THE GAVEL & THE GUN

 

PREACHER’S LAW 
Book 3 of 7
THE GAVEL & THE GUN
By Dean L. McElwain
Leisure Books, 1987

Blackmailed into working for Isaac Parker, the notorious hanging judge, J.D. Preacher found himself with a tin star on his chest and a whole lot of trouble on his hands. His job: bring in some of the thieving, murderous scum that were raping the territory and the judge would clear his name.

Preacher believed in justice at the end of a rope – but only when he was judge and jury. That was Preacher’s Law.

It took me a long time to track down a copy of this book, so I’d already read the other four books that carried the author name of Dean L. McElwain - the last two books came out under the author name of Barry Myers. By the time I picked up The Gavel & The Gun I was eager to fill in the gap as the books have strong continuation running through them. The books don’t just feature Preacher, there are other supporting characters that appear in more than one novel. This one brings back someone who Preacher believed was dead. 

Even though there is a plotline that runs through the entire book, the story is fairly episodic and a lot of time passes before the end is reached. Although Preacher is the star of the series, he doesn’t take centre stage for much of this story, the author writes about other characters as much as, or more than, Preacher. 

Preacher is a hard man and can come across as quite cold at times. He’s lightning fast with his guns and will stop at nothing to achieve his aims. And for God’s sake, don’t call him the Widow Maker as he really doesn’t like the moniker that he picked up in the first book. 

McElwain includes enough information to tell new readers about Preacher’s past such as why he has a bounty on his head and it is this that Preacher is hoping Parker can remove. There are plenty of people willing to take on Preacher to try and claim that bounty and the identity of one of them comes as a surprise.

As well as Parker, a lot of other real people get mentioned or make appearances in this fast-moving story. The James brothers, Hec Thomas, Doc Holliday, The Earp brothers, and Bat Masterson to name but a few. 

This period of Preacher’s life comes to a fitting and satisfying conclusion and the author uses the last few pages of the book to explain what happened to Preacher and some of the other characters during the last couple of years of the 1870’s. Having already read book four, The Last Gunfight, I can tell you that it picks up not long after the end of The Gavel & The Gun. I will also add that the series is best read in order if you can. 

BUTLER'S WAGER

GAMBLER 1

By Robert J. Randisi

Wolfpack Publishing, April 2022

Originally published by Harper, April 2007

Ty Butler came from Eastern wealth—but ruthless killers destroyed everyone—and anything—who shared his name. Seeking a safe haven in the open West, he discovered refuge among the outlaws and fugitives who staked their claims at the gaming table. His remarkable, and at times uncanny skill at reading faces and cards has kept Butler flush with cash and living comfortably—but it has also kept him sharp and ready for the numerous assassins hunting him, eager to finish the job of wiping the Butler name and legacy from the pages of history.

Arriving in Dodge City, Butler finds the place in chaos. A new type of law is in play here where Bat Masterson carved his legend. Old and powerfully dangerous grudges are about to explode, and Ty Butler is caught smack dab in the middle. When the smoke clears and the undertaker has cleared the corpses, Butler will have friends and enemies in all the wrong places.

Robert J. Randisi is a name fans of western fiction will know as he has written hundreds of westerns under his own name and a variety of pseudonyms. If you like reading Mr. Randisi’s work then you’ll want to grab a copy of this book.

Many of Robert J. Randisi’s westerns fall into the adult category of books, but this series doesn’t as there isn’t any explicit sex to found within its pages. You will find a little profanity but this is used sparingly. Like all the books I’ve read by this author, the pace is fast and dialogue driven.

Butler is an interesting character and we meet him just before he heads to Dodge City so his past is shrouded in mystery. As the story progresses, we find out a little more about a private bounty that has been placed on his head by a person unknown that has seen many attempts on his life and there will be more in this story.

Robert J. Randisi often uses real life characters, events and places in his books and this is one of those stories. Here you will find the fictional Butler interacting with Ben Thompson, A.J. Peacock, Al Updegraph, Jim Masterson and Neal Brown among others. 

The story includes tense gambling scenes and some mystery as to who a bounty hunter is after when there seems to be more than one possible target. There is also another man with a secret past who may, or may not, have a role to play in the outcome of the tale.

For me, Robert J. Randisi has come up with the perfect blend of fictional and historical to make for a very entertaining read that should be enjoyed by all western fiction readers. I’m certainly looking forward to reading the second book soon.

KILLER POKER

THE LONER

Number 9 of 15

By J.A. Johnstone

Pinnacle, April 2011

Conrad Browning had money, a manservant and a mission: to find his missing children and meet them for the first time. He’s come as far as Denver, dodged a bullet from a beautiful assassin, and landed in a big buy-in poker tournament against a ruthless heavy-betting cattle baron with a plan of his own – to take this city slicker into the wilderness, and hunt him like an animal.

But Rance McKinney doesn’t know who he is facing. The son of legendary gunman Frank Morgan, Conrad goes by the moniker of the Loner. Now it’s the Loner against McKinney, the hunter and the hunted. And when he’s cornered, the Loner is the most dangerous beast of all…

Still searching for his children, the Loner meets a man who just might be able to shed some light on their whereabouts, but getting McKinney to talk is just one of the problems facing Browning. It also seems that someone else is sending hired assassins to kill him. 

The author weaves a tangled plot that moves forward at a tremendous pace and also features a real western character, namely Bat Masterson. As well as organizing the poker tournament, Masterson plays a major role in the outcome of this tale. 

The poker game provides some tense and gripping reading but it’s when the Loner becomes the subject of a deadly manhunt that the book really picks up in the action stakes. There are also a couple of surprises in store amid the flying lead and brutal deaths. 

For me, this is another strong entry in this excellent series. The author certainly knows how to craft a tale that will capture the readers imagination from the very beginning, and then piles on the suspense making the book difficult to put down until the gunsmoke drifts away from the scene of the final climactic gunfight that resolves most of the story’s plotlines, leaving me eager to read the next book in the series.