tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31970757069831556002024-03-18T07:43:55.651+00:00Western Fiction ReviewSteve Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631734673248632467noreply@blogger.comBlogger1417125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197075706983155600.post-37123349383606152502024-03-14T16:20:00.007+00:002024-03-14T16:22:11.471+00:00THE GENERAL<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJA7NFiGw0AP3mKWNhm8rjTd7ZWi6x0gAYUjbK0svzOB4X0lVe_gqShZM2aD9xrs6uBn3gIEV1aqcOKt-MqH0D3oEZmVLbr1Mw-MiQWMuliDUgCXzaFppQVsz4tisdbjT0r_yInlau22TSgu9YSc6pCDXRyUH3-1NYu_CBqUOyrrxrvrshinVtU8qq01sI/s600/Abilene%2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJA7NFiGw0AP3mKWNhm8rjTd7ZWi6x0gAYUjbK0svzOB4X0lVe_gqShZM2aD9xrs6uBn3gIEV1aqcOKt-MqH0D3oEZmVLbr1Mw-MiQWMuliDUgCXzaFppQVsz4tisdbjT0r_yInlau22TSgu9YSc6pCDXRyUH3-1NYu_CBqUOyrrxrvrshinVtU8qq01sI/s16000/Abilene%2010.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">ABILENE</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Book 10 of 16</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">THE GENERAL</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">By Justin Ladd</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Cover art by Gordon Crabb</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Pocket Books, October 1989</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>When former Confederate prison camp commander General Brainard Forsythe arrives in town, marshal Luke Travis and deputy Cody Fisher have their hands full trying to keep the peace. Plenty of folks in Abilene are ready to welcome the “Butcher of Copperhead Mountain” with a noose and a tall gallows. But vicious hardcase McKimson and his gang are after the gold that the general is rumoured to have taken – and no one’s getting in their way. It’s open war on Abilene’s rough streets, and a marshal and his deputy are riding into the thick of it!</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The author easily hooked me from the very beginning when it became obvious that the general, his daughter, Marelda, and their friend Varden, were desperate to keep their identities hidden by using false names. Why? It seems that it’s the general’s past that they want to keep concealed, but there’s the extra mystery of whether he really did what he’s rumoured to have done, and if there really is any gold.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Arriving in Abilene their attempts to keep their true identities concealed seems to be working, but one or two people, including marshal Travis, have suspicions about the newcomers. It will take an ex-union army officer, Nicholas Allard, who lost an arm in the Civil War and now runs a stable in Abilene, to unmask them. Hatred drives Allard’s actions and he acts without thinking of the consequences for others, and ruins his chance for romance with Marelda. It’s the growing affection between these two that plays a major part in the storyline and the heartache that the revelation of who the general really is grabbed my attention and made me want to keep turning the pages to see how this shattering news would play out for these likeable characters. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">It’s the discovery of the general’s real name that sees McKimson and his men hatch a plan to steal the gold that Forsythe supposedly has secreted away. Allard has already had a couple of run ins with McKimson when he saved Marelda from him. McKimson would like nothing better than to kill Allard for this and it looks like he’s about to get his chance as he makes his play for the gold. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The final showdown, played out on the streets of Abilene, is both frantic, desperate and brutal. This bloody gunfight involves all the book’s main characters. Throughout most of the story, Travis and Fisher have remained in the background, but they’ll be needed to bring a close to this latest chapter of Abilene’s history. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Justin Ladd is a pseudonym used by one of the best western authors still writing today, that author being James Reasoner. As I expected, the book is fast moving, full of terrific characters that will have you wanting to know what happens to them, and has many exciting action scenes. The question of whether the gold exists or is just a fable adds a neat touch of mystery to the tale. <br /><br /></p><div><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><u>ABILENE series</u></div><div style="text-align: center;">1. The Peacemaker</div><div style="text-align: center;">2. The Sharpshooter</div><div style="text-align: center;">3. The Pursuers</div><div style="text-align: center;">4. The Night Riders</div><div style="text-align: center;">5. The Half-Breed</div><div style="text-align: center;">6. The Hangman</div><div style="text-align: center;">7. The Prizefighter</div><div style="text-align: center;">8. The Whiskey Runners</div><div style="text-align: center;">9. The Tracker</div><div style="text-align: center;">10. The General</div><div style="text-align: center;">11. The Hellion</div><div style="text-align: center;">12. The Cattle Baron</div><div style="text-align: center;">13. The Pistoleer</div><div style="text-align: center;">14. The Lawman</div><div style="text-align: center;">15. The Barlow Brides</div><div style="text-align: center;">16. The Deputy</div></div></div>Steve Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631734673248632467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197075706983155600.post-61437434961904672422024-03-07T16:11:00.000+00:002024-03-07T16:11:22.265+00:00TO MAKE A MAN<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPI9H3U-1BbCicWk0FFEGhmhV2Wn8gkuVoVcWd6S9WEb650fBv3Jeh_Oa9HPxyDuImFSlxT3g7K99MdfBl5k6ivY6L_azjTweSnX7QKHc1VZrrHbPGAaw8i1RwZrknkjhq3G8vP_0r8KIHOOFHtH4hbXaux8lexHhmuEFMwcMc_u_mYc4GsZ2yMAHSQL69/s600/Bloody%20Joe%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPI9H3U-1BbCicWk0FFEGhmhV2Wn8gkuVoVcWd6S9WEb650fBv3Jeh_Oa9HPxyDuImFSlxT3g7K99MdfBl5k6ivY6L_azjTweSnX7QKHc1VZrrHbPGAaw8i1RwZrknkjhq3G8vP_0r8KIHOOFHtH4hbXaux8lexHhmuEFMwcMc_u_mYc4GsZ2yMAHSQL69/s16000/Bloody%20Joe%204.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">BLOODY JOE MANNION</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Book 4 of 9</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">TO MAKE A MAN</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">By Peter Brandvold</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Wolfpack Publishing, August 2022</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Del Norte Town Marshal “Bloody” Joe Mannion and his junior deputy, Henry “Stringbean” McCallister, run down an especially violent as well as beguiling outlaw in the pretty form of Mathilda Calderon. The senorita is just one pretty girl, but she fights like a leg-trapped puma, leaving Mannion with an arm full of buckshot and Stringbean hurting where a man just shouldn’t be attacked, gallblastit! </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Senorita Calderon is wanted for aiding and abetting the commission of a federal crime and to testify against her boyfriend, the notorious border bandito and revolutionario, Diego Hidalgo, who stole three Gatling guns from the U.S. Army, slaughtering a dozen soldiers in the process. U.S. marshals are sent to retrieve the senorita and escort her to Tucson. Bloody Joe believes she will identify Hidalgo as the leader of the gang who stole the Gatling guns and also testify as to the guns’ whereabouts.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Arresting and holding onto Mathilda Calderon is just one of the problems Bloody Joe will have to deal with in this fast moving read. Peter Brandvold sure doesn’t believe in giving his characters an easy time of it and Mannion will not only have to suffer physically, but mentally too, as will Stringbean. As well as defending themselves from people trying to kill them, both have affairs of the heart to deal with. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">As the story unfolds, Stringbean finds himself escorting Mathilda “La Stiletta” Calderon to Tucson alone and there are plenty of dangers for him to face whilst doing so, from both men and animals. The relationship between prisoner and deputy is fascinating to watch unfold, especially as La Stiletta seems ready to kill Stringbean at the first chance she gets. The title of the book, To Make a Man, refers to Stringbean, as Joe believes his deputy will only be successful if he acts like a man, not as the kid he is.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Back in Del Norte, Bloody Joe has to deal with a mystery someone who has sent hired killers after him. Why? Getting to the bottom of this gives plenty of opportunities for Joe to live up to his nickname. To further complicate things his wife wants a divorce. Will Joe agree to this or can they work things out? </p><p style="text-align: justify;">There’s not one dull moment to be found in this story. Peter Brandvold paces the book superbly and fills it with interesting characters and plotlines. Amidst all the violent action there are gentler moments too, and some laugh-out-loud humour. All the story threads are tied up neatly, although not all of them ended as I expected and I was left looking forward to reading the next Bloody Joe Mannion book as soon as I can.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Mention must also be made of Wolfpack Publishing’s attention to their cover illustrations to highlight how they make sure the covers of their books depict a scene from the story and this one shows a particularly suspenseful part of the tale.</p><p><br />UK readers can buy the book <a href="https://amzn.to/48LtRT6" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />American readers can buy the book <a href="https://amzn.to/4a5FqG3" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><u>BLOODY JOE MANNION series</u></div><div style="text-align: center;">1. Bloody Joe</div><div style="text-align: center;">2. Revenge at Burial Rock</div><div style="text-align: center;">3. Saints and Sinners</div><div style="text-align: center;">4. To Make a Man</div><div style="text-align: center;">5. All My Sins Remembered</div><div style="text-align: center;">6. Kicked Out with a Cold Shovel</div><div style="text-align: center;">7. Drawn and Quartered</div><div style="text-align: center;">8. Battle Mountain</div><div style="text-align: center;">9. Bloody Joe’s Last Dance</div><p></p>Steve Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631734673248632467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197075706983155600.post-61396894657744069502024-02-29T09:30:00.001+00:002024-02-29T09:30:00.127+00:00KILLERS NEVER SLEEP<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5KTnL5Aod_zltE4HCmUOeDJ-8kylngWjPaHdxWFiMG1h-krxuDMg0fmGIrR9hS-bVLe5eGXatr4fC73xffZt4C0dCodWkvC2AErajcbDlNp5kCx2hX6ppPVwZNAM6uDzLBCagy2b2wvX9QyfrwVBstG6bhsZbDQqp0E6lCB5aTE0Q9nguHwNfmOPj0ssI/s600/Trammel,%20Buck%206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5KTnL5Aod_zltE4HCmUOeDJ-8kylngWjPaHdxWFiMG1h-krxuDMg0fmGIrR9hS-bVLe5eGXatr4fC73xffZt4C0dCodWkvC2AErajcbDlNp5kCx2hX6ppPVwZNAM6uDzLBCagy2b2wvX9QyfrwVBstG6bhsZbDQqp0E6lCB5aTE0Q9nguHwNfmOPj0ssI/s16000/Trammel,%20Buck%206.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">BUCK TRAMMEL</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Book 6 of 6</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">KILLERS NEVER SLEEP</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">By William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Pinnacle Books, January 2024</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Ben Washington and his gang of murdering prairie rats have been terrorizing Wyoming Territory for quite a spell: rustling cattle, robbing stagecoaches and railroads, and slaughtering settlers. When Sheriff Buck Trammel of Laramie learns that Washington and his killers have been terrorizing an innocent family, he and his deputy ride out and bring Washington in the hard way – at the barrel of a gun.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>When word spreads fast of Washington’s capture, gambler Adam Hagen begins taking wagers on the outlaw’s fate and quickly finds himself sitting atop a mountain of cash. Hearing of the large sums being bet on Washington’s fate, the LeBlanc Brothers come to town posing as cattlemen. Gorged with greed, the LeBlanc Brothers team up with Washington’s gang of cutthroats. It’s up to Buck Trammel to not only defend the town from hell bursting loose, but to also keep Ben Washington right where he belongs – at the end of a rope.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;">With the majority of Buck Trammel’s problems in Laramie tied up at the close of the previous book, <a href="https://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/08/this-man-must-die.html" target="_blank">This Man Must Die</a>, it seems life could get easier for the lawman. That is not to be, as a new gang of outlaws or two are about to pose a serious threat to a peaceful life in Laramie. There is also nowhere near as much political wrangling in this story as there has been in the pervious books, but you don’t need that as there is more than enough trouble for Trammel to deal with in this story. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The main plot revolves around Washington, but he is more or less a background character as he spends most of his time locked in a cell. It’s his gang, and the LeBlanc Brothers, that are going to cause the perils that Trammel will have to face. The LeBlanc Brothers being responsible for a massive death toll that sees Laramie shaken to its foundations, that will also change the life of some of the main characters in the series. Trammel also gets some news that will alter his life too.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The author really piles the pressure on to Trammel and his deputies. There’s a powerplay as the lawmen argue over how best to defend Laramie against these new threats. Adam Hagen has a part to play in both causing one of the disasters that befalls the town and in trying to stop the outlaw gang achieving their aims.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Trammel and the outlaws try to bluff and counterbluff each other, which leads to plenty of violent exchanges of gunplay. Tension mounts as Trammel has to decide whether to let Washington go and save the town or hang onto the outlaw and see Laramie destroyed and many of its citizens killed. How Trammel solves these problems provides a gripping climax to the story.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Once again, the author has written another excellent story that keeps the Buck Trammel series going from strength to strength. I can only hope there will be another one soon, but as there hasn’t been another book announced by the Johnstone’s, I will just have to keep my fingers crossed that one may appear eventually. </p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><u>BUCK TRAMMEL series</u></div><div style="text-align: center;">1. North of Laramie</div><div style="text-align: center;">2. Bury the Hatchet</div><div style="text-align: center;">3. The Intruders</div><div style="text-align: center;">4. The Fires of Blackstone</div><div style="text-align: center;">5. This Man Must Die</div><div style="text-align: center;">6. Killers Never Sleep</div><p></p>Steve Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631734673248632467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197075706983155600.post-12417773236553881012024-02-25T11:47:00.001+00:002024-02-25T11:48:34.730+00:00ON THE DODGE<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1SW5mlQogcDzYk1HMyV9UbPxxyEHQrtwfFHeMLcC85829gxLvA7T4mMITgdd66tb-m6ufSiGipNLCttjk83tEnrkR6Rb-zowcGQqJ1QmPhjReTs3ss5Nq0rCAiOBspa2U9ocqr0LD-Z1i8wRfp3rHy8894F6mDmMtluvcjfay2Rx9n24m8jLnmCVWWVhQ/s600/Bannister%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="363" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1SW5mlQogcDzYk1HMyV9UbPxxyEHQrtwfFHeMLcC85829gxLvA7T4mMITgdd66tb-m6ufSiGipNLCttjk83tEnrkR6Rb-zowcGQqJ1QmPhjReTs3ss5Nq0rCAiOBspa2U9ocqr0LD-Z1i8wRfp3rHy8894F6mDmMtluvcjfay2Rx9n24m8jLnmCVWWVhQ/s16000/Bannister%201.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">BANNISTER</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">ON THE DODGE</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">By D.B. Newton</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Cover art by Jerome Podwil</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Berkley Medallion, 1962</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Jim Bannister hoped he wouldn’t be recognized when he rode into the tiny town of Antelope, Colorado, but he had to take the risk. His life depended on Syndicate Agent Boyd Selden whom he hoped to find there . . . </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>A few months earlier he had busted out of a jail in New Mexico, and there was a $12,000 price tag on his head . . .</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Things were going smoothly enough – until he accidentally got pulled into a fight over Kelsey Harbord, daughter of the murdered ex-foreman of the powerful Buckhorn Ranch . . .</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Jim knew that he was getting involved in a potential range war – but he couldn’t help feeling that this was his only chance to convince Selden that he had murdered in self-defence . . .</i> </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I have a few books by Dwight Bennett Newton and a handful of short stories in my collection. I think I’ve only read one of them though, and that was a long, long time ago, so I had no real recollection of reading him before I decided to read On the Dodge. I’d never wanted to start this series until I owned all 11 books, and I’ve still got four to find, but having given up on finding those absent books at a sensible price, I thought I’d give the first one a try. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Newton doesn’t tell the reader why Bannister is wanted for murder straight-away, or why he’s intent on tracking down Seldon who works for the syndicate that has placed the bounty on his head. This adds an air of mystery to the story which pulled me in and kept me turning the pages. Newton does eventually reveal why Bannister is on the dodge but I was still left wondering whether Seldon would help him or have him arrested and their meeting didn’t turn out as I expected. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The story is fairly straight-forward, and mixes plots that have turned up in many westerns, such as helping a damsel in distress and getting involved in a fight that isn’t one of the heroes making. Newton manages to make it all feel fresh and new though with his strong storytelling and believable characters that are flawed – Bannister often makes mistakes that could see him arrested or killed. Newton’s dialogue is well done and the whole tale has a tough edge to it. The story moves forward at a great pace and never had a dull moment.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">On the Dodge is a very well told traditional western that easily held my interest, and left me looking forward to reading the second book (which I have) as soon as I can. </p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><u>BANNISTER series</u></div><div style="text-align: center;">1. On the Dodge</div><div style="text-align: center;">2. The Savage Hills</div><div style="text-align: center;">3. Bullets on the Wind</div><div style="text-align: center;">4. The Manhunters</div><div style="text-align: center;">5. Hideout Valley</div><div style="text-align: center;">6. The Wolf Pack</div><div style="text-align: center;">7. The Judas Horse</div><div style="text-align: center;">8. Syndicate Gun</div><div style="text-align: center;">9. Range Tramp</div><div style="text-align: center;">10. Bounty on Bannister</div><div style="text-align: center;">11. Broken Spur</div><p></p>Steve Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631734673248632467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197075706983155600.post-32839705245293709212024-02-14T16:29:00.000+00:002024-02-14T16:29:41.513+00:00PARTNERS IN CRIME<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiasCI97zzjblDxp6SMT-iWxWpYofCwx0zSct8x69KIxknTBZChjZJry5R5GUBvvRou9W6mIoauKhW27UV8tYDC854edNMjxQuTT3cEJt_4gxwz2a9zjv1S3eaGCtLt1xtk6m9uNhxZng-8aZHt3AtEZlsHqYrR_nvFIg3e3xQJI7iYDeKKH8_H_M7Ax53s/s600/Holmes%20on%20the%20Range%208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiasCI97zzjblDxp6SMT-iWxWpYofCwx0zSct8x69KIxknTBZChjZJry5R5GUBvvRou9W6mIoauKhW27UV8tYDC854edNMjxQuTT3cEJt_4gxwz2a9zjv1S3eaGCtLt1xtk6m9uNhxZng-8aZHt3AtEZlsHqYrR_nvFIg3e3xQJI7iYDeKKH8_H_M7Ax53s/s16000/Holmes%20on%20the%20Range%208.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">HOLMES ON THE RANGE 8</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">PARTNERS IN CRIME</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">By Steve Hockensmith</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rough Edges Press, November 2023</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Saddle up for adventure with the eccentric cowboy detectives, Big Red and Old Red Amlingmeyer, as they embark on a thrilling journey to establish their dream detective agency in the Wild West.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>In this action-packed collection of five stories, join the brothers as they navigate disastrous homecoming trips, strange newspaper feuds, supernatural kidnappings, deadly Christmas celebrations, and a high-stakes conspiracy threatening to tarnish their budding careers.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>With their Sherlock Holmes-inspired wit and determination, can they crack the cases and outsmart the culprits?</i></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;">Contents:</div><div style="text-align: center;">Partners in Crime</div><div style="text-align: center;">My Christmas Story</div><div style="text-align: center;">Curious Incidents</div><div style="text-align: center;">Bad News</div><div style="text-align: center;">Can the Cat Catch the Rat?</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">This is the second collection of short stories featuring the Amlingmeyer brothers, the first collection being <a href="https://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2011/04/dear-mr-holmes.html" target="_blank">Dear Mr. Holmes</a>. Four of the tales were originally published in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, with the other being a brand-new story. Like before, each tale is told through a letter written mainly to Big Red’s editor Mr. Smythe of Smythe & Associates Publishing, Ltd., who publish the Amlingmeyer stories in Smythe’s Frontier Detective Magazine. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">One of the greatest draws for me in this series is Big Red’s humorous observations in his narration of the brothers’ latest cases and the words he speaks during these events, which had me laughing out loud often. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The title story takes us back to their hometown in Kansas and readers are filled in a little more about their past, before they became cowboys, which in turn lead to them becoming detectives. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Each of the five tales offers a very different storyline, one changing quite dramatically mid-way through. Not all their cases involve murder either, which helps keep the stories fresh and individual. I don’t really want to say anything more about the stories as I don’t want to spoil what happens in them, other than to say there are some great twists to some of the plots. There are also lots of references to Sherlock Holmes and his methods of investigating a crime, with Old Red trying to use Holmes’ approaches to solve their own mysteries. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Partners in Crime is another extremely entertaining read from Steve Hockensmith, and I can only hope he has many more adventures lined up for his fans. </p>Steve Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631734673248632467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197075706983155600.post-5127018089016528882024-02-08T12:59:00.000+00:002024-02-08T12:59:01.236+00:00TEACHER WITH A TIN STAR<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe-vFMDsQSucKtCR04VXVrKS0I5DDjXJsoYQgEabPom4N6HAuoH2easGYTby5sNHS50_Jla81KzcKF4MXA1gDHh51EJON7Ei8VZlsZCYnFh2MsYtgU20_REc032soVjHuhRGZfhPYBpUT5yXxsujthangm4SrwDwZdxp4YXlM9q7BVNQSS8WXzF-mSu4FJ/s600/Cade,%20Harriet%20-%20Teacher%20with%20a%20Tin%20Star.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe-vFMDsQSucKtCR04VXVrKS0I5DDjXJsoYQgEabPom4N6HAuoH2easGYTby5sNHS50_Jla81KzcKF4MXA1gDHh51EJON7Ei8VZlsZCYnFh2MsYtgU20_REc032soVjHuhRGZfhPYBpUT5yXxsujthangm4SrwDwZdxp4YXlM9q7BVNQSS8WXzF-mSu4FJ/s16000/Cade,%20Harriet%20-%20Teacher%20with%20a%20Tin%20Star.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">TEACHER WITH A TIN STAR</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">By Harriet Cade</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hale, March 2015</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Mark Brown is hoping to become a minister of the church, but for now he is teaching the elementary school in the little town of Barker’s Crossing in Wyoming.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>When a local landowner begins to terrorize the homesteaders around Barker’s Crossing, Brown realizes that it is time to act. He has not always been a teacher; in fact, he was a lawman for over ten years.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Now, before he can fulfil his ambition of becoming a minister, he must take up his gun one last time and fight to defend the helpless.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;">This is the first book I’ve read written under the penname of Harriet Cade, but it’s not the first I’ve read by the author behind that nom de plume, whose real name is Simon Webb. Webb wrote for the Black Horse line of westerns under 10 pseudonyms plus his own name, which I’ll list at the end of this review.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Simon Webb’s plots move forward at a fast clip and usually contain a twist or two. This book is no exception and in this one it’s how some of the main characters die that took me by surprise. Overall, though, the storyline is very straightforward and it’s easy to predict how everything will turn out – except for one or two of the deaths as I’ve already mentioned. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Brown’s mask of being a teacher and wannabe minister is easily seen through by his elderly landlady, and it’s through her urging that he straps on his gun again. Brown finds that the majority of the men in Barker’s Crossing won’t stand by him as he faces the rancher and his hired guns. Brown is only backed by a young kid and an old-timer, which is typical of many westerns. Everything comes to a neat ending, if predictable, and even offers a nick-of-time rescue.