.45-Caliber Left to Die

By Peter Brandvold

Mean Pete Press, March 2015

Cuno Massey is just passing through central New Mexico when he’s ambushed by town tamer, Lawton Briggs and three other men and one pretty but angry young woman, Stacey Ramos. Stacey is owner of the San Juan Valley Stage Line. The group thinks Cuno Massey is working for the notorious stage robber, Jack Salmon, who killed Stacey’s father. None of the men and Stacey will take no for an answer. Instead, intending to send Salmon and his gang a clear, brutal message, they strip young Massey naked, lay him out spread-eagle and tied to ground-sunk stakes, and leave him to die. 

Cuno is rescued by the beautiful ranch woman, Olivia Taffly, and her son, Hob. 

Now Cuno is back on the vengeance trail… 

To my counting this is the tenth .45-Caliber book and I for one am very glad Peter continues to write about Cuno Massey as he is probably my favourite character Peter has created a series around.

The book sees Cuno driven by a burning fury to kill those who have wronged him. This leads to rash decisions that Cuno later reflects weren’t the right choices to make so this needs to be set right too in a hail of bullets.

If you’ve yet to discover Peter Brandvolds’ writing then this tale contains all his trademarks; a fast moving plot filled with twists and turns, tough men and women, plenty of brutal action, and some explicit sex. All this combines to make this story an extremely entertaining read that leaves me looking forward to his next book.

.45-Caliber Firebrand

By Peter Brandvold

Berkley, September 2009

Cuno Massey had always stayed on the good side of the law. But he’d never found himself stuck in the middle of a feud between a weary old rancher and a band of Indians hungry for revenge. With warring braves surrounding the ranch and a doomed man begging for help, Cuno’s the only rider left who stands a chance to save the rancher’s daughter from a savage massacre.

Fighting arrows with bullets and tussling with grizzly bears, Cuno’s rescue ride is no pleasure trip. And when his wagon party comes up against a squad of territorial marshals looking to break some rules of their own, Cuno’s got to do what it takes to defend the girl – and himself. Even if it means defying the law and becoming a wanted man…

The sixth Cuno Massey book proves to be every bit as good as those that have gone before it. It’s a tough, gritty and violent read that is filled with attention grabbing, exciting action. The sequence with the bear makes for tense nail biting reading. For all the savagery Peter Brandvold also shows a touch of the tender side of Cuno as he attempts to save the rancher’s daughter and some children from chasing Indians.

For long time readers of this series who have witnessed Cuno battling to survive against all kinds of hardships, you will find yourself wondering how he can possibly come out of this one alive. What I will say is this book brings about some surprising endings to friendships begun in earlier books and finishes in such a way that it could also be the end of the line for Cuno – or at least his current lifestyle.

The ending of this book makes me glad it’s taken me so long to getting around to reading it as I won’t have to wait too long to read the next Cuno Massey story, as .45-Caliber Desperado is due out this September, which, although only a few days away, is still not fast enough for me as I’ve just gotta know what happens next! 

.45-Caliber Widow Maker

By Peter Brandvold

Berkley, May 2009

Cuno Massey is determined to start a new, peaceful life. But when he comes across a prison wagon under attack, he can’t just ride on. A gang of outlaws is hell-bent on granting four hardened convicts an early release, and with the only other lawman down, the marshal is badly outnumbered.

Dispensing frontier justice from the barrel of his Colt .45, Cuno does his best to even the odds and keep the murderous animals where they belong – in their cage. But the trail is long, and the gang is relentless. Looks like Cuno has just signed on for the ride of his life.

This book is full of brutal characters, even the women are hard-as-nails and add to the challenges Cuno will have to overcome if he’s to survive this mission he sets himself after doing his best to stay out of it. Unfortunately Cuno is still a little too trusting of the fairer sex and this could lead to his downfall. It definitely leads to a tale full of savage action that never lets up from the opening sequences to the final bloody gunfight.

Peter Brandvold, in my opinion, is one of the western writers working today that fans of the genre should not overlook. Granted his work maybe a little too violent for some, as he doesn’t shy from graphic descriptions of death, but don’t let that put you off as you’ll be missing out on some superb storytelling that grips from the word go.

The book is filled with terrific characters such as Fuego, and the outlaw girl Johnnie – the latter of whom you have to wonder if she and Cuno will become an item, something I’m not going to reveal here.

Peter Brandvold sure doesn’t believe in giving his heroes an easy ride either, here the odds facing Cuno are massive – four prisoners just looking for a chance to escape and kill him in the progress, and the large band of outlaws out to free the captives – odds that are surely impossible to take on and win? All this makes for one very exciting read that has left me eager to read the next book in the series.

I’ll finish by saying that I think .45-Caliber Widow Maker has to be the best book in the Cuno Massey series so far.

.45-Caliber Revenge

by Peter Brandvold

Berkley, June 2004

Everyone – even lawmen and bounty hunters – knows enough to stay away from Rolf Anderson. So how does an eighteen-year-old kid, who can barely ride a horse, think he’ll track down the buffalo-hunting giant? Simple: Cuno Massey has the one weapon that no one before him had – an all-consuming thirst for revenge. For the murder of Cuno’s father and stepmother, the young man plans to make Anderson pay – with his life, if possible. Cuno will need all the help he can get from other folks who’d like to see the axman swing. But when it comes down to it, he’ll do whatever it takes to fight this killer mano a mano…

.45-Caliber Revenge is the first in a series to feature Cuno Massey.

This is a terrific story filled with great characters. Anderson and his companion are as bad as can be and you have to wonder how Cuno can ever take them on and win. Watching Cuno become a man - in more than one way - makes for engaging reading. The action comes fast and furious and is brutal at times. But the book isn’t just about violence, there are many humorous moments too. There are also emotions of the heart for Cuno to contend with, as he unwittingly becomes the center of a love triangle.

I’d say Peter Brandvold has come up with a winning series here and I’m eagerly looking forward to reading the next Cuno Massey book.

.45-Caliber Manhunt

by Peter Brandvold

Berkley, February 2006

The bounty on Cuno Massey’s head has doubled, the $5,000 encouraging all kinds of people to take a chance on earning it. And then there’s the professional bounty hunters too, men like Ruben Pachera who robs and rapes as he hunts. And what of Cuno’s new love interest, outlaw Marlene - will she be his saviour or his destruction in disguise?

This is the third book in the Cuno Massey series and it follows closely on from the second.

Peter Brandvold offers a book filled with action, it almost seems as if Cuno faces a new violent confrontation every other page. I also like how Peter’s characters are fallible. For instance when Pachera gets his horse stolen. Pachera is a monster of a man, in more ways than one, and the reader has to wonder how Cuno will fare when they meet.

Interesting to see a character named Brand Tuttle, a nod to a couple of past western writers perhaps?

This is a fast moving, brutal, western and a great addition to the series about Cuno Massey. A series I suggest is read in order to get the most enjoyment from as the bounty is first offered in book one. Characters and storylines continue from book to book too.

If you like tough, action-packed westerns then this is one you must read. Excellent!