POSSE FROM HELL

 

POSSE FROM HELL
By Huffaker
Cover art by Gino D’Achille
Futura Publications, 1975
Originally published by Fawcett, 1958

They murdered the marshal and turned the peaceful town of Paradise into a blazing chaos. Then they rode out, taking with them a young girl. Four murderers from Grandville Gaol.

When Banner Cole, deputy marshal, returned to town, people were only too ready to blame the killings on his absence. He only found six men willing to ride out in a posse after the murderers, and by then they were too late. By the time Cole’s posse caught up with the outlaws, two of them had already turned back, vowing to kill every man, woman and child in the town of Paradise, and then wait for Banner Cole.

This book starts off well with some tough, brutal scenes depicting the outlaw’s bloody crimes in the town of Paradise. The pace slows a little after that while Cole attempts to put together a posse. Each of the posse men is well drawn, each having their own memorable traits. Out on the trail, Cole finds himself at odds with one of them in particular and how this is resolved came as a surprise. It isn