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Webb does have a writing style of his own, which can take a little getting used to. This is mainly in the speech. Here’s an example: “I see a mort of dust being kicked up over yonder. Less’n I’m greatly mistook.” </p><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">Simon Webb’s Black Horse Westerns aren’t those I pick out that often to read from the many I’ve got. But if I want a quick easy to read traditional western then he is someone I’ll consider.</div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">Here's the list of pseudonyms Simon Webb wrote Black Horse Westerns as:</p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;">Clyde Baker</div><div style="text-align: center;">Harriet Cade</div><div style="text-align: center;">Bill Cartwright</div><div style="text-align: center;">Jay Clanton</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ethan Harker</div><div style="text-align: center;">Jethro Kyle</div><div style="text-align: center;">Brent Larssen</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ed Roberts</div><div style="text-align: center;">Fenton Sadler</div><div style="text-align: center;">Jack Tregarth</div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">He also wrote BHW’s under his own name.</p>Steve Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631734673248632467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197075706983155600.post-7698689694964460132024-01-31T15:33:00.006+00:002024-01-31T15:58:04.837+00:00ASSASSIN'S TRAIL<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkwMvbLE2AmA4QG6RYaoRXh7iGbtOUOdxi6nO9NJlsT9ycMAeYt4imXL8MlPaSg3gb3rtMNWQhpv0s5A5OPCGfbAGHPQcfNJNoVNOC8_7ZoRmZm1Ku4-v2EWLaQsgPNLE4MQWYekuEbNYtJYdGDTOriBQE_R9RTnVT2AeIOirfzANtwyPuv3qBnWTPbuAB/s600/Canyon%20O'Grady%2013.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkwMvbLE2AmA4QG6RYaoRXh7iGbtOUOdxi6nO9NJlsT9ycMAeYt4imXL8MlPaSg3gb3rtMNWQhpv0s5A5OPCGfbAGHPQcfNJNoVNOC8_7ZoRmZm1Ku4-v2EWLaQsgPNLE4MQWYekuEbNYtJYdGDTOriBQE_R9RTnVT2AeIOirfzANtwyPuv3qBnWTPbuAB/s16000/Canyon%20O'Grady%2013.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">CANYON O’GRADY</span></b></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">Number 13 of 25</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">ASSASSIN’S TRAIL</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">By Jon Sharpe</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Cover art by Jerome Podwil</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Signet, May 1991</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Canyon O’Grady had a long way to go to get his man. The big redheaded U.S. special agent had to catch up with the kingpin of an assassination ring making tracks for Oregon – and the trail cut through Blackfoot land. Canyon was ready to handle both assassins’ bullets and Blackfoot arrows – but not a blonde built for trouble, a pair of greenhorns dead set on sure-fire suicide, and a tangle of treachery and deceit that left Canyon wondering whom to save, whom to kill, and how not to make the dead wrong choice…</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>After a run of books written by Chester Cunningham, we have a new author writing behind the pseudonym of Jon Sharpe. I’ve seen two different authors suggested as being the writer of this book but haven’t read enough of either to make a guess as to which it could be, Jon Messmann or Will C. Knott. Perhaps neither?</div><div><br /></div><div>The author’s prose is very readable and the plot doesn’t offer much in the way of surprises or gun action – of course there is some gunplay but not as much as I’d expect from a book carrying the name of Jon Sharpe. The storyline did hold my attention though and introduced some great characters, such as Jake Gettis, bodyguard to Judge Langley who O’Grady has been sent after. </div><div><br /></div><div>I found it strange that O’Grady would allow himself to be talked into babysitting some greenhorns, even though they are travelling in the same direction as he, instead of racing ahead to track down a man assumed to be planning to assassinate the President. Somehow, I’d have thought this would have been the special agents’ number one concern and nothing would get in the way of taking down the judge before the President could be killed.</div><div><br /></div><div>A lot of the book is taken up with O’Grady’s attempts to stop the spread of cholera, which is wreaking havoc among the people of a wagon train that the judge is travelling with. </div><div><br /></div><div>The book contains an exciting duel with a Blackfoot warrior who is determined to kill O’Grady and part of the story follows this warrior and his band as they discuss how to wipe the encroaching whites from their country, none of which had much baring on the story other than filling pages. One of these scenes contains some gruesome descriptions of what happens to a couple of prisoners.</div><div><br /></div><div>There is also a glaring error that will annoy purists. Each of the O’Grady books contain a page at the front that outlines the time and setting the story takes place, which I believe is written by the author, and this one announces that the book is set in 1859. Throughout the story O’Grady uses a Henry rifle, which were not introduced until 1960.</div><div><br /></div><div>After Cunningham’s entries into the series, this one did feel like a let down if I’m honest. It was still an ok read and I would read more by whoever wrote this book, which is a good job as there is another coming from this author in a couple of books time I believe.</div><div><br /></div><div>Cover artist Jerome Podwil has once again produced a superb cover, each of the illustrations capturing a scene from the story. He must also have been told about O’Grady’s switch of horses as Canyon is depicted on the animal he rides for much of this tale instead of his usual mount.</div><div><br /></div><div>Assassin’s Trail is one for the completist, not a book to judge the whole series on. </div><div><br /></div></div></div>Steve Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631734673248632467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197075706983155600.post-85461055153201344182024-01-18T16:50:00.000+00:002024-01-18T16:50:20.995+00:00A NEED FOR VIOLENCE<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglsQ9v5afBnEHmJUZ_MkPjt1Ef68jo3zIsCMMBNgvFFLRYP-NDlhH_JBl9phTn9t2AHxgSp_ohsi5T3rosIJyTXN6d7rv79Lt1HTxsGh1ZmAN4T4EW4ZOEh3snw8dDWMwT63JslLP3Z2h8ePWdS2WQkIbA-7o3233ravIAtYnaedoWew7F3G2mxcYURScL/s600/Battling%20Harrigans%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="407" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglsQ9v5afBnEHmJUZ_MkPjt1Ef68jo3zIsCMMBNgvFFLRYP-NDlhH_JBl9phTn9t2AHxgSp_ohsi5T3rosIJyTXN6d7rv79Lt1HTxsGh1ZmAN4T4EW4ZOEh3snw8dDWMwT63JslLP3Z2h8ePWdS2WQkIbA-7o3233ravIAtYnaedoWew7F3G2mxcYURScL/s16000/Battling%20Harrigans%202.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">THE BATTLING HARRIGANS OF THE FRONTIER</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">A NEED FOR VIOLENCE</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">By Dusty Richards and Matthew P. Mayo</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Pinnacle Books, December 2023</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Spring, 1850. After a brutally long winter in the Rockies, Mack Harrigan and his growing family have learned to manage the harsh realities of frontier life. Their new friends, the Shoshone, have taught them the skills they need to survive in this rugged land, from tracking and hunting to fishing and foraging. But the skills they need most are those of the Shoshone warrior, when their camp is attacked by an enemy tribe…. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Sometimes there is a need for violence. This is one of those times.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>The attackers are merciless. They crush the skulls of their victims. Slice off their scalps. And kidnap children as prisoners of war. The Harrigans are horrified by the bloodshed and brutality of the attack – and are determined to fight back alongside the Shoshone. But their mission to save the children will ultimately send the battling Harrigans even deeper into the wild frontier. Farther west than most dare travel. And closer to finding the American dream – if they survive…. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;">After only a handful of pages, Matthew P. Mayo plunges the reader into the midst of a vicious battle for survival as the Shoshone camp comes under attack. The Harrigan’s are split up and the author keeps switching between them as they fight frantically to save themselves, each other, and their Shoshone friends. Most of the combat is hand-to-hand, knife-to-knife, club-to-head, and is described graphically. This has to be one of the longest opening battles I’ve read in a western as it continues for around 80 pages, yet never outstays its welcome. Then it’s straight into a desperate chase to track down and rescue the stolen children.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The second part of the book sees the Harrigan’s continue on their journey, heading towards California. As expected, there is plenty of deadly danger waiting to pounce on them. One of my favourite characters from the first book, Bearpaw Jones, makes a very welcome return and it’s through him that one of the Harrigan’s will meet a famous person and get a job offer that is difficult to turn down, but will it be taken? It’s not just humans that pose a threat to the Harrigan’s as a bear has a large part to play and Mayo writes some nail-biting sequences involving this animal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The seeds for possible future storylines are also planted, and I can only hope that we don’t have to wait too long before a third book appears. </p> Steve Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631734673248632467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197075706983155600.post-25994528965425124322023-12-31T10:00:00.001+00:002023-12-31T10:00:00.139+00:00WESTERNS READ DURING 2023<p><i>In 2023 I didn't have as much spare time for reading as I would have liked. Other interests and life in general taking up most of my free time. I also read some none westerns, which meant even less time for my favourite genre. The books listed below cover a broad publishing period, from the late 1950's right up to the current day. To read any review just click on the book number. </i><br /></p><p><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/01/deaths-bounty.html" target="_blank">1</a>. Hawk 3: Death’s Bounty by William S. Brady<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/01/one-way-to-boot-hill.html" target="_blank">2</a>. Wolf Stockburn, Railroad Detective 4: One Way to Die by Max O’Hara<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/01/the-man-who-shot-jesse-sawyer.html" target="_blank">3</a>. The Man Who Shot Jesse Sawyer by Scott Connor<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/02/ramseys-luck.html" target="_blank">4</a>. The Ramseys 2: Ramsey’s Luck by Will McLennan<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/02/buffalo-guns.html" target="_blank">5</a>. The Trailsman 139: Buffalo Guns by Jon Sharpe<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/02/the-wild-stallions.html" target="_blank">6</a>. Sundance: The Wild Stallions by John Benteen<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/02/saints-and-sinners.html" target="_blank">7</a>. Bloody Joe Mannion 3: Saints and Sinners by Peter Brandvold<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/02/fort-misery.html" target="_blank">8</a>. Fort Misery by William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/03/longarm-and-golden-death.html" target="_blank">9</a>. Longarm and the Golden Death (178) by Tabor Evans<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/03/bullet-welcome-for-slattery.html" target="_blank">10</a>. Slattery 2: Bullet Welcome for Slattery by Steven C. Lawrence<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/03/westbound.html" target="_blank">11</a>. The Battling Harrigans of the Frontier 1: Westbound by Dusty Richards and Matthew P. Mayo<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/03/western-adventure-october-1958.html" target="_blank">12</a>. Western Adventure, Vol. 3 No. 4, October 1958<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/03/powder-river-massacre.html" target="_blank">13</a>. Slocum 171: Powder River Massacre by Jake Logan<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/04/the-tracker.html" target="_blank">14</a>. Abilene 9: The Tracker by Justin Ladd<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/04/a-stranger-in-town.html" target="_blank">15</a>. Will Tanner 2: A Stranger in Town by William W. Johnstone with J.A. Johnstone<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/04/a-stranger-in-town.html" target="_blank">16</a>. Jeremiah Halstead 3: The Revengers by Terrence McCauley<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/04/between-life-and-death.html" target="_blank">17</a>. Morgan Kane 15: Between Life and Death by Louis Masterson<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/05/a-town-called-bastard.html" target="_blank">18</a>. A