BLOOD TARGET

GUNSLINGER 10

BLOOD TARGET

By Charles C. Garrett

Cover art by Chris Collingwood

Sphere Books, 1981

John Ryker. Gunsmith . . . bounty hunter . . . and killer. No one knew more about the lethal code of killing that was the key to survival in the violent West.

When Ryker heard about the shooting contest down in Simeonville, it looked an easy way to earn big money. The way that he knew best. Which meant that his heavy Buffalo rifle – the most powerful long gun in the West – was going to see a choice piece of action that would stretch his death-dealing gun skills to the farthest limits . . . and beyond.

Gunslinger was one of my favourite series to come from the small group of writers better known today as the Piccadilly Cowboys. This series was written by Angus Wells and Laurence James, with the latter writing Blood Target.

Each of the Gunslinger books has a plot that revolves around a specific gun and in Blood Target the guns in question are long guns used for target shooting, namely Rykers’ Sharps and the European Schuetzen fitted with telescopic sights. This long-range weapon being described in beautiful detail as Ryker discusses its finer points and possible weaknesses. Rykers’ love for guns being the main hook of the series and the authors include a lot of fascinating information about the firearms used in each story. 

Blood Target doesn’t have as much killing action as other entries in the series but the tension of the shooting contest that takes up the majority of the book more than makes up for that. As the competition progresses so Ryker’s suspicion grows as to what the real reason for holding the tournament is. Of course, the story does contain bloody killings, the opening chapter seeing Ryker’s friend Sheriff Frank Nolan facing two young arrogant gunfights called Stotter and Whitehead and this showdown has always been one that has stuck in my mind. Ryker also gets to show his brutal side when someone tries to kill him during the contest.

Some of you may well recognize the names of the two young killers, Stotter and Whitehead, as using the names of people in the business or friends of the authors for characters was something that was done regularly in this series and others that came from this group of writers. Also mentioning the heroes of other western series was common, and in this book there’s name checks for Crow, Jed Herne and Cuchillo Oro. 

Blood Target is an exciting read that builds its plot well. The target shooting sequences make for gripping reading and at no time is it a foregone conclusion that Ryker will emerge victorious. The real reason for holding the contest in the wilds of Apache country isn’t revealed until near the end and it brings the story to a fitting bloody conclusion. Sadly, Blood Target was the last book of the series, and for me, it brought the series to a strong close.

American readers can get a copy here 

British readers can get a copy here 

THE BURNING MAN

JUBAL CADE

Book 6 of 22

THE BURNING MAN

By Charles R. Pike

Cover art by Richard Clifton-Dey

Mayflower/Granada Publishing, 1976

ebook, Piccadilly Publishing, July 2023

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 . . . 

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.

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.

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?

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.

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. 

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. 

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.

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.

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

DEATH'S BOUNTY

HAWK

Number 3 of 15

By William S. Brady

Cover art by Robert Adams

Fontana, 1979

Jared Hawk rode into Santa Maria on the trail of a Mexican outlaw with a $1,000 bounty on his head.

He didn’t know he was riding into a revenge war between the Mexicans and the Apache Nation – until the people of Santa Maria offered him one thousand dollars American to get them out to safety. Down a trail that was lined with blood-hungry Indians.

Hawk took the money and gave his word – and he wasn’t the kind of man who went back on a promise. Even when it meant losing a woman to the harsh code that demanded blood for blood . . . and a life for a life.

William S. Brady is a shared pseudonym. The two authors writing behind that name are Angus Wells and John B. Harvey. To start with, they alternated books, but later the majority were written by Harvey. This was due to a second series being launched under the William S. Brady name with the same two authors writing the books, although it was Wells who wrote the most of them. 

Death’s Bounty was written by Wells and it has all his trademarks. Tough, brutal characters fighting to stay alive in a hostile environment. Here’s it’s the cold and snow. The story takes place over Christmas. Hawk is a heartless anti-hero, a man who looks out only for himself, but here he seems to mellow a little when around a certain young lady. Could he be falling in love? He even considers ending his career as a hired gun and settling down with her. His infatuation with Manuela Ortiz leads to more trouble though, for she has a protective brother who soon swears he will kill Hawk. Juan Ortiz and Hawk put their differences aside, promising to face each other once the people of Santa Maria have been led to safety. Trouble is there’s a hell of a lot of Apache’s out to stop them.

Wells describes the many violent deaths in as much gory detail as he can. As followers of this series know, Hawk carries a sawn-down Meteor single barrelled shotgun in a special belt holster. This weapon gets used numerous times and Wells relishes describing what happens when its charge tears through the human body. This story has a massive death toll and it isn’t long before you’ll be wondering just who will be alive by the end.

