunch who’d better be prepared to die. For Tug Farrell has just declared war…and he hates to lose.

The Badge series is mainly a collection of stories that are only connected by the fact that one of the main characters in each book wears a badge of some kind. Occasionally the author would bring back one of those lawmen for another tale, and Farrell’s War is one of those cases. I’d suggest you read the earlier book which introduced readers to Tug Farrell before this one, as book 11: Dark Canyon tells of Farrell’s battle to bring down Raven Morrow. Farrell’s War does explain what happened before, in some detail, and certainly contains spoilers that will take away any of the surprises that Dark Canyon contains and it will definitely ruin the ending of that book.

In Farrell’s War, Tug is offered the chance to become an U.S. Marshal, but he turns that position down as his father has come to live with him. Whilst out investigating whether Raven is dead or not, the Devlin gang hit town and kill Farrell’s father. Now Farrell can accept the U.S. Marshal badge but he has to ask himself if he wants it as something to hide behind whilst he carries out his own kind of justice, revenge, or that of the law. As expected, trailing Devlin see’s the outlaw meeting Raven and her gang, but not as I expected. The kidnapping of a young boy brings Farrell into contact with the youngster’s mother and she triggers a very human emotion within Farrell. Could he be falling in love?

Bill Reno is a pseudonym for author Lew A. Lacy, and he once again has written a fast-moving tale packed with action and tense situations. Devlin and Raven, especially the latter, are excellent adversaries for Farrell and at no time could I be sure Farrell would catch up with them, never mind bring them to justice.  Farrell’s War is definitely a worthy follow-up to Dark Canyon and left me eager to read the next book in the series.

Mention must also be made of Shannon Stirnweis’ excellent cover art which illustrates a scene from the story perfectly.

THE TOUGHEST TOWN IN THE TERRITORY

 

THE TOUGHEST TOWN IN THE TERRITORY
By Tom West
Ace Books, 1965

“This town can always use deputies. It’s the toughest! They planted the marshal last week, lead poisoning. Third this season. Come sundown, the town’s a madhouse, south of the tracks. Abilene ain’t a patch on Prairie City. You might say it’s pure hell with the lid off.”

   “Wal,” the newcomer drawled, “I’m down to my last ten-spot. Just who hires deputies in this hell-raising town?”

   “Drop into the Bull Pen up the street,” rasped the clerk, grinning. “Better leave five bucks with me.”

   “For what?”

   “You’ll need a marker – in boot hill.”

The above conversation sets up the basic plot of this tale and the hard-boiled writing style gives the book a dark tone. The newcomer, a man just known as Tex, immediately questions his appointment, not as a deputy, but as Prairie City’s new marshal. Gamblers are betting on how long he’ll last and his deputies don’t seem to like him. Tex wonders why he should put his life on the line for a town in which he isn’t welcome. As the attempts on his life come, Tex gets close to quitting. Of course, he doesn’t and tension mounts. As the deadline for the bets to be paid on his death the gamblers set Tex up to be killed. Tex survives this but trouble still comes his way, especially when he decides it’s time to enforce the no guns in town law.

Tex also has women problems. He’s attracted to two and he soon has to deal with female jealousy. This could be the distraction that means he drops his guard for it to be the death of him.

The story is well written and the plot moves forwards quickly. It’s packed with tough talk and lively gunplay. The author uses some terms and words that I hardly ever see in westerns, such as having characters refer to each other as hairpins. I was also surprised to see a building called a bungalow. Many of the characters enjoy a smoke and often light up a cigaret, which later on is called a cigarette, then switches back to being a cigaret. Was this an author or publisher mistake? 

Tom West is a pseudonym used by Fred East, and this is only the second book I can remember reading by him. I really enjoyed the first one, Bitter Brand, and The Toughest Town in the Territory started so well, was full of potential, and Tex is an interesting hero. Once Tex has settled into his new job the story is held together by trying to bring law to Prairie City and becomes a series of unrelated incidents that Tex has to tackle. The promise of a showdown between Tex and forty ranch hands had me looking forward to an exciting action-packed finale but I was to be severely let down as the book took a ridiculous turn, making for the worst ending I’ve ever read. In fact, I had to re-read a few paragraphs to make sure I hadn’t imagined what I’d read, but no, this unbelievably stupid ending was real. What on earth was the author thinking?

Bitter Brand left me wanting to read more of Tom West’s work. If I’d read The Toughest Town in the Territory first, I very much doubt I’d have picked up another book by this author. I have three more West books in my collection, so the question now is will I ever read them? Maybe I’ll try one more but it won’t be anytime soon.