Town Called Bastard by William Terry<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/05/the-carey-blood.html" target="_blank">19</a>. The Carey Blood by Irving A. Greenfield<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/05/winter-hell.html" target="_blank">20</a>. Gunn 5: Winter Hell by Jory Sherman<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/05/devils-gulch.html" target="_blank">21</a>. Devil’s Gulch by William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/06/longarm-and-golden-lady.html" target="_blank">22</a>. Longarm and the Golden Lady (32) by Tabor Evans<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/06/ride-fast-horse.html" target="_blank">23</a>. Captain Tom Skinner 1: Ride a Fast Horse by Kevin Warren<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/06/hunters-moon.html" target="_blank">24</a>. Hunter’s Moon by Ty Walker<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/06/trail-boss-from-texas.html" target="_blank">25</a>. Trail Boss from Texas by Barry Cord<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/06/stranger-in-town.html" target="_blank">26</a>. Stranger in Town by Clifton Adams<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/07/a-short-rope-for-tall-man.html" target="_blank">27</a>. Carson Stone 2: A Short Rope for a Tall Man by Nate Morgan<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/07/the-burning-man.html" target="_blank">28</a>. Jubal Cade 6: The Burning Man by Charles R. Pike<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/08/this-man-must-die.html" target="_blank">29</a>. Buck Trammel 5: This Man Must Die by William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/08/blood-debt.html" target="_blank">30</a>. Breed 8: Blood Debt by James A. Muir<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/09/colt-fever.html" target="_blank">31</a>. Cactus Jim Clancy 15: Colt Fever by Stetson Cody<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/09/shadow-at-noon.html" target="_blank">32</a>. Shadow at Noon by Hondo Wells<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/10/western-story-january-1958.html" target="_blank">33</a>. Western Story – January, 1958<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/10/hunters-of-dead.html" target="_blank">34</a>. Holmes on the Range 7: Hunters of the Dead by Steve Hockensmith<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/11/easy-company-and-bullwhackers.html" target="_blank">35</a>. Easy Company and the Bullwhackers (30) by John Wesley Howard<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/11/born-to-hang.html" target="_blank">36</a>. Jeremiah Halstead 4: Born to Hang by Terrence McCauley<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/12/trouble-on-smoky-hill-trail.html" target="_blank">37</a>. The Pearl Bothers 1: Trouble on the Smoky Hill by Andrew Weston<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/12/shooting-iron.html" target="_blank">38</a>. Devil’s Gulch 2: Shooting Iron by William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone</p><p><i>Review of book read a few years ago and other items<br /></i><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-posse.html" target="_blank">1</a>. The Gunsmith 33: The Posse by J.R. Roberts<br /><a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2023/08/slocum-bibliography.html" target="_blank">2</a>. Slocum by Jake Logan series Bibliography</p>Steve Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631734673248632467noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197075706983155600.post-26769512967903462562023-12-24T15:01:00.000+00:002023-12-24T15:01:14.883+00:00SHOOTING IRON<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ7bIJLV6QLQV43nX1hn3QTmRmNJTJHgKvzsTmq-LxoilfLEvLaKfw0JQv5mpntFIa93kNN1wjtTFymykGOh4Q7wlOiojrBuDJEPm7m4gc-R2d6zA5loPFbPBgl5738yatyGa8aO6OxgUgz8t_C_07m66l_XSzTt3vzZyfArUm6YFSUHBGBM6Gdsju7Sfz/s600/Devils%20Gulch%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="367" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ7bIJLV6QLQV43nX1hn3QTmRmNJTJHgKvzsTmq-LxoilfLEvLaKfw0JQv5mpntFIa93kNN1wjtTFymykGOh4Q7wlOiojrBuDJEPm7m4gc-R2d6zA5loPFbPBgl5738yatyGa8aO6OxgUgz8t_C_07m66l_XSzTt3vzZyfArUm6YFSUHBGBM6Gdsju7Sfz/s16000/Devils%20Gulch%202.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">DEVIL’S GULCH 2</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">SHOOTING IRON</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">By William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Pinnacle Books, November 2023</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>One of the deadliest, crime-infested towns in Colorado Territory, Devil’s Gulch needed more than a sheriff. They needed a gunslinger. So, they pinned a badge on hardcase lawman John Holt. And the rest is history….</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>As the town’s new sheriff, John Holt achieved the impossible: He drove the devil out of Devil’s Gulch. Corrupt, cutthroat rancher Joe Mullen – who ruled the land with an iron fist – is finally behind bars, all thanks to Sheriff Holt. But the tables are turned when Mullen manages to overturn his prison wagon and make his escape – with an army of prisoners, outlaws, and lowlifes to do his bidding.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>It doesn’t take long for the streets of Devil’s Gulch to run red with blood. Again. Or for John Holt to be marked for death. Again. But this time, the sheriff’s up against more than a hundred men – all of them gunning for him – and his only allies are an all-too-young deputy, an all-too-angry farmer, and a wayward wagon cook. With odds this bad, Holt is sure of only one thing: When you shoot at the devil, it’s best not to miss.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Picking up shortly after the first book ended, this story sees Holt once again battling against Joe Mullen. Mullen wants revenge, particularly against his wife who betrayed him. That desire gets stronger when Mullen finds out she is seeing another man. Mullen soon sets in motion a plan to satisfy his need for vengeance and to clear his name – and he doesn’t care who he has to kill to achieve his aims. Town politics will also have a part to play and this throws a few twists into the story. Many of the characters from the previous books have parts to play in this one, as do some great new people, such as the cook, Bob, who isn’t all he seems. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The plot is gripping, and offers some excellent bursts of violent gunplay. The author also takes time to develop his main characters too, exploring their thoughts regarding the situations they find themselves in and how they can use these circumstances to further their greed for power and fortune. New relationships are formed that could cause more problems for John Holt, although not all of these team-ups are wanted by all the parties involved.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Shooting Iron offers a great combination of western action and intriguing political wrangling that easily held my attention throughout and left me eagerly looking forward to the next book in the series.<br /><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=westfictrevi-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=078604974X&asins=078604974X&linkId=797e4a7fabdc497277d5bdaf9e53c535&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=westfictrevi-21&language=en_GB&marketplace=amazon&region=GB&placement=078604974X&asins=078604974X&linkId=1e9729a3cccc7e1b3cfe431974dab3e8&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></div>Steve Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631734673248632467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197075706983155600.post-64327665660537240782023-12-16T17:07:00.003+00:002023-12-16T17:07:54.197+00:00THE POSSE<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxIgV_W3cJd7fPckD6-ePM0krY4-W8y-LrdOn8gD6LFUxgMcl7HROmLztsjpWh4vFDrVHvC70_-4jnfxZBJw6T6gqRB2rqxiApVKUvl1cbE82V3yup-5kkQ8ShhQq9NjPaC9OfFNY-P-X1z-Wyv-bijqKsQN2WG6DyX7oJ-djbVdcre7fQ63EnepRo_qD0/s600/Gunsmith%2033.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxIgV_W3cJd7fPckD6-ePM0krY4-W8y-LrdOn8gD6LFUxgMcl7HROmLztsjpWh4vFDrVHvC70_-4jnfxZBJw6T6gqRB2rqxiApVKUvl1cbE82V3yup-5kkQ8ShhQq9NjPaC9OfFNY-P-X1z-Wyv-bijqKsQN2WG6DyX7oJ-djbVdcre7fQ63EnepRo_qD0/s16000/Gunsmith%2033.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">THE GUNSMITH</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Book 33 of 486 to date + 19 Giant Editions</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>THE POSSE</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>By J.R. Roberts</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Speaking Volumes, January 2014</div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally published by Charter, October 1984</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>What kind of men would trample a little girl to death? Only the worse kind of low-down, subhuman varmints – and that’s why Clint Adams agrees to join a posse to track down the gang of murdering bank robbers. But with a posse made up of a resentful deputy and merchants who don’t know one end of a gun from another, the Gunsmith is in for a lot more trouble than he bargained for – especially when he realizes the gang is heading for the one town in the West no lawman has ever entered!</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Perhaps one of the more gruesome opening scenes to a Gunsmith book I’ve read and it’s no wonder Adams decides to join the posse.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">All the main participants are well drawn – the robbers being portrayed as a bunch of double-crossing, savagely evil characters that had me urging Adams on to deal out some western justice.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The story is fast moving and is very readable. There are lots of references to previous Gunsmith books and this helps create a past for Clint Adams, fleshing out his character well.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The plot builds superbly and sees Adams and his companions facing certain death with no foreseeable way of escape. The method used to ensure Adams survives came across as a little unbelievable to me. A number of real people from America’s history arrive in the nick of time to save the day. Still, this provided an exciting and entertaining finale to the book that overall is a very enjoyable read.<br /><br /></p> <div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=westfictrevi-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B00IP06MIG&asins=B00IP06MIG&linkId=eb095840d8f0da7e7a6e2123fe8c0ae4&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=westfictrevi-21&language=en_GB&marketplace=amazon&region=GB&placement=B00IP06MIG&asins=B00IP06MIG&linkId=0dde57a9e22bf854aba1173d99cb973c&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></div>Steve Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631734673248632467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197075706983155600.post-88119627202198501442023-12-06T15:46:00.000+00:002023-12-06T15:46:01.992+00:00TROUBLE ON THE SMOKY HILL TRAIL<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZnntfi0Ya3YtGahsWpepkK114gUbfE2w5E7VLA1k8l-uwivTsfhJV1lHqPk-NXQDuFXxs0oT_kj6aMFFPcgf4agMMzYRCoPmO7AFcFA2qhA-bH0mwqrA6dVFIWz4nbxoQwp11jlpA2mnzVfemqYT4A3T62aAGd0W7NiNhldErB-2X2TyLWX7odeNejFtY/s600/Pearl%20Brothers%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZnntfi0Ya3YtGahsWpepkK114gUbfE2w5E7VLA1k8l-uwivTsfhJV1lHqPk-NXQDuFXxs0oT_kj6aMFFPcgf4agMMzYRCoPmO7AFcFA2qhA-bH0mwqrA6dVFIWz4nbxoQwp11jlpA2mnzVfemqYT4A3T62aAGd0W7NiNhldErB-2X2TyLWX7odeNejFtY/s16000/Pearl%20Brothers%201.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">A PEARL BROTHERS WESTERN</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Book 1 of 4 currently</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">TROUBLE ON THE SMOKY HILL TRAIL</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>By Andrew Weston</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Independently published, June 2023</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>A Cheyenne raiding party turns the quiet community of Elder Grove, Kansas, upside down, resulting in the death of a mother and father, and the abduction of their teenage daughters.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>All seems lost.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>But the Cheyenne didn’t reckon on the leaders of Elder Grove, Jacob and Noah Pearl. Two men with a remarkable shared history, who are a force of nature when roused.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>And as the Cheyenne are about to discover, they’re also the kind of men who will do anything to see justice done, even if it means getting their hands dirty.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;">This is Andrew Weston’s first western and a fine entry into the genre it is. The opening chapter grabbed my attention immediately and had me eagerly turning the pages to see how events developed. Could Jacob and Noah, along with their friend Sam, track the small band of Cheyenne who had kidnapped the two girls and free them?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The author kept switching the narrative between the pursuers and pursued, and occasionally other secondary characters. This allows the reader to witness the deadly situation the two girls find themselves in. How Astrid tries to leave a trail for those she believes are searching for her and her sister to follow and her resolve to survive are some of the highlights of this book.