Hawk doesn’t know about the massacre that starts this tale or why this was done. Even when he does know, he doesn’t really care. All he wants is to stay alive and collect his pay, perhaps start a new life with Manuela. 

Wells also includes memories that explain why Hawk is the man he is, why he wears a black glove on his left hand and why he carries that Meteor shotgun. 

Like many of the books that come from this group of authors, these days known as the Piccadilly Cowboys, this story contains plenty of gallows humour and also mentions characters from other series, for instance a man who carries a razor in a pouch behind his neck gets a name-check.

For me, this has always been one of my favourite books in the Hawk series and I really enjoyed re-reading it after all this time. It must be some 30 years or more since I last read it. The Hawk books can still be found in used book stores but they can take some searching out. If you don’t want to take time hunting for them at sensible prices, you’ll be pleased to know that Piccadilly Publishing are currently putting the series out as ebooks. For me, it’s a shame they haven’t managed to secure the rights to use the original artwork as I always thought Robert Adams captured the likeness of Hawk perfectly.

KNIFE IN THE NIGHT

APACHE

Number 2 of 27

By William M. James

Cover art by Colin Andrew

NEL Books, March 1978

Cuchillo Oro, Apache warrior, continues his bloody bid for revenge on the man who removed two of his fingers joint by joint, destroyed the peace of his tribal settlement, and murdered his squaw and son.

Lieutenant Pinner is a marked man – a ruthless and sadistic Indian-hater who finally met his match. Luck seems to be with him for the moment but sooner or later his time will come, and when it does, he knows he can expect no mercy.

Apache was one of the best series to come from the group of British authors known today as the Piccadilly Cowboys. The series idea came from Laurence James, who wrote this book, and he shared writing duties on the series with Terry Harknett. When Harknett stepped away from the series, he was replaced by John B. Harvey. What makes this series unusual, is that it was first published in America by Pinnacle whereas all the other Piccadilly Cowboy series first appeared in the UK. 

Knife in the Night was first published in America in 1974. It was a few years later that English publisher Sphere began publishing the series but they only put out the first four books. NEL then relaunched the series in the UK and published the first 12. You can see the cover art for both Pinnacle’s and Sphere’s editions below.

Knife in the Night begins a couple of days after the end of the first book, The First Death. Cuchillo is consumed with hatred, but needs to recover from the attack on Fort Davidson. Laurence James gives enough information to fill new readers to the series in on what has gone before so that reading the first book isn’t necessary, but I’d suggest doing so as it will greatly enhance your enjoyment of this book. 

Cuchillo’s quest for revenge is interrupted when he witnesses the massacre of a complete village. The bandits make it look like Apache’s are the culprits. Cuchillo will not allow this, so aims to set things right by taking on all 14 bandits alone. This makes for an exciting and tense section of the book. Cuchillo then teams up with some other Apache’s to once again attack Fort Davidson in the hope of finding and killing Pinner. Cuchillo’s only white friend, John Hedges, is at the fort and their friendship will be severely tested when Cuchillo orders his friend to be tortured in an attempt to discover the whereabouts of Pinner which sets up another confrontation with the hated soldier. Will Cuchillo be successful in quenching his thirst for vengeance this time?

Laurence James probably wrote the more sadistic books out of the group of authors who make up the Piccadilly Cowboys, and this one certainly has some of that in it. James is good at exploring the darker side of the human race and this he does regularly in this tale. Whist James’ descriptions of violence aren’t as graphic as that written by Angus Wells, he certainly creates some vicious acts for this story, yet for all its horror it works, emphasising the harsh world that Cuchillo finds himself inhabiting. 

Like in many of his books, James’ name drops, and one of the ways he does this in this story is by calling one of the characters Andrew Ettinger – Ettinger was the editor at Pinnacle. Ettinger is an actor who appears in the opening and final scenes and through him James adds some dark humour to the story. 

Maybe not as good as the first book, but certainly a worthy follow-up that continues to develop the character of Cuchillo and the series theme extremely well and I was left eager to read the third book as soon as I can.

If you have trouble finding a copy of this paperback, you’ll be pleased to know that Piccadilly Publishing have started to put out the whole series as ebooks.

THE MASSACRE TRAIL

GUNSLINGER

Number 1 of 10

By Charles C. Garrett

Cover art by Chris Collingwood

Sphere, 1979

John Ryker was a gunsmith. One of the best at a time when speed and skill with a shooting iron were as vital to survival as food in your belly.

Then one day Ryker sold a man a gun – a Deringer – that later killed a President. That incident set Ryker on a vengeance trail of blood and conflict that would test his gun-skill to its farthest limits. And so, the gunsmith became a killer – one whose professional mastery of the West’s armoury of death-dealing firepower made him the deadliest around . . . 