My copy of The Toughest Town in the Territory is part an Ace Double, the other story being Guns at Q Cross by Merle Constiner. 

THE OUTLAW HERD

 

THE OUTLAW HERD

By Peter Field

Cover art by John Duillo

Pocket Books, February 1976

Originally published by Jefferson House, 1962 

Crusty, outspoken Ma Russell was in deep trouble. Killer Cagle had shot down her foreman in a saloon brawl. Her husband was up north with a busted leg, and Ma wanted to drive a herd of cattle across a thousand miles of wild, strange mountains. Without proper help she’d never make it, so Pat Stevens and his sidekicks Sam and Ezra decided to ride along. But Cagle and his desperadoes had other ideas. They menaced the cattle drive all the rugged way until – in a final action-packed showdown – one of Peter Field’s best Westerns comes to a roaring climax.

This book is part of the long running Powder Valley western series that began in 1934 and finished in 1967 and saw 80+ books published. Originally put out by Morrow before Jefferson House took over, all the books were published as hardbacks. They were later republished as paperbacks.

Peter Field is a pseudonym shared by a number of authors, the first of which was Francis Thayer Hobson. Other authors include Harry S. Drago, Davis Dresser, Fred East, and Robert J. Hogan. From the 35th book all the titles were written by Lucien W. Emerson. Emerson wrote The Outlaw Herd and it was the 76th entry into the series. It is the first Powder Valley western I’ve read.

I’ve never been a massive fan of cattle drive stories, but it had been a while since I’d read one so I decided to give The Outlaw Herd a chance. I needn’t have worried, as the cattle drive takes place over just a few pages with most of the book covering why the cattle drive was needed and where the cattle would come from. Also, there was the added complication of Cagle and his gang. These owlhoots also provided a mystery element to the tale as to the reason they were so interested in the Russell’s Spider ranch.

I got the impression that Stevens, Sam and Ezra are the main characters of the series, although there was little backstory revealed about them, or Powder Valley for that matter. I also noticed that Emerson rarely shares his characters thoughts – I only learned what they were thinking when they decided to explain something to other characters. This allowed the author to spring a couple of surprises without me having any idea they were coming. 

None of the characters really stood out to me. I’m still not sure what to make of Stevens as he seems too good to be true. He certainly never seems to doubt himself. Some of the plot stretched my belief somewhat, such as the acquisition of the outlaw herd. I’m not sure a rustler would hand over a herd on a promise of payment once the cattle had been sold to someone he didn’t know. This did add an extra element to the end of the story where Stevens came over as wearing a whiter than white hat. The story did move forward at a fair clip. It contains lots of dialogue, mainly threats and bluster. There’s not a lot of gunplay or other action. The blurb promised ‘a final action-packed showdown’ but that didn’t seem to happen. Yes, there was a shootout involving rustlers and a posse, but it was over fairly quickly and didn’t bring the story to an end as there were more plot threads to tie up before the close of the tale.

I realize I’ve said quite a few negative things about this book, but none of them put me off reading it. The main plotline was interesting enough to keep me turning the pages, as were a couple of subplots, such as how the relationship between the constantly bickering young cowboy and the Russell’s daughter would turn out, even though it was easy enough to work out. Steven’s plan to sneak off under the noses of Cagle and his gang was well done too.

Would I read another Powder Valley western on the strength of this one? Yes, probably, but maybe not for a while. I do think it would be interesting to read how some of the other authors behind the pseudonym tell their stories about Stevens, Sam and Ezra, especially those written by Robert J. Hogan and Fred East as I’ve always enjoyed their work.

WESTERN STORY MAGAZINE - December 1961

WESTERN STORY MAGAZINE
British Edition, Vol. XV, No. 8.
Atlas Publishing, December 1961

This collection of nine tales contains work by eight authors I’d never read before, the exception being Barry Cord, so I was looking forward to trying some new writers to me. Yes, I recognized the names of a few of them but had no idea of what to expect from them when I picked up this issue of Western Story Magazine.

The contents page says none of the stories had been published in Great Britain before, but like all British Editions of western pulps the tales were all previously published in American Pulps. Seven of the stories originally appeared in the December 1940 issue of New Western Magazine, Vol. 2, No. 3. No Law for Die-Hard Cowmen! was taken from Vol. 1, No. 1 of New Western Magazine, March 1940, and Samaritan of Hell’s Half-Acre came from the October 1940 issue of .44 Western Magazine, Vol. 5, No. 4. You can see the covers of these magazines throughout the review.