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">There is plenty of action too as bands of Indians slaughter various groups of white people, attempting to clear the land of the encroaching white man. Andrew Weston tells his story against this backdrop of rising tensions caused by the US Army’s attempts to supress the Cheyenne, Arapaho and Comanche with the 7th Cavalry and Custer being mentioned a few times. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The story is a straight-forward pursuit tale, filled with well crafted characters. Attention to character development being another strength of this book. There are one or two surprises that add a shock element to the story and the violence can be hard-hitting at times. Everything came to a fast and violent end that left me looking forward to reading more about the surviving characters.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">If you’re looking for a new author to try, then I’d recommend you consider this book by Andrew Weston. </p><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=westfictrevi-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B0C8JVZCM4&asins=B0C8JVZCM4&linkId=23babb2605ebaf445870056f2a669137&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=westfictrevi-21&language=en_GB&marketplace=amazon&region=GB&placement=B0C87PZMQN&asins=B0C87PZMQN&linkId=3e801e5bd780b31f194fe00ce8a4edb9&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></div>Steve Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631734673248632467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197075706983155600.post-5137296698901239542023-11-30T11:00:00.001+00:002023-11-30T11:00:00.138+00:00EASY COMPANY AND THE BULLWHACKERS<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXR0v-XwKznEJmMszh2lU35ks_JTFRdTHh3NCGq5spbZtENoLfUSMXbtNvYZdDsDawZRoqLhBpSsHf7rXz6k-eNTGUmZAg77f0dLVmFV6hZDBs5M7Ax1_niD0lkDAluq_D85-CcEK79bh9cMrHp5rGezqA0c-lxYtiRIkTSA2CUQMZXR1aAgBSSfTE7K9a/s600/Easy%20Company%2030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXR0v-XwKznEJmMszh2lU35ks_JTFRdTHh3NCGq5spbZtENoLfUSMXbtNvYZdDsDawZRoqLhBpSsHf7rXz6k-eNTGUmZAg77f0dLVmFV6hZDBs5M7Ax1_niD0lkDAluq_D85-CcEK79bh9cMrHp5rGezqA0c-lxYtiRIkTSA2CUQMZXR1aAgBSSfTE7K9a/s16000/Easy%20Company%2030.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">EASY COMPANY AND THE BULLWHACKERS</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Book 30 of 31</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">By John Wesley Howard</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Jove, July 1983</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>The army’s been paying a pretty penny to haul government freight across the dusty plains, but now the quartermaster has a new plan: turn Easy Company into hard-driving teamsters…</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>So, while Second Lt. Taylor sets out to train his soldiers to be bullwhackers, angry teamsters plot sabotage. In the meantime, Lt. Matt Kincaid has an even bigger problem: someone’s selling army guns to hostile Indians, and Easy Company is taking the blame!</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I don’t know who wrote behind the pseudonym of John Wesley Howard this time around, but it more than matches the quality of this overall excellent series. The author includes all the main characters we’ve come to know throughout the series. This book follows two plots, each as gripping as the other, with the author switching between them regularly. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">There are a couple of extra minor storylines too. The first of which sees a couple of soldiers trying to sell goods that have been thrown out by the army to the friendly Indians that live by Outpost Number 9. The other, features Four Eyes Bradshaw and his desire to get married. Both these story threads add some humorous moments to contrast with the more serious tone of the main problems facing Easy Company.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">There’s not a lot of gunplay in this book, but there really doesn’t need to be as the main storylines easily kept me turning the pages to find out whether some of the soldiers of Easy Company would become bullwhackers and to discover who was selling the guns to the Indians, that latter of which hooked me with its mystery elements. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">You can jump into this series anywhere as there aren’t any plots that move from book to book, it’s just the soldiers that link the series together. Easy Company is an adult series, so you will find some explicit sex in the stories but there wasn’t that much of it in this book.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The closing scene left me with a big grin on my face and the feeling of having been thoroughly entertained, adding to the many warm memories of the Easy Company series I have as I’ve now read all thirty-one books. If you enjoy army verses Indian stories, and don’t mind a bit of sex in your reading matter, then I’d recommend searching this series out.</p>Steve Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631734673248632467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197075706983155600.post-91974891599896055392023-11-25T19:29:00.000+00:002023-11-25T19:29:44.435+00:00BORN TO HANG<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4KPEKhlR_AlTXJUcwWlGreis99QrLlTINc5lpIN7-yo2nHQZnXJJfbrX1Hw_AG29gUMpceTRlFbKxuikuGaVMZvARDAVAYYojOv8vdYWJ4OrVWMsylr0VtGNnJ0AhiR2TjIRoN4BQ2wDliWc7Hp4MpGe2zzDMDR8wqSKWUMlhyC69JA-p_ugd2uAWfnV9/s600/Halstead,%20Jeremiah%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4KPEKhlR_AlTXJUcwWlGreis99QrLlTINc5lpIN7-yo2nHQZnXJJfbrX1Hw_AG29gUMpceTRlFbKxuikuGaVMZvARDAVAYYojOv8vdYWJ4OrVWMsylr0VtGNnJ0AhiR2TjIRoN4BQ2wDliWc7Hp4MpGe2zzDMDR8wqSKWUMlhyC69JA-p_ugd2uAWfnV9/s16000/Halstead,%20Jeremiah%204.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">JEREMIAH HALSTEAD</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">BORN TO HANG</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">By Terrence McCauley</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Pinnacle Books, October 2023</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Warrants have been issued for the arrest of Jeremiah Halstead and he’s forced into hiding in the harsh Montana wilderness. Alone, desperate and hunted like an animal, Deputy U.S. Marshal Jeremiah Halstead is about to face his day of judgment. But he won’t do it alone. His deputy will side him and they will greet that fateful day with blood and agony.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Terrence McCauley sure piles the odds against Halstead in this book. Short of supplies the outlawed lawman has to fight off bounty hunting trappers before heading into the only town in the region and take his chances against being recognized. Of course, that doesn’t happen and it isn’t long before everyone in Barren Pines knows who he is. Some townsfolk befriend him, but can he trust them? Halsted takes some serious punishment. How can he take on superior odds and survive when he can hardly stand or see straight?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Elsewhere, Aaron Mackey, Halstead’s boss, is attempting to get the warrant rescinded, but that seems to be a difficult political battle. If he’s successful, will it be in time? Joshua Sandborne, Halstead’s deputy, is searching for Halstead in the hope of being able to help him. Emil Riker is also tracking town Halstead, but not to help him, but to kill him in the name of vengeance, and he’s got a pack of killers to back him.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The story switches regularly between the various characters as the author builds the tensions and brings the book towards its inevitable bloody conclusion. There’s plenty of gunplay as the tale moves forward in ever increasing pace. McCauley will soon have you wondering if Halstead is going to survive, especially when you take into account that the publisher Pinnacle seems to end series after only four books these days, and this is the fourth Jeremiah Halstead novel.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">For me, Terrence McCauley has written another hard to put down tale. From the gripping opening scenes, he captured my imagination easily, had me eagerly turning the pages to find out what happened next. The excellent ending finished the story in a very satisfactory way and confirmed my belief that Terrence McCauley is right up there with the best western writers being published today. I can only hope that it isn’t too long before we see his name on the front of another western very soon.<br /><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=westfictrevi-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=0786050063&asins=0786050063&linkId=212d7d40272b216912e2762a27b72a98&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=westfictrevi-21&language=en_GB&marketplace=amazon&region=GB&placement=0786050063&asins=0786050063&linkId=5ddd6fa2086becc9e4dd06cbe7f9e9b1&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></div>Steve Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631734673248632467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197075706983155600.post-85058040370934410892023-10-31T12:34:00.000+00:002023-10-31T12:34:01.354+00:00WESTERN STORY - January 1958<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-mGeNr0u6bzF0zZWdy3bdV7tKrcziFXmNn0R2MmXjSWAZbzvCm4-lYvwidh8LhRxMc-NiCnMD6xtX75GK7-xhM0T3TiCgPuTOesu0KATjC8JX5uw2zoCaebcYpO6sNzo6j6ftEh83vwtlmo0JNh6hwbZNUedNXAt1l7OsAG1Wh0TsiWmnWDAaPvluxKSt/s600/Western%20Story%20Jan%201958.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-mGeNr0u6bzF0zZWdy3bdV7tKrcziFXmNn0R2MmXjSWAZbzvCm4-lYvwidh8LhRxMc-NiCnMD6xtX75GK7-xhM0T3TiCgPuTOesu0KATjC8JX5uw2zoCaebcYpO6sNzo6j6ftEh83vwtlmo0JNh6hwbZNUedNXAt1l7OsAG1Wh0TsiWmnWDAaPvluxKSt/s16000/Western%20Story%20Jan%201958.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">WESTERN STORY January 1958</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">British Edition Vol. 13, No. 1</span></b></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div style="text-align: justify;">The four tales within this issue of the British Edition of Western Story were
all originally published in the American pulp Star Western Vol. 49, No.2
published in July 1950. The covers of both of these pulps share the same
foreground characters in different settings and the girl also has a hair colour
change. I’ve posted the Star Western cover below.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The opening story, which is billed as the featured novelette, is <i>Siren of Shamrock
Ranch </i>by Joseph Chadwick. Chadwick’s tale held my attention throughout as the
outcast Kincaid attempts to prove a man set to hang is innocent by finding the
real killer.<br />Kincaid has received a letter from an unknown party asking
him to help. Half a thousand-dollar bill is included with the letter too, with
the promise of the other half when he finds the real killer. Kincaid’s
investigations are complicated by two young ladies who seem to hate each other
and his feelings for them.<br /><i>Siren of Shamrock Ranch</i> was a fun read spoiled by the publisher’s
inclusion of a line drawing at the beginning of the story that gives away the
identity of the bad guy, although it does capture a scene from the tale well.</div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">
</p><div style="text-align: justify;">Next comes the first of three short stories, although why <i>Worth Her Weight in
Bullets!</i> By Bob Obets is referred to as a short story when it’s two pages
longer than the featured novelette I’m not sure – in Star Western it is called
a novelette. This is a tale of a partnership welded by blood spilled in battle
and endless cruel days on the trail that becomes strained when both Tom McCabe
and Turk Buckley fall for the same nester girl, which will see them on opposite
sides in a cattle rustling plot.<br />I wasn’t as keen on this story as the previous tale, as it
seemed to take forever to get to the meat of the story and I did contemplate
giving up on it after a few pages. <i>Worth Her Weight in Bullets!</i> ended as expected.</div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">
</p><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Girl Gun-Guard for the Devil!</i> by Clifton Adams is a fast-paced short story
about Morry Rockland who had sworn to kill a man and was within inches of doing
so when he met the lush and tempting woman who, in her turn, had sworn the
hunted killer must not die.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">This was easily my favourite tale within this issue of Western Story as both
Rockland and the girl have valid reasons to either kill or defend Jay Holland,
and the story becomes a battle of wills.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The last tale, <i>The Girl from Boothill</i> by Francis H. Ames, is about a man searching
for his brother’s killer. He hopes to find the truth in Pima Valley’s Boar’s
Nest and conceals his identity behind a pseudonym. Trouble is a waitress
recognizes him, although she keeps this to herself, but there is always the
fear she will expose him for who he really is. Things are soon complicated by
another young woman and there are some shocks to uncover about his brother.