The cover above is from my copy, which is a 1979 reprint. The book was first published in 1977 with cover art by Colin Backhouse – which you can see below. 

The Gunslinger series came from the group of British authors who would later become known as the Piccadilly Cowboys. This series was written by Angus Wells and Laurence James, the latter being the author of this book.

What set this series apart from the others is that each book features a different gun. This time it’s the Deringer and its copies known as Derringers. Each book contains loads of information about the weapons both Ryker and others use, making this series a must read for anyone who has an interest in guns of this time period.

Like the vast majority of the series written by the Piccadilly Cowboys, it’s vengeance that sees Ryker hit the killing trail. At the beginning of the book, Ryker is just a gunsmith, he’s never killed anyone before. He sells a Deringer to a man who gives it to John Wilkes Booth who assassinates President Abraham Lincoln with it. Northerners then seek out anyone who they claim helped Booth achieve his aim, and the gunsmith who sold the Deringer becomes a target. Two men ride to Ryker’s hometown and finding him away, brutally kill his father instead. Ryker now wants revenge.

I always enjoyed seeing how Ryker changes, he’s a quick learner in the art of killing. He makes mistakes that nearly see him killed. He uses information customers gave him to hone his techniques whilst having their guns repaired. People such as John Wesley Hardin and an unknown man who carries a razor in a pouch behind his neck – a man Ryker thanks for giving him an edge.

Killing his father’s murderers isn’t the end of the book by far. Ryker has dealings with a banker named Goldburgh who claims ownership to the gunsmith’s family home and his store. The sheriff of Tucson, Nolan, encourages Ryker to become a bounty hunter to get the money he needs to get out of dept with the bank. The second half of the story sees Ryker head to Desolation, a town taken over by six Confederate deserters. Can Ryker, still learning his new trade, save the town from these savage killers and get the money he needs to payoff Goldburgh?

Laurence James does a superb job in introducing Ryker and some of the support characters who will have parts to play later in the series. James blends the gun information into the story in a natural way so these sections don’t come over like someone lecturing the reader about these weapons. As expected, the book is packed with bloody, descriptive violence and it also includes a little explicit sex. Like in many of James’ books, you’ll also find a character who’s an albino. 

The Gunslinger series has always been one of my favourites to come from the Piccadilly Cowboys and I’d encourage anyone who likes their work to read this series. Whilst the paperbacks aren’t easy to find these days, you’ll be pleased to know that Piccadilly Publishing has just begun to put this series out as ebooks and The Massacre Trail is available now.

THE SILENT KILL

BREED

Book 2 of 22

By James A. Muir

Cover art by Colin Backhouse

Sphere Books, 1977

The cowboy grovelled, pleading for his life.

“Why?” asked the tall man called Matthew Gunn, “why should I let you live?’

He drew his Bowie knife, moving forwards with hate in his soul and death in his eyes. The figure sprawled on the snow began to scream…

The half-breed, Matthew Gunn, had trailed his quarry through the waterless hell of the Nevada desert, up to the snow-covered crags of the high Sierras. In his wake was a trail of blood which tainted his footsteps and marked him as a killer. Now he approached the culmination of his long pursuit – vengeance! Now he would strike his blow without mercy, because he was called Breed – and the name spelled violent death.

This book starts shortly after the previous one ended and Matthew Gunn, also known as Breed and Azul, continues to track the three remaining scalp hunters who slaughtered his family. He’s cold and merciless in his pursuit and nothing will stand in his way as he tracks his quarry. The author, Angus Wells writing as James A Muir, portrays this grim determination so well that you can feel the hate rising from the pages. 

Like many of the westerns written by the group of authors later to become known as the Piccadilly Cowboys, this also references other authors and/or characters from western movies. Breed signs on with a man called Ezra Culpepper, who owns the Culpepper Cattle Company to guide a cattle drive. Later he’ll help a man called Terry Harknett who is leading a group of travellers through the snow-covered mountains.

It's in this book that Wells introduces words of advice and sayings that Azul remembers being given to him by old Sees-Both-Ways, a Chiricahua shaman. Something that will continue throughout the series. A nodded to the television series Kung Fu perhaps as that series saw Kwai Chang Caine remembering advice from Master Po. 

Wells also reveals more of Nolan’s background. Explaining how the leader of the scalp hunters knows Breed. Nolan is an engaging character, a cold-blooded killer who seems to be one step ahead of Azul and uses the fact that Breed is a wanted man to his advantage.

This is a brutal book. Killings are described in all their gory glory. One death in particular being particularly inventive. There is plenty of blood and graphic detail as bullets pierce flesh and knives slash fragile flesh. Gallows humour occasionally lightens the tone in groan-worthy puns.