No Law for Die-Hard Cowmen! by Ed. Earl Repp is the lead story. From what I can gather Repp got other authors to ghost a lot of the work that was published under his own name, and not having read anything by him before means I can’t pick up on any writing styles to help me identify whether it was him or not that wrote this tale. The story follows Clay Anson, who’d turned in his Texas Ranger badge for the chance to deal justice beyond the law and claim his bloody heritage. It was never explained how Anson knew so much about the wrongs he came to set right, and who was behind them. This gave me a few ‘huh?’ moments as I wondered how he knew about certain revelations and made the story somewhat unbelievable. Anson is also a super confident man who never doubts his abilities to take down the badmen. This was probably my least liked story in this magazine.

The second yarn, Barnyard Billy’s Conscript Army by Jim Kjelgaard, was not what I was expecting. This is a tale told from a goat’s point of view and doesn’t contain any humans. Slow starvation awaited the billy goat as he was trapped on top of a barren rock. Below was certain bloody death at the fangs of a huge, snarling dog. Could a second goat help save the day? I was quite surprised at how much I enjoyed this tale, even though I find it hard to accept that animals think like humans. It was well written and the author soon had me wondering if the goat could escape the dog. I’m now curious to find out if Kjelgaard wrote other stories that featured only animals. 

The Broken-M Adopts Trouble by Cliff M. Bisbee uses the age-old plot of the failing ranch that the bank is about to claim if the owners don’t pay off their debt. The Mexican partner decides to steal what they need but he doesn’t pick his victim well, and robs the sheriff. There’s a neat side plot of a missing baby that turns up at the ranch making the owners wonder how it got there. It couldn’t have crawled twenty miles, could it? On the strength of this short story, I’d certainly read more by Bisbee.

Hector Gavin Grey’s There’s Gold in Boothill is next. With a title like that it’ll come as no surprise to discover this is a gold mine tale. An old-timer partners up with a young fast gun who may or may not be who he says he is. They take on a job to get back a mine for a man who has a bad reputation. There’s a couple of plot twists as the characters set to double-cross each other and everything pretty much plays out as expected. Entertaining enough to ensure I’d read another story by this author if I find one, although I wouldn’t go looking specifically.

An Outlaw Town Hires a Badge Toter by H. Charles McDermott. Frontier marshal Bob Fury arrives in town to solves a mysterious series of murders and pilfered caches on the request of Laughing Jake Tilby. This is an action-packed tale involving a gold mine that sees Fury taking on the man who hired him. It has a neat ending which involves an unloaded gun. One of my favourite tales in the magazine making McDermott an author I’ll definitely be keeping an eye-out for more of his stories.

The author of Powdersmoke Quarantine, C. William Harrison, wrote under a few pseudonyms too. This story is about Jim Callert who has the difficult task on making Jan Edwards believe he hadn’t killed her brother whilst upholding a quarantine law that will plunge her ranch into poverty. Callert and Jan were an item at one time, but the death of her brother had changed that. If Callert could prove he was innocent, would they become lovers once again? The was an ok read that had an easy to work out plot and of course involved a cattle stampede. This story didn’t make me want to go and search for more of the author’s work.

Barry Cord is a pseudonym used by Peter B. Germano and he has long been a favourite author of mine and his story in this magazine, The Things Men Die For, was another excellent read by him. It’s about a broken old whiskey-bum to whom a small gold medal meant only another bottle … until the sight of a youngster going out to die fanned to living flame a forgotten spark of manhood. Like in his full-length novels, Cord includes intrigue and a great twist ending to this dark toned tale. Definitely the best story in this publication.

Samaritan of Hell’s Half-Acre by Le Roy Boyd features a plot often found in westerns, that of a lawman and outlaw having to team up to fight off greater odds. Stranded by a waterhole without horses, desperado Lafferty and sheriff Parsons find themselves under attack by a gang of Mexicans. This is packed with action and has a terrific twist ending. This story is my second favourite and I’ll certainly be looking for more work by this author.

The final story is I. L. Thompson’s Doom Waits for Barbwire Rebels. Jeff Mainess, a gunless prison outcast won’t line up with either side in a range war so he becomes fair bullet-bait for both. This is your typical cattleman wants all the range and starts driving out the farmers. Soon people die, and Mainess takes on the job of lawman to try and stop the killings. There’s plenty of action, including a siege and assault on the jail. Mainess is pretty much indestructible, taking a number of bullet wounds but is able to shrug them off and carry on as if nothing has happened. There’s also a delicate girl who will show her strengths by the end of the tale and is the love interest for Mainess. This was a readable story but not very memorable.

Don’t be put off by the incredibly dull cover this magazine has as the stories it contains are all worth a read. I never considered giving up on any of them and found a couple of new authors to me that I’d like to read more of. Overall, this is a fun collection of short stories that kept me entertained for a few hours.