Everything is resolved neatly in a swift shootout.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The only author in this collection that I’ve read before is Clifton Adams. Of
the others, Chadwick and Ames entertained me enough to want to read more by
them. Obets’ story didn’t grab me enough to make me want to search out more of
his work.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Overall, this was an entertaining enough pulp that is worth reading if you can
find a copy.<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOgVX5dSvoZWb_j8RTG2_4URisADATyJ2WWZodys4U64x4cao_pb5IoWotIHAHZ7X_tbIZARYkHofPXRQHnwdzq90sK4HuFmbDskWllkZE7wiPNTunCzsPQsONhyphenhyphenOZmuhMM48f5J5PuOkx3KsL5Xz7aHL49d0QDFS2BwR8PoVfks7CxcM2F4OconeC5cHZ/s523/star_western_195007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="523" data-original-width="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOgVX5dSvoZWb_j8RTG2_4URisADATyJ2WWZodys4U64x4cao_pb5IoWotIHAHZ7X_tbIZARYkHofPXRQHnwdzq90sK4HuFmbDskWllkZE7wiPNTunCzsPQsONhyphenhyphenOZmuhMM48f5J5PuOkx3KsL5Xz7aHL49d0QDFS2BwR8PoVfks7CxcM2F4OconeC5cHZ/s16000/star_western_195007.jpg" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p>Steve Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631734673248632467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197075706983155600.post-54487087287906738122023-10-15T15:16:00.000+01:002023-10-15T15:16:03.439+01:00HUNTERS OF THE DEAD<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7mdw4Dj7mIE2FBw4UuZJKyGpTwQfU1qdStbtV6ffZgpGkyWqnjbxy6npwkpqb4TNQaOxQ9-wXgI-TCWTFYiS_7_oPjwCUbOaqoQd-sqaMpRg_U1eQfOJEoojSkPsR9M_cBwY8w9iT1dzVIfQ06ckBz8RYrX42QPcS608A9VfMUQifyZ11jWnZroVd3WEw/s600/Holmes%20on%20the%20Range%207%20Hunters%20of%20the%20Dead.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7mdw4Dj7mIE2FBw4UuZJKyGpTwQfU1qdStbtV6ffZgpGkyWqnjbxy6npwkpqb4TNQaOxQ9-wXgI-TCWTFYiS_7_oPjwCUbOaqoQd-sqaMpRg_U1eQfOJEoojSkPsR9M_cBwY8w9iT1dzVIfQ06ckBz8RYrX42QPcS608A9VfMUQifyZ11jWnZroVd3WEw/s16000/Holmes%20on%20the%20Range%207%20Hunters%20of%20the%20Dead.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">HOLMES ON THE RANGE 7</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">HUNTERS OF THE DEAD</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">By Steve Hockensmith</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rough Edges Press, October 2023</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>The A.A. Western Detective Agency takes on a new case in 1894 Wyoming, a land of bandit gangs and rustlers, when a group of scientists come to town in the hopes of rustling up something very different – dinosaur fossils. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>With Big Red and Old Red Amlingmeyer on protection duty, Old Red's obsession with Sherlock Holmes is forced to take a back seat. Until a human body is shockingly discovered during an excavation, that is. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>As the mystery deepens, these cowboy detectives must put their sleuthing skills to the test to catch a killer stalking their client's dig site. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>With death lurking around every corner, can the Double-A Western Detective Agency catch the killer before it's too late?</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;">It's been a few years since the Amlingmeyer brothers last rode the range, so it’s great to see them return in a new adventure involving rival groups of palaeontologists squabbling over the discovery of the bones of the largest and most complete diplodocus ever found. It’s the remains of this dinosaur that the Amlingmeyer’s have been hired to guard, but when Old Red unearths a much newer corpse buried in the dig site the job becomes much more complicated as a murderer has to be unmasked. Old Red is soon in his element as he sets to discover just who the killer is and why, using methods learnt from reading how his idol, Sherlock Holmes, goes about identifying murderers. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The story is told in the first person, through Big Red, and his humorous observations are a delight to read and gave me many laugh-out-loud moments. Big Red’s relationship with one of the other operatives from the A.A. Western Detective Agency, Eskaminzim, also had me grinning as the Apache proved over and over again how easy it would be to kill Big Red.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It doesn’t take long for Steve Hockensmith to make readers suspicious of all the characters. Any one of them could be the killer. Old Red mostly keeps his deductions close to his chest, unless he needs to reveal one of them to get a reaction that could lead to another clue. This puts both him and his brother is some very sticky situations that could easily lead to their deaths.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I gave up trying to work out who the murderer was and what was the motive behind the killing, and just read the book for pure enjoyment as I became captivated by the twisting plot and marvelled at how the smallest observation could become a major clue in solving the case. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Although this story is mainly a murder mystery tale, it keeps a western feel throughout, and includes some excellent gunplay. The end of the book resolves everything neatly and also sets up another case for the Amlingmeyer brothers to solve. Hopefully I won’t have too long to wait before that story is published and, in the meantime, I’m off to munch on a nut butter sandwich.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=westfictrevi-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=1685493459&asins=1685493459&linkId=402eaf8da1eef5b05d6e373a061f1fc0&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=westfictrevi-21&language=en_GB&marketplace=amazon&region=GB&placement=1685493459&asins=1685493459&linkId=00509f0628f8fe9e0012e154bf75245c&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></div>Steve Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631734673248632467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197075706983155600.post-36924302509237435142023-09-29T17:06:00.000+01:002023-09-29T17:06:02.778+01:00SHADOW AT NOON<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp4j-hzuCgF3y-jmtOAMAz_hizv3KNzDSAea2QMAeJ0KV_7snrLv6jHRcW9_1rAwvdXjEJdAwII2D6dZ2lnnbCZ989FFO-g5PUmOwYeFbUb-e5VHFI4tdgoUuKpLr-p3H09EYFItZ4NzB9uTocfhdAIVjxyNg4_jlZTOLZBi_vZNAz8RUFH2qYwhYIKp3d/s600/Shadow%20at%20Noon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="357" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp4j-hzuCgF3y-jmtOAMAz_hizv3KNzDSAea2QMAeJ0KV_7snrLv6jHRcW9_1rAwvdXjEJdAwII2D6dZ2lnnbCZ989FFO-g5PUmOwYeFbUb-e5VHFI4tdgoUuKpLr-p3H09EYFItZ4NzB9uTocfhdAIVjxyNg4_jlZTOLZBi_vZNAz8RUFH2qYwhYIKp3d/s16000/Shadow%20at%20Noon.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">SHADOW AT NOON</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">By Hondo Wells</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Cover art by John Hunt</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Mews, March 1977</div><div style="text-align: center;">Original: Pyramid Books, 1955, as by Harry White</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Clane was cornered by Dardac, the bounty hunter. Dardac wanted the money for his hide and would stop at nothing to get it.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>It was no use trying to tell the bounty hunter that he is innocent. To him Jeff Clane was nothing but a wild animal, something to be killed and hung over his saddle, another bounty to be collected…</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;">This is not an overly complicated plot, even though it combines two much used western storylines – that of a man accused of a murder he did not commit and the theme of a greedy rancher wanting to chase homesteaders out of a valley he wants to claim as his own. What raises the standard is how this tale is told. The author’s lean prose and noir feel make this a very readable book.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Clane is guilty of killing the man he is accused of murdering, but he did so in self-defence. No-one seems to care about that though, not least the vicious bounty hunter Dardac. The book starts with a wounded Clane being tended to by a homesteader family whose attractive daughter, Patience, sees Clane as a way to escape her current lifestyle. Clane sees her as the answer to what he has been searching for but refuses to acknowledge these feelings as he knows death is stalking him and will claim anyone around him too. It’s also great to read about a man who has been shot not getting over it within a few pages, suffering from his wound throughout the story.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It’ll be no surprise to see Clane become involved in the range war, standing up against the powerful rancher and his gun-hands even though he wants to go and lead Dardac away from the people who’ve helped him. Things get even more complicated when the bounty hunter falls for Patience too and he won’t take no for an answer which leads to a brutal scene between the girl and Dardac. Most of the characters have to deal with both physical and mental pain and it’s the latter agonies that give this book its strengths.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Hondo Wells and Harry White are both pseudonyms, the man behind them being Harry Whittington. Shadow at Noon is not the best western Whittington wrote, but it is certainly worth reading.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibcAgTOh3pzytmECqky8XwYcbXZYBLctO4Irkwy07IJpGxOTL835PtDWYSzrzkefUf1Ev_c_qiCFjhR7MiJw1z74od1O41feAg_uIvKMMMVkO8nNkvarBUKQK7B2EitRQEv9XCZklm3kpaq5ao1ouh39peqzoBeh0Rj4PMilSBSFIihlfjx9kBTbXoazkD/s600/Shadow%20at%20Noon%20G.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="389" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibcAgTOh3pzytmECqky8XwYcbXZYBLctO4Irkwy07IJpGxOTL835PtDWYSzrzkefUf1Ev_c_qiCFjhR7MiJw1z74od1O41feAg_uIvKMMMVkO8nNkvarBUKQK7B2EitRQEv9XCZklm3kpaq5ao1ouh39peqzoBeh0Rj4PMilSBSFIihlfjx9kBTbXoazkD/s16000/Shadow%20at%20Noon%20G.jpg" /></a></div>Steve Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631734673248632467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197075706983155600.post-47566993489866389162023-09-18T14:23:00.001+01:002023-09-18T14:23:27.675+01:00COLT FEVER<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8WaeXeD_T2iZxUYWO_zwiwk6NIXVwMwqqCNz-4fFkc4f2LSm3ZniK6ayYU26l4TCsXTNDnabpUe_GznrVdn-wXYHzzEfEQfcUwMC6IEhG9HuXUy9tXQnpAxQCV1ezyFDAeky31kYGuOPJLS2JrMFKd5c9hHm8fQ0aes_1WKIeFKR7TSNjURxDhdC-YnB/s600/Cactus%20Jim%20Clancy%2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8WaeXeD_T2iZxUYWO_zwiwk6NIXVwMwqqCNz-4fFkc4f2LSm3ZniK6ayYU26l4TCsXTNDnabpUe_GznrVdn-wXYHzzEfEQfcUwMC6IEhG9HuXUy9tXQnpAxQCV1ezyFDAeky31kYGuOPJLS2JrMFKd5c9hHm8fQ0aes_1WKIeFKR7TSNjURxDhdC-YnB/s16000/Cactus%20Jim%20Clancy%2015.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">CACTUS JIM CLANCY</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Book 15 of 24</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">COLT FEVER</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">By Stetson Cody</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Panther Books, September 1963</div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally published by W.A. Allen, 1960</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Cattleman, Dan Hollis, is tricked into an ambush by trigger-slammers in the main street of Baxter. It seems only a miracle could save him from an ugly death. To Hollis the intervention of Cactus Jim Clancy at that crisis in his unhappy life might well have been that miracle.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Cactus Jim Clancy westerns were originally published in hardback, all by W.A. Allen except the last two. The second-last published by Jenkins, and the final book by Hale. W.A. Allen did put some out under their paperback imprint too. Panther Books began a run of five paperbacks starting with Colt Fever. The first Cactus Jim Clancy book appeared in 1949 and the last in 1973.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I guess it won’t be a surprise to anyone to discover that Stetson Cody is a pseudonym. The author behind the name being Leonard Gribble who also wrote westerns as Lee Denver, Landon Grant, Chuck Kelso, and Steve Shane.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Colt Fever is the first book by Gribble I’ve read. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The story is very traditional. Clancy is a range detective looking out for his employers’ interests and arrives in Baxter to discover why Hollis hasn’t been paying back his loan. The plot is standard fare. It’s a range grab tale with a couple of twists and turns thrown in for good measure. Gribble’s prose is of its time, fairly hardboiled with a lot of western colloquialisms that come from the pulps. These add a neat flavour to the tale.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Gribble mixes the range grab plot with a subplot involving a con-artist and his sister, who are being pursued by an undercover detective. There is also a strong role for another woman, Clarice who is Hollis’ wife. She is sleeping with the Jud Allen, the man who wants to take over the Hollis ranch. Allen also has more problems in that one of his hired guns is attempting to horn in on his business. As various characters set up plans to double-cross each other, so the story becomes more complicated before all the plot threads combine to bring about a satisfactory ending.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I was surprised to find that Cactus Jim Clancy wasn’t in the book that much. Gribble mainly tells the story through the other characters and Clancy just pops up now-and-again to orchestrate the way to deal with problems. He does get involved in some of the gunplay too.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Overall, I found this to be an entertaining enough read to want to read another, but maybe not straightaway.</p>Steve Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631734673248632467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197075706983155600.post-90253863338553760882023-08-31T20:37:00.002+01:002023-08-31T20:37:28.751+01:00BLOOD DEBT<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJF4bCNmnW7k0soBek2wRupHZ2KPMJ6RVpc5ydKFZ-LoTxU1X-pCgf_ZvHU07ZbAfdJUw6r7HhIA5DxZXPNvNdfjGGrupE4LZY9kfE1wFG1hstt4wfza9Wimr4bgtQf7kIyNvbS-DN69xt20i2HidkOLN8GrJ9sEaZGhnwT79WVjDH2HCrsI8pZuAbUj0J/s600/Breed%208.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="369" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJF4bCNmnW7k0soBek2wRupHZ2KPMJ6RVpc5ydKFZ-LoTxU1X-pCgf_ZvHU07ZbAfdJUw6r7HhIA5DxZXPNvNdfjGGrupE4LZY9kfE1wFG1hstt4wfza9Wimr4bgtQf7kIyNvbS-DN69xt20i2HidkOLN8GrJ9sEaZGhnwT79WVjDH2HCrsI8pZuAbUj0J/s16000/Breed%208.