If you’ve read the first book in this series, The Lonely Hunt, you’ll definitely want to read this. Be warned though, as the end will certainly make you want to track down a copy of book three, Cry For Vengeance. 

These old paperbacks can be hard to find these days at sensible prices but the good news is that Piccadilly Publishing is now making this series, and the others Angus Wells had a part in writing, available a ebooks so you’ve no excuse for missing out on this excellent series.

COMANCHE!

PEACEMAKER

Book 1 of 9

By William S. Brady

Fontana Books, 1981

McLain had nothing left in Missouri. His wife was dead, his farm burned out.

The Civil War taught him the bloody art of killing, and now he was alone. He owned a brace of Colt’s Dragoon pistols, a Sharps carbine, and a horse. He followed the rebel guerrilla trail south to Texas.

And there, the Nokoni Comanche took his horse and plunged him into a violent struggle for survival that was even more savage than the whiteman’s war. A brutal fight for life that sent McLain down the killing trail again… But this time in pursuit of a dream.

All the Peacemaker books begin with a prologue that explains what has gone before, and this being the first sketches out the background for the place this and the following books will be set. Peacemaker comes from the group of authors later to known as the Piccadilly Cowboys and this series stands out from the others in that it is set in one place rather than featuring a drifter. These books follow the growth of a town. This means McLain isn’t the only regular character to appear in the series.

William S. Brady is a pseudonym shared by Angus Wells and John B. Harvey, the latter only writing a couple of entries in the series. Having multiple people returning in each of the books allowed the authors to develop their characters deeply which makes it easy for the reader to come to care about them, share their ambitions, their joy, their anger and frustrations and experience shock when a likeable character is in danger, hurt or even killed. 

This first entry into the series was written by Angus Wells and the story is really one long conflict against the Comanche which involves the US Army as well as McLain. Trying to free a captive who is being used as bait adds some excellent tension to the tale. Having McLain and Captain Donnely at odds with each other creates some great situations too in battles of words which see McLain facing the threat of being shot. The action scenes are vicious and extremely graphic as the author describes the damage done to the human body when hit by bullets, lances and arrows. The pace of the story never lets up as it races towards its final bloody battle. But the tale doesn’t end there as some of the surviving characters have personal differences to sort out and the seeds of a dream need planting.

Comanche is an excellent start to what was one of my favourite series to come from the Piccadilly Cowboys. The books can be hard to find these days, but there is some great news and that is that Piccadilly Publishing have finally been given permission to put Angus Wells’ work out in ebook form. Comanche will go on sale on April 1st, 2022. Other series that Wells wrote books for are set to follow too.

 

THE VIOLENT LAND

JUBAL CADE

Number 21 of 22

By Charles R. Pike

Cover art by Richard Clifton-Dey

Granada Publishing, 1983

If Cade hadn’t wanted so badly to track down the man who murdered his wife, he probably would never have ventured into the mountains in such weather. Probably would never have found a couple of lovers crucified on a tree, or been taken by the crazed Ezekial to the weird lost valley which the iron rule of a fierce religion dictated that he should never leave alive . . .

But he did want to find the murderous Kincaid, and he had found the valley. Now, if he wanted to live, he would probably have to kill.

A series begun by author Terry Harknett, who many will know better as George G. Gilman, but from number four the books were all written by Angus Wells, except book 11 which was by Kenneth Bulmer. Harknett said he hadn’t the time to write any more of them after the first three due to other series commitments so happily passed the series over to Wells.

Wells continued with the theme of Cade searching for his wife’s killer, started by Harknett, throughout the series, giving the doctor a reason to be wandering all over the West. Wells soon made the series his own, stamping his very readable style on the books. Of the authors that would become known as the Piccadilly Cowboys, Wells wrote the goriest graphic scenes. Having a doctor as an anti-hero gave Wells the excuse to really get creative in his descriptions of violence and attempts to save people’s lives.

It's the fact that Cade is a doctor that keeps him alive once captured by Ezekial, as he is sick and isn’t ready to die, but even so it’s a fine line Jubal walks between life and death throughout the story. 

After discovering the hanged man and crucified girl, Cade tries to save the latter as she’s just clinging to life. A vicious wolf pack attack adds to Cade’s problems and he’s saved by Ezekial, only to be taken to a hidden community from which he isn’t allowed to leave - ever. Most of the rest of the story revolves around Jubal planning to escape and then putting his plan into action. He doesn’t make his bid for freedom alone, there are others that tag along and they are soon pursued by Ezekial and his right-hand men. The end of the book finishes just as violently as it began in a savage showdown that few will survive.

For followers of this series or fans of Angus Wells’ work, you’ll want to read this book. For those new to the series, it’s a fairly good entry point, even if it is the second-to-last book in the series, as it includes many of the elements the series is known for – good writing, an interesting plot, well crafted characters, bloody violence and detailed medical procedures. This one also contains some great religious speech as Ezekial uses the teachings of the Lord to justify his rules and Cade fires back quotes that make Ezekial doubt himself.

Having read all the books in this series a number of times, I would say it is certainly one of the stranger plotlines, and it’s more than entertaining for that reason alone. I wouldn’t say it was one of the best Jubal Cade books but it’s certainly a fun read.

I must mention the cover art, as this for me is one of the best covers of the entire series – all painted by Richard Clifton-Dey. 

THE LONELY HUNT

BREED

Number 1 of 22

By James A. Muir

Cover art by Colin Backhouse

Sphere, 1976

He stepped out of the shadows, a tall man with a gun on his hip and death in his eyes. ‘I am Matthew Gunn. Some call me Azul.’ He drew as he spoke, triggering the Colt in a violent explosion of sound that blew the Mexican backwards off his feet, twisting him around so that he hit the sand face down. Dead.

He was part-white, part-Apache, all killer. Around the border country they came to know him as Breed, and they feared the name, for it spelled violent death.

Breed is a series from the group of British authors later to become known as the Piccadilly Cowboys. Unlike many of those series the Breed books were all written by one author, in this case Angus Wells. Like most of the series coming from the Piccadilly Cowboys this one begins with the hero hitting the trail of revenge.

Azul returns to his village to find it destroyed and all the men, women and children massacred, including Azul’s white father and Apache mother. All killed for their hair. Azul swears to a blood oath. He will find and kill the six scalp hunters, slowly, painfully. Angus Wells probably wrote the most descriptive passages of death out of all the Piccadilly Cowboys, and having Azul wanting to take his time killing the men he hunted, gives Wells the perfect opportunity to create some gruesome ways of putting a man to death. And it’s not just the scalp hunters who will suffer a lingering death at the hands of Azul, there are others who become targets for the half-breed’s wrath. As the death toll mounts, so Azul becomes a wanted man. Soon Federales are out to stop him, and they have an Indian tracker. This Yaqui becoming a major problem that Azul has to deal with, but not quite as you’d expect.

What seems to be a pretty straight-forward plot gets more complicated as Azul meets other people during his quest for vengeance. Azul takes the time to help some, but mainly to kill. Soon the storyline takes a neat twist as the leader of the scalp hunters reveals that he knew Azul’s father, Kieron Gunn, but how they knew each other isn’t explained, at least in this book. Yes, some of the scalp hunters are still alive at the end, thus setting the theme for subsequent books as Azul continues on the vengeance trail. 

Wells switches regularly between characters, often not sharing Azul’s thoughts during the times he deals out death. Having these scenes told from the hunted viewpoints makes the half-breed seem more frightening, giving him almost mythical abilities, yet not to far stretched to be unbelievable. 

Like in many of the Piccadilly Cowboy’s series there are a few groan-worthy one-liners and names of people the author knew being used, such as calling a ghost town Jamesville (a nod to fellow PC author Laurence James). Even the popular band, The Beatles, gets a look in as one of the scalp hunters is named Jude Christie which allows the following to be directed at him, ‘Hey, Jude,’ said Nolan in a tone that promoted Christie to look away from the cold green eyes, ‘whyn’t you just let it be? I gave you a taste of honey, right? So tell me why I should have known better than taking a ticket to ride for Cristobal?’

The Lonely Hunt is a great opening book to a series that became one of the favourites of UK western readers back in the Seventies and Eighties. 

Gringos #5

EASY MONEY

By J.D. Sandon

Mayflower, 1979

Zacatecas was the stumbling block that barred Pancho Villa’s advance on Mexico City. The Federale garrison was fighting his bandit army to a standstill. But word came of howitzers stored in Tampico, and Villa called on the four men he trusted most to bring him guns – The Gringos.

What they didn’t know was that the whole deal was a trap – an elaborate plan to destroy them. And when the jaws swung shut, they were left to escape the way they knew best…by fighting clear!

Gringos is one of the series to come from the British group of writes known today as the Piccadilly Cowboys. In this case the pseudonym of J.D. Sandon being shared by Angus Wells and John Harvey, the former being the author behind this book. The series ran for ten books.

So just who are the Gringos?

Cade Onslow: US Army Major. Deserter, with nothing to gain but vengeance.

Jonas Strong: Top Sergeant, damned by his colour.

Yates McCloud: Rapist. Nowhere to go but hell.

Jamie Durham: The needle of morphine was the only answer to his ruined face.

Four men with nothing left to lose but their lives. And they didn’t count for much in the bloody fury of rebellion.

This entry into the series finally reveals the identity of the man who has been pursuing the Gringos throughout the series, making this a not to be missed book for followers of series.

Even though the Gringos begin to suspect all is not as it seems they still ride into the trap set for them. On their journey they gather a group of bandits together to help with their task of stealing the howitzers. Their trail to Tampico proves to be a dangerous and very bloody path. In fact almost from the word go this book seems to be one very violent struggle until its end.

Angus Wells includes a superbly written, and very visual, escape from Tampico aboard a train which doesn’t go quite according to plan and sees one of them fall into the hands of enemy. This allows Wells to add some brutal torture scenes to the story before the other Gringos fight their way in to free the captive, and then blast their way out again.

Wells also manages to further develop the relationship between the four men, especially that of Strong and McCloud, the latter being a Southerner who doesn’t particularly like riding alongside a man of colour.

Wells adds a neat twist to the end of the story that leaves a question mark over the worth of the mission and the cost in human life.

If you’ve enjoyed other series written by the Piccadilly Cowboys then I’d think you should enjoy this series too, even though it is set in a time period a little later than many might consider a true western.

Peacemaker #5

BLOOD RUN

as by William S. Brady

Fontana, 1982

The stageline was a lifeline. It linked Garrison with the other Texas border towns. It brought new blood and new money. And raiders! Their trade was death, paid in blood and bullets.

McLain was the lawman. It was his duty to see the stage got through…no matter who stood in the way.

The Peacemaker books came from the group of British western authors know today collectively as The Piccadilly Cowboys. This series lasted for nine books with six of them being written by Angus Wells and the other three by John Harvey. These two authors also wrote another series together as by William S. Brady: Hawk.

In fact the two series are linked more than just by the author pseudonym. The Hawk series came first and there’s often mention of John T. McLain as being the man who helped Jared Hawk learn to handle weapons, in fact he gave Hawk the swan-down Meteor shotgun he wears in a special belt holster. There were always rumours of the two starring in a book together, sadly this never happened as the English publishers ceased publishing westerns before it could happen.

The Peacemaker series differed from the majority of the Piccadilly Cowboy’s western series in that it didn’t feature a drifting hero. After the end of the Civil War, McLain rides into the small town of Garrison and stays. The books follow the growth of this town and also feature a cast of regular characters. This allowed the authors to spend time developing these people as well as the town. Each book begins with prologue filling new readers on the main details of what had happened in the previous books.

As the blurb indicates this story revolves around attempts to link Garrison with other towns by stage. Of course it’s not just Comanche that cause problems, there’s bandits too, being helped by a greedy solider who sees the payroll the stage is carrying as an easy way to riches.

This entry in the series comes from Angus Wells so the violence is extremely detailed and gory. Having said that there is not as much as in some of Wells’ books. Much of this story tells what the various characters are doing, how they are planning to steal the payroll and double-cross each other. All this leads to an exciting final bloody confrontation between all sides.

One thing that always made me smile about this series is that McLain rode with Bloody Bill Anderson, Butcher Harvey and Josey Wales throughout much of the Civil War, and that it was Wales that suggests McLain heads for Texas at the end of the war.

Blood Run reads like a fast moving traditional western except it contains a bit more blood and guts than those who’ve never read a western from this group of writers might expect. In my mind the Peacemaker series is definitely worth exploring…if you can find them.

Claw #1

DAY OF FURY
as by Matthew Kirk
Granada, 1983

Trained to live by the strength of his hand…he would learn to kill by the power of his CLAW

Blacksmith Tyler Wyatt was not a man to go looking for trouble, but trouble found him the day Vance Jennings and his gang hit town. They took away his wife, his home…and his left hand. They gave him in return a searing lust for death and revenge that nothing – no matter how bloody – could ever satisfy.

This series was the last to come from the group of British writers known as the Piccadilly Cowboys, and Angus Wells wrote all six books.

Like most of the western series from this group of authors the first book sees the hero’s happy life destroyed and him setting out on the revenge trail.

The book begins with Wyatt about to torture and kill a lawman in his quest to track down and kill Jennings and his gang. How Wyatt came to be on this vengeance trail is told in a series of flashbacks, which form the major part of this story, the book ending not that much further into the future than were it began. Like all good serials this one doesn’t see Wyatt fulfilling his mission to kill all the men who wronged him, thus ensuring you’ll buy the next book to see what happens next.

Angus Wells probably wrote the most descriptive books when it came to the actual killings and brutality than any of the other PC authors and, with this series, he perhaps out-does even himself. Many of the violent acts, be they rape, torture, or killing, are depicted in savage detail, often taking a couple of pages to describe. The destruction of Wyatt’s hand and its subsequent amputation being cases in point. Of course having Wyatt replace his hand with a claw allows Wells to write even more gruesome death scenes as this is Wyatt’s preferred weapon for dealing out his form of justice.