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">BREED</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Book 8 0f 22</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">BLOOD DEBT</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">By James A. Muir</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Cover art by Colin Backhouse</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sphere Books, 1979</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>The Kiowas slaughtered Amos and Eliza Marker without pity. But they took young Jeb, raised him and taught him to be a warrior. To live like a Kiowa. Think like a Kiowa. Kill like a Kiowa.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>When Matthew Gunn, known and feared as Breed, was called by rich businessman Ty Horn, he didn’t know that Horn was Eliza Marker’s brother. Or that Horn had some crazy sentimental idea about saving Jeb from the Indians after all this time. Even when he knew, he didn’t care. The rich white man was offering a whole heap of money for the ‘rescue’. And soon Breed had a debt of honour to be settled with the Kiowas – a debt to be paid strictly in torture, destruction and death . . .</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I remember really liking this book when it was first published. I’ve read it a couple of times between then and now. Rereading it again, I found my enjoyment hadn’t diminished in any way. I particularly like how Horn is stubborn, or just doesn’t listen when Gunn explains how Jeb won’t want to return to the life of a white man, won’t even remember his uncle. This can only finish with an unhappy ending for some of the characters, can’t it?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Once the man known as Breed gives his word, he’ll put his life on the line to fulfil his promise. There’s plenty of times this will happen as he tracks down Jeb, now known as Mahka. The action scenes are described in gory detail, adding to the brutal harshness of the story.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">James A. Muir is a pseudonym for British author Angus Wells and, like with the other novelists now known as the Piccadilly Cowboys, his books contain lots of references to people in the trade at that time and to western book and/or movie characters. Blood Debt is dedicated to Nick Tryhorn, so it’s obvious where the businessman’s name came from. Breed teams up with a man called John Havee – another of the Piccadilly Cowboys is author John Harvey. We also find characters called Hedges with thinly disguised references to another western hero who was born with that name, although he is mostly known as Edge. Breed also briefly meets a man called Ethan and his companion who seem to be searching for something or someone. Another of John Wayne’s movie characters also gets a mention, Nathan Brittles from the film She Wore a Yellow Ribbon. Whenever I read a Piccadilly Cowboy western, I look forward to seeing who will get mentioned during the story, real or fictional, as it always makes me grin.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I must also comment on the excellent cover art done by Colin Backhouse. He, and others who fronted the U.K.’s westerns at this time, must have worked closely with the authors as the paintings more often than not illustrate a scene from the story, as is the case here.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">If you’re a fan of the Breed series, Angus Wells, the Piccadilly Cowboys, or just tough savage westerns, then this is a book you won’t want to miss. These old paperback series are not the easiest to find these days, and if you do, they are often priced ridiculously high, so you might be pleased to discover that Piccadilly Publishing are putting them out as ebooks at very good prices. Breed 8: Blood Debt was published in ebook form this month.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=westfictrevi-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B0CB4JR53N&asins=B0CB4JR53N&linkId=757e7387dc5f12fa921f1fb11bc2f089&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=westfictrevi-21&language=en_GB&marketplace=amazon&region=GB&placement=B0CB4JR53N&asins=B0CB4JR53N&linkId=df6dba6fa7baa8bfe94fa1ca6cc56b2c&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></div>Steve Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631734673248632467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197075706983155600.post-15444143200916936752023-08-29T21:13:00.002+01:002023-08-29T21:13:37.732+01:00THIS MAN MUST DIE<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHe9_Bp8yycBzHYEeRpbBoYEKIst9q1t6JYPHKM7ePTbmUNeSBVt-pdD5U-4axaLJY9kcn41kFRIPo93E2wkX3J91k9Ayx23XGnMC1tuSc3ajlxmpMrFwIzkPTnfzB5Jk0uAERnELWTjj50axJssqhuSiavl8OWWwDSjG3mYt9H_78t_owtxVogeoTbPyz/s600/Trammel,%20Buck%205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHe9_Bp8yycBzHYEeRpbBoYEKIst9q1t6JYPHKM7ePTbmUNeSBVt-pdD5U-4axaLJY9kcn41kFRIPo93E2wkX3J91k9Ayx23XGnMC1tuSc3ajlxmpMrFwIzkPTnfzB5Jk0uAERnELWTjj50axJssqhuSiavl8OWWwDSjG3mYt9H_78t_owtxVogeoTbPyz/s16000/Trammel,%20Buck%205.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">BUCK TRAMMEL 5</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">THIS MAN MUST DIE</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">By William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Pinnacle Books, June 2023</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>In the world of criminal lawbreakers in Laramie County, Lucian Clay was king. He terrorized the locals, robbed every business in the territory, and ruled the place with a merciless iron fist. Thankfully he’s behind bars now – along with a load of other prairie rats – thanks to Laramie’s new sheriff, Buck Trammel. Unfortunately, Trammel can only enforce the law while others specialize in working around it: namely lawyers. And no lawyer is more crooked or corrupt than the belly-crawling snake Clay hired to get him out. By any means possible . . . </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Their breakout plan is simple: The lawyer will wait until midnight. Then he’ll break in to the county jail to bust his client out. He’ll scale the walls, kill the guards, ambush the deputies, and release the prisoner. There’s just one catch: As soon as Clay is freed, the other convicts want out, too. Which sparks total chaos in the prison, creates a distraction for Clay – and unleashes the worst blood-soaked night of murderous mayhem Buck Trammel has ever witnessed. And will never forget. If he survives . . . </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The violent jailbreak is the opening part of this book, which leads to Trammel and two others riding in pursuit of the lawyer and Clay. Back in Laramie political wrangling takes place to have the lawman removed from his job. The lawyer, Bessler, has plans for Clay’s money, and neither of these two men trust the other. A stagecoach crew also get mixed up in this deadly chain of events ensuring there is never a dull moment in this fast-moving tale.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The author plots well, describes the action sequences in visual prose. His dialogue is believable. His characters tough and single-minded. Nothing will stop them achieving their aims. Trammel and his very small posse won’t have it all their own way either and will have to suffer greatly as they attempt to track their quarry down.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I’ve enjoyed the previous four books in this series, and this one was just as gripping as those. It’s hard to say more without including major spoilers, so I won’t, other than to add that this tale is a must read for western fans. You don’t need to have read any of the previous books to enjoy this one, for there’s enough backstory mentioned to explain what has gone before. In ways this is also a new beginning for Trammel, as sheriff of a new town. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">It’s also interesting to note that the stagecoach business is called The Frontier Overland Company and that is the title of a new series the Johnstone’s are launching later this year, presumably written by the same author of this book. So, for me, that means I have a new series to look forward to as well as another Buck Trammel book that should be out in December. <br /><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=westfictrevi-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=0786049715&asins=0786049715&linkId=0846bb9e6bb4698457caf6aef80dd719&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=westfictrevi-21&language=en_GB&marketplace=amazon&region=GB&placement=0786049715&asins=0786049715&linkId=8a12cfea7cab0bebe79d175ab31c7316&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></div>Steve Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631734673248632467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197075706983155600.post-38517445057884117632023-08-12T15:48:00.001+01:002023-08-12T15:48:24.815+01:00Slocum Bibliography<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy7-OHWp9GWE6JYmrBSLd0WiS8EPBZT6gKeGHkpMIwfihpw1fMBowFbk771IKiPqxwHlfBZ_BktCYaLTZkDwIbziz7OW77LWCOPbNJokrECu1Y6q-3Vf8FpJWd2WbYMTxUjtcXEJ0krrheHOMf508jn-A7PuinqDSZbE2hyqplSQe1XnjVmFctF_0mZG2u/s500/Four%20Slocum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy7-OHWp9GWE6JYmrBSLd0WiS8EPBZT6gKeGHkpMIwfihpw1fMBowFbk771IKiPqxwHlfBZ_BktCYaLTZkDwIbziz7OW77LWCOPbNJokrECu1Y6q-3Vf8FpJWd2WbYMTxUjtcXEJ0krrheHOMf508jn-A7PuinqDSZbE2hyqplSQe1XnjVmFctF_0mZG2u/s16000/Four%20Slocum.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Over the last few of months, I’ve been helping Anders N. Nilsson compile a bibliography on Jake Logan’s Slocum series. </div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Slocum series began in 1975 and continued into 2014. There were 430 regular sized books, many of which we reprinted a number of times, and 17 giant editions. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The bibliography names many of the authors who wrote behind the pseudonym of Jake Logan. It also details which books were reprinted and how many times, including foreign publications. There is other data about the books too.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">If anyone can supply information that will help fill in the gaps, or provide us with corrections, then please comment below.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">You can find the bibliography here: <a href="https://archive.org/details/slocum-bibliography_nilsson_and_myall_2023" target="_blank">The Bibliography</a><br /><br />Images of all the covers can be found here: <a href="https://archive.org/details/slocum-bibliography-cover-scans-nilsson-myall_images" target="_blank">Book Covers</a></p>Steve Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631734673248632467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197075706983155600.post-51984403893493769172023-07-21T14:51:00.001+01:002023-07-21T14:51:35.789+01:00THE BURNING MAN<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG7BkYVSk6K88TtwLvCJk6AqOXKScMFFqdvNzTtmdcnYF0Epgf_Xr5GFkX7BctGAYJRxEZbnAL9p-YefnOJOn_R2bMhsCU5eWw-RlFp1PE8rJltXdrZYQ5iXmbqqxs2eyhbuZn-zMte9HEPsdTmMOD4usHhc5YlBpe4o8fn7MDNBYoXtUHwGSNl2cJGGQ1/s600/Cade,%20Jubal%206.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG7BkYVSk6K88TtwLvCJk6AqOXKScMFFqdvNzTtmdcnYF0Epgf_Xr5GFkX7BctGAYJRxEZbnAL9p-YefnOJOn_R2bMhsCU5eWw-RlFp1PE8rJltXdrZYQ5iXmbqqxs2eyhbuZn-zMte9HEPsdTmMOD4usHhc5YlBpe4o8fn7MDNBYoXtUHwGSNl2cJGGQ1/s16000/Cade,%20Jubal%206.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">JUBAL CADE</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Book 6 of 22</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">THE BURNING MAN</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">By Charles R. Pike</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Cover art by Richard Clifton-Dey</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Mayflower/Granada Publishing, 1976</div><div style="text-align: center;">ebook, Piccadilly Publishing, July 2023</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>The negro hung from the flaming cross and watched. In front of his burning cabin the white-robed figures of the Klu Klux Klan repeatedly raped his wife. Then came Jubal Cade to spit death from his .30 calibre Spencer . . . </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>When they post the reward for the capture of the Klan’s Grand Dragon, the bounty-hunters flood into St Louis. But Jubal Cade is there before them. He has seen the Klan’s savagery first-hand. And Jubal is a man who knows all about vengeance.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Cade gets involved with the Klan whilst visiting Andy Prescott, the young blind boy Jubal has taken under his wing. Cade is constantly trying to raise money so Andy can have medical care and now there’s a chance an operation will restore Andy’s sight. The money Cade could secure by bringing in the Klan’s leader would pay for that operation, and when the Klan kidnap the head of the clinic, Cade has two reasons for destroying the Klan.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The author behind the pseudonym of Charles R. Pike is Angus Wells and he brings together a lot of the series threads for this tale. Being in St. Louis brings Cade face to face with the man who has sworn to have Jubal killed, Ben Agnew. Now they have a common enemy. Can they put the past behind them for a while to take on the Klan and unmasked the Grand Dragon?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Like in many of the books written by the group of authors now known as the Piccadilly Cowboys, there is lots of references to them and the western characters they wrote about. Many of the characters names in this story are made up from combinations of these authors names and other people in the book publishing business. For instance, a fair portion of this tale takes place on a sternwheeler and this boat is named the William M. James – the author name fronting the Apache series.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Although Angus Wells wrote most of the books in this series he didn’t write the first three or create the character of Jubal Cade. Terry Harknett started the series, an author probably better known to western fans as George G. Gilman whose hero Edge is a favourite of many readers. Edge appears in person in The Burning Man, stepping out of the shadows to shotgun a man to death, saving Cade’s life. Edge and Jubal have a conversation that references a very well-known spaghetti western character a couple of times, and this exchange of words is one of the highlights of the book for me. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I once asked Terry if he had anything to do with Edge appearing in this book and he said he couldn’t remember much about how it came about but did entertain the possibility that he wrote this section, or co-wrote it with Angus. If he didn’t, Angus captured the character of Edge extremely well, not just in action but also in his speech and gallows humour. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Burning Man contains lots of violent bloody action, something that Well’s excels at in his gory descriptions. With Cade being a doctor Wells has opportunities to describe in detail Cade’s attempts to save lives too. Wells doesn’t give Cade an easy ride of it either, Jubal has to endure suffering, not due to physical wounds, but mentally – to say more would be a major spoiler so that’s all I’m going to reveal here. To add some light-relief to the more brutal scenes, Well’s includes lots of groan-worthy humours comments, mainly coming from Jubal, that had me laughing out loud at times.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Burning Man is a very good entry into this excellent series. This book is a must read for anyone following the series due to its connections with earlier books plotlines and a character Cade met in book five have roles to play in this story too. The inclusion of Edge in this story makes this book essential reading for fans of George G. Gilman’s most famous character as well as those who enjoy Angus Wells’ work.<br /><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=westfictrevi-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B0C86MY5RL&asins=B0C86MY5RL&linkId=0e413862a594e6b7584863037327c0ce&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=westfictrevi-21&language=en_GB&marketplace=amazon&region=GB&placement=B0C86MY5RL&asins=B0C86MY5RL&linkId=c82d16a2d7d40b61ffaca45a2b97bfa4&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></div>Steve Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631734673248632467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197075706983155600.post-89430761183370713712023-07-14T15:19:00.001+01:002023-07-14T15:19:30.301+01:00A SHORT ROPE FOR A TALL MAN<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV1lz5g4GrQyyh1mp-7OSpmBnHAeJ2xd0AdMWCYCshIUnBD23XbLyivtumbgEVns0fLqT1VMQJWCtHhj4SK2ZQDNPQXB6jMmDgmw1b-InW293uK_FyNvYG7KBaqFDoPCRfGDUBC9tDYD5BOaZnrpoItBdlyRzsNyQeBv2kaA_woQUiqsxqVNueAlRYScZR/s600/Stone,%20Carson%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV1lz5g4GrQyyh1mp-7OSpmBnHAeJ2xd0AdMWCYCshIUnBD23XbLyivtumbgEVns0fLqT1VMQJWCtHhj4SK2ZQDNPQXB6jMmDgmw1b-InW293uK_FyNvYG7KBaqFDoPCRfGDUBC9tDYD5BOaZnrpoItBdlyRzsNyQeBv2kaA_woQUiqsxqVNueAlRYScZR/s16000/Stone,%20Carson%202.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">CARSON STONE</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">A SHORT ROPE FOR A TALL MAN</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">By Nate Morgan</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Pinnacle Books, May 2023</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>The most wanted man in the West, Big Bob McGraw has earned his reputation as a thief and killer. With a gang of trigger-happy desperadoes willing to do his bidding, McGraw has robbed banks, stagecoaches, and railroads, raised hell ravaging towns, and left bodies littering the streets in his wake.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Carson Stone rode with McGraw’s gang exactly once, minding their horses during a bank robbery, before quitting. But with the marshal of El Paso, Texas, gunned down in cold blood as the bandits escaped, he’d been judged guilty by association. To clear his name, Carson teams up with bounty hunter Colby Tate to track down the outlaws – now scattered across the frontier – and bring them to justice. And Carson must convince his partner to bring McGraw in alive or he’ll never escape the shadow of the hangman’s noose.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Packed with a great set of characters, this book pulled me in from the opening scenes. Stone’s task seems almost impossible even when he teams up with a couple of bounty hunters as McGraw’s whereabouts is unknown. Will he be able to persuade the bounty hunters to bring McGraw in alive? These questions, and more, kept me turning the pages. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Nate Morgan, a pseudonym for Victor Gischler, includes plenty of gunplay that is fairly graphic in its description. He doesn’t give Stone an easy ride either as he will soon have to face the reality of double-cross – this twist adding a neat unforeseen surprise element to the story as long as you haven’t read the first published Carson Stone book, Dead Man’s Trail.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Dead Man’s Trail was published in December 2022. I read and reviewed it <a href="https://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/2022/12/dead-mans-trail.html" target="_blank">here</a>. I wondered then if Pinnacle had made a mistake in the order they put these two books out, and I’m convinced of it now. This is such a shame as Dead Man’s Trail has a lot of references to the storyline of A Short Rope for a Tall Man and reading them as published really spoilt the twists in A Short Rope for a Tall Man. If you have both these books but have yet to read them, may I suggest you read them in the wrong order to get the most enjoyment out of them, <span style="font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: left;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">or just think of it as a prequel.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Having read them both, I can only hope that we haven’t heard the last of Carson Stone. <br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=westfictrevi-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=078604943X&asins=078604943X&linkId=64ec0eae4fe9b5f7f5dd1324ec7fd5c6&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=westfictrevi-21&language=en_GB&marketplace=amazon&region=GB&placement=078604943X&asins=078604943X&linkId=e46f956a8041f0c2760d0e5d647d55e2&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></div>Steve Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631734673248632467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197075706983155600.post-66875153538292788102023-06-30T08:30:00.001+01:002023-06-30T08:30:00.171+01:00STRANGER IN TOWN<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbPQE5MoTAkQRQl5SmguSWe1S45Q3-p2dyKh9Cx32z6ionWYfDOjbohqo9KGkU6Uc12g0o16vB5qSfo9LUDxVaUe3K45Wd0TDzVIOK228RmUVbiFGZwAD0yuzWVGMCjRu1emhX_6EE_vGky2nB-gt9IBO06_Ub_p4-Nbj-7CzGuH9p8bQo9zxALCxbeWhv/s600/Adams,%20Clifton%20-%20Stranger%20in%20Town.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbPQE5MoTAkQRQl5SmguSWe1S45Q3-p2dyKh9Cx32z6ionWYfDOjbohqo9KGkU6Uc12g0o16vB5qSfo9LUDxVaUe3K45Wd0TDzVIOK228RmUVbiFGZwAD0yuzWVGMCjRu1emhX_6EE_vGky2nB-gt9IBO06_Ub_p4-Nbj-7CzGuH9p8bQo9zxALCxbeWhv/s16000/Adams,%20Clifton%20-%20Stranger%20in%20Town.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">STRANGER IN TOWN</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">By Clifton Adams</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Panther Books, December 1963</div><div style="text-align: center;">First published in GB by Robert Hale Ltd, 1962</div><div style="text-align: center;">First published in America by Doubleday, 1960</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>They called him ‘Dumb John’, mocked him, provoked him – and hanged him from a cotton wood tree. Only then did they discover his true identity – and the whole town recoiled in terror from the stranger who walked their streets with death as his shadow, searching for the men who had lynched his brother.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I think this is the first book I’ve read which carries the authors’ real name. Long ago I read some, if not all, of the Amos Flagg series Adams put out under the pseudonym Clay Randall but I can’t really remember much about them, so I came to this book not knowing what to expect.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The main themes are vengeance, redemption and justice. Lynch law sets the tale in motion and soon the guilt of those who hanged John Salem is the main story thread. Ben McDermit is the lawman who was out of town when the posse strung up John. McDermit is furious that they didn’t imprison John to be tried by judge and jury. A letter in John’s pocket reveals his true identity and that his brother is the notorious killer Jute McCoy. Now fear grips the town and any strangers who arrive are held in suspicion and driven out of town, until a man called Kelso comes to Menloe and refuses to leave.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Matters get worse when Kelso kills two of the posse after they try to force out of town. McDermit jails Kelso for his own safety but a lynch mob demands he’s handed over. McDermit isn’t convinced Kelso is McCoy. The is Kelso really who he says he is or is he actually McCoy is the new question that the whole story now revolves around. Many characters believe he is Kelso and think that by hanging him all their troubles will go away, but McDermit can’t let that happen. This creates some very tense scenes throughout the book as Kelso never says he is McCoy, but doesn’t deny it either.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Adams builds the suspense extremely well in this hardboiled tightly plotted tale. He creates feelings of fear and guilt superbly. Hopelessness too, as McDermit questions whether he can keep Kelso alive long enough to discover if he is McCoy or not. The one female, Leah, is just as strong willed as the male characters. McDermit is secretly in love with her, but struggles to understand her actions – one minute she’s leading a lynch mob out for Kelso’s blood, and then she’s tending to the man when he is wounded. All this makes it impossible to predict how the book will end.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Stranger in Town proved to be an excellent reintroduction to the work of Clifton Adams and I’ll certainly be on the lookout for more of his books. </p>Steve Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631734673248632467noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197075706983155600.post-12580351270643112142023-06-26T16:08:00.001+01:002023-06-26T16:08:52.150+01:00TRAIL BOSS FROM TEXAS<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwp-nqa7IVia1SOF0orMQhaRTe_YN7OroldQVaQsGhw2RcZDiFOb2K6IK7IjaRTuh4sqTbfv34S5IAsQoeCTjZoc88IeRwIvP2XlTv0Q2_DwVuYeoiIiGjsnrlZrFnFw59ECgWKhf-mCAmZ-A0AU8U2YxxxuqsL5jmROox8SEmmWyX72Dbq43tYTZzpgxU/s600/Cord,%20Barry%20-%20Trail%20Boss%20from%20Texas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="367" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwp-nqa7IVia1SOF0orMQhaRTe_YN7OroldQVaQsGhw2RcZDiFOb2K6IK7IjaRTuh4sqTbfv34S5IAsQoeCTjZoc88IeRwIvP2XlTv0Q2_DwVuYeoiIiGjsnrlZrFnFw59ECgWKhf-mCAmZ-A0AU8U2YxxxuqsL5jmROox8SEmmWyX72Dbq43tYTZzpgxU/s16000/Cord,%20Barry%20-%20Trail%20Boss%20from%20Texas.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">TRAIL BOSS FROM TEXAS</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">By Barry Cord</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">A Belmont Tower Book</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>On his first night in the Timberlake County Larry Brennan fought in a street brawl with a young tough, discovered a corpse in his hotel room, struggled frantically in the dark for his Colt .45 and found himself accused of murder.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Brennan had come to Timberlake to deliver six hundred head of cattle to Jeff Halliday, only to find Halliday clubbed to death, and Halliday’s nephew the prime murder suspect.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Caught in the killing crossfire between ranchers and unscrupulous land barons, Brennan made a desperate bid to save the Halliday ranch and the future of the whole valley.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I’m not sure when Belmont Tower published this book as all it says inside is that it was first published in 1948 by Phoenix Press. I bit of internet research reveals that it appeared in Better Publications pulp West – Vol. 69, No. 1, May 1948. The pulp story was titled Boss of the Tumbling H. Whether the paperback version was expanded I don’t know. I do believe it was the first paperback to appear as by Barry Cord, which is a pseudonym used by Peter Germano.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQj1_8dh6szOE4ItxrcJTRrDsRBkS8GV21CJS-vi6XVw-rmpcXkkXCWhK2TAvU0Uu5kLykGDcjgkgfUmCV1Np92SO3tDC5hkOKEtGiswI9wNXncizbvFaJOR6NgE6Qy4JXxje4FiN2_qomDtSfzY726zD3axUZRVw5dQ3lMlN3Pv-xt7o2hLsRiv9QJYcV/s540/WEST%20-%20Barry%20Cord,%20Boss%20of%20the%20Tumbling%20H.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQj1_8dh6szOE4ItxrcJTRrDsRBkS8GV21CJS-vi6XVw-rmpcXkkXCWhK2TAvU0Uu5kLykGDcjgkgfUmCV1Np92SO3tDC5hkOKEtGiswI9wNXncizbvFaJOR6NgE6Qy4JXxje4FiN2_qomDtSfzY726zD3axUZRVw5dQ3lMlN3Pv-xt7o2hLsRiv9QJYcV/s16000/WEST%20-%20Barry%20Cord,%20Boss%20of%20the%20Tumbling%20H.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the UK, Robert Hale published the book as part of its Black Horse Western line in 1995, but used the original title for their version. In 2003 BBC Audiobooks published it as one of their Gunsmoke Western hardbacks under the new title of Gun Boss of Triangle. For some reason the lead character, Larry Brennan had a name change to Jim Carmody. As far as I can tell all the other characters remain true to the original.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The story is very traditional in its plot and you can probably guess how it’s going to conclude. Having said that, the author does spice it up by adding some mystery into the tale, such as the true identity of the town lawman McVail and how he knows the Ace of Spades ranch owner, Allison. These elements of the story I didn’t work out before the author decided to reveal all, and they lifted the book from just being another land-grab tale. Cord’s writing style gives the book a hardboiled tone and the action scenes are particularly well told. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I’ve always enjoyed Barry Cord’s westerns, and Trail Boss from Texas proved to be just as entertaining as the others, although I wouldn’t say it was his best work, but it is definitely worth a read. </div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7gB8qlxB5hRMHgyeZPdU2d6oqcqZqkDBuBvbuqpV110CmFdczSVyfOjLdzzjS01B-Cdi_gsmlzcnPb2sy2D4nuQLU-0f3pqZAhcy174JFaRwndvb-anypx2f-ZFHizD020GKdTSPb_vcrxLhi_ult3yOLtZg2XDwxTwsGLvilQfAFJVS2dUPYb9akZ5yw/s741/Cord%20X2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="741" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7gB8qlxB5hRMHgyeZPdU2d6oqcqZqkDBuBvbuqpV110CmFdczSVyfOjLdzzjS01B-Cdi_gsmlzcnPb2sy2D4nuQLU-0f3pqZAhcy174JFaRwndvb-anypx2f-ZFHizD020GKdTSPb_vcrxLhi_ult3yOLtZg2XDwxTwsGLvilQfAFJVS2dUPYb9akZ5yw/w400-h323/Cord%20X2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Steve Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631734673248632467noreply@blogger.com0