The story moves swiftly from one bloody act to another and it’s interesting to observe the changes Wyatt goes through as each new horror befalls him and those he loves. Jennings and his gang are equally well drawn and the book sets up the revenge theme that will continue over the course of the next two books extremely well.

I always thought it a shame the cover artist, Roger Payne, didn’t paint the claw a little more like it’s described by Angus Wells but it’s not that far off.

Due to it’s extreme graphic violence the Claw series wont be to everyone’s tastes but if you like the other PC westerns then I’d say it’s a safe bet that you’ll enjoy this one too.

Hawk #9

THE WIDOWMAKER

as by William S. Brady

Fontana, 1981

The Willard brothers didn’t know what they were letting themselves in for when they took Ben King’s wife off the train. She was beautiful and her husband was rich… Rich enough to hire Jared Hawk to bring his wife back and kill the men who took her.

Hawk didn’t like King’s methods, but the big man’s money spoke loud enough to persuade him, so he took the job. It didn’t look too difficult… Not until he got tangled up in a spider’s web of lethal intrigue.

But Hawk had a way of solving problems – with a .45 calibre lead slug!

The Hawk series first appeared in 1979 and ran for fifteen books, the last one coming out in 1983. William S. Brady being a pseudonym shared by Angus Wells and John Harvey, this entry being written by Wells.

Like most anti-heroes created by the group of authors known as The Piccadilly Cowboys, Jared Hawk is a cold, heartless, character who can be every bit as cruel as those he is hunting, and the book has its fair share of savage violence told in all its gory detail.

Wells includes a number of short flashback sequences to explain some of Hawk’s past, in particular why he wears a black glove on his left hand and of his time working with John T. McLain (the lead character from another William S. Brady series; Peacemaker).

Like many PC heroes Hawk carries an unusual weapon, a cut-down Meteor single barrel shotgun, carried in a specially designed belt holster, and this gun is used to devastating effect.

The story itself gets off to a good start but then seems to plod on as much of the rest of the book is taken up with Hawk tracking the kidnappers, with nothing much happening, although Wells’ descriptions of landscapes and conditions are very well told.

Once Hawk finds the truth behind the kidnapping he decides to take matters into his own hands and the book comes to a blood drenched conclusion.

Perhaps not the best work to come from Angus Wells but still worth a look if your preferred choice in western reading is for the more brutal books.

Jubal Cade #17

 BLOODY CHRISTMAS

as by Charles R. Pike

Granada, 1981

Winter in the Indian Territories can be meaner than a pack of starving wolves, and the Farrin spread is just about the isolated place in whole, frozen land.

Cade the man of medicine helps the Farrins with his healing gift, but soon it will be his skill with a gun that is tested, and the pure white snow will bloom scarlet with blood before Jubal Cade rides on.

The Jubal Cade series was created by Terry Harknett – perhaps better known as George G. Gilman – but he only wrote the first three before handing the series over to Angus Wells, who wrote all but one of the other books, that odd book being written by Ken Bulmer. In total the series ran for 22 books, first appearing in 1974 with the final book being published in 1983.

In my mind the Jubal Cade books had one of the best tag lines ever used to sell a western series, if not the best ever: A man trained to heal – but born to kill.

Bloody Christmas begins with Cade still searching for the man who killed his wife and it’s hearing that the Farrin’s offer a safe haven to outlaws that brings Cade to them to see if they’ve heard of the man he is hunting, Lee Kincaid.

The Farrin’s offer to help Cade find Kincaid if he first uses his medical skills to deliver Alice Farrin’s baby. The fact that the mother insists they need a doctor present to deliver the child starts the alarm bells ringing. This isn’t the only mystery surrounding this birth. The Farrin’s refuse to tell Cade who the father is. And why is one end of the large homestead kept locked and in darkness, even though the fire is kept burning?

At first Cade wants nothing more than to leave the Farrin’s but the winter weather closes all trails out and soon Cade’s curiosity gets the better of him and he wants answers to his questions.

The truth is slowly revealed and it’s here that Angus Wells adds themes one would expect to find in a horror book more than in a western. The Farrin’s secret leading to some extremely detailed killings that at times are described over more than one page per death. Of course this kind of attention to violent death is to be expected from a book from the Piccadilly Cowboy’s stable – and Angus Wells’ work in particular.

This a well told story, with most of the action taking place on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, that seamlessly combines elements of horror with the western to provide the reader with a gripping and savage read.

I’d also like to comment on the cover art. All of the Cade books showcase the superb work of the late Richard Clifton-Dey and this one really does show his understanding of the use of light, shade and colour, so not only do you get a great read you also get a terrific cover too.

Gunslinger #2

 THE GOLDEN GUN

as by Charles C. Garrett

Sphere, 1978

John Ryker was a gunsmith. One of the best in the West. But now circumstances had forced him to become a bounty hunter too. And his gun-skill made him the most lethal one-man slaughter-force around.

Emiliano Muerta didn’t know just how deadly Ryker was when he arrogantly ordered him to create the fanciest handgun ever made just to satisfy Muerta’s vanity. And when Muerta tried to welsh on the deal, he didn’t know the savage and violent price Ryker would make him pay for his treachery…

After his father’s death in the first book of the series, Ryker is at a loss as what to do with himself, and this is when he finds himself tricked by the fat lawman, Nolan, to head out on the bounty trail. This provides some great reading about Ryker’s self-doubts about his abilities to be a bounty hunter due to his lack of experience in hunting outlaws, and of using guns in anger.

Each of the Gunslinger books features a different gun, and all the books contain loads of information about guns; in this case it’s a standard Dragoon that Ryker will work on to turn into a work of art. How he does this is all explained in fascinating detail.

Once Muerta double-crosses Ryker you know you’re in for a bloodbath as Ryker takes on the whole gang single-handedly. All the killing described in gory detail as only Angus Wells can. (Charles C. Garrett is a pseudonym shared by Wells and Laurence James)

Like most of the books to come form the group of writers known as the Piccadilly Cowboys, there are plenty of references to their other series heroes. In this case in the form of memories of them calling into Ryker’s gunsmith store.

For me, this was always one of the best in the series, and I’d recommend it to anyone who has an interest in guns of the west and likes their westerns filled with savage, bloody action.

Breed #15

SLAUGHTER TIME

as by James A. Muir

Sphere, 1981

Luke Masters was a big name around Mattock. The Masters clan had the town in its pocket and no-one crossed Luke if he valued his life. Until Breed happened into town, and had a showdown with Luke and his men which left Breed more dead than alive. That was Luke’s big mistake. For Breed, alias Azul, was well acquainted with death. And when he returned on his quest for vengeance the violent and bloody legends of the West were going to take on a whole new savage reality…

Angus Wells, writing as James A. Muir, once again proves that he wrote some of the most savage books that came from the pen of the group of writers known as the Piccadilly Cowboys. This book is filled with brutal men – Azul included – and moves from one violent confrontation to another at a rapid pace.

Wells writes confidently and his attention to detail is exceptional, be it about the land, the heat, or the effects of bullets against flesh and bone, and of dying – read the description of teardrops into sand to see what I mean.

Breed comes across as single-minded, nothing will stop him achieving his need for revenge. At times he seems cold-hearted; witness the torture scene in the sandpit – savage yes but very memorable, and not one drop of blood spilled.

Like many of the Piccadilly Cowboys, Wells makes plenty of references to some of the other writers, their heroes, and those from films. Here you get mention of a romantic book written by Loretta James (Laurence James), Chato’s hunt for revenge (Charles Bronson’s film Chato’s Land), a book called Gunlaw by Charles Garrett (the pseudonym used for the Gunslinger books about a gunsmith), and there’s reference to the book Edge #14: The Big Gold (Tiger’s Gold in America), when a girl remembers being taken to see a travelling carnival and its block of gold protected by a tiger – she likens Breed to a hunting tiger.

This rates as one of my favourite books in the Breed series and, if you like the more brutal type of westerns, then you should consider tracking down a copy.

The Lawmen #2

KANSAS BLOODY KANSAS 
as by J.B. Dancer

Coronet 1977

The Lawmen are hired to tackle Missouri Raiders. As America rushes into Civil War other people see the coming war as a way to riches. Lee Fisher infiltrates the gang with Emma Wright posing as his mistress. Brad McGarry is waiting in Northville.

Fisher has to be tested to be accepted into the gang and this involves killing people he’s here to protect. This only succeeds in fuelling the bitter hatred he has for the Raiders.

Emma struggles with her emotions, fighting her attraction to Fisher who’s made it very plain he likes her.

McGarry plays a waiting game, waiting to spring a trap in Northville.

But nothing is straightforward. Fisher is exposed as a spy. McGarry finds no one willing or able to stand with him in Northville. The Raiders ride for the town to destroy it completely.

This book builds in increasing pace to the final showdown in the town of Northville. The writing is confident and gripping but for those who've read many westerns the story doesn't really offer anything new. Having said that Kansas, Bloody Kansas is an entertaining read. As is expected from a book written by a member of the Piccadilly Cowboys (this time Angus Wells) there is plenty of brutal, graphic violence.

Get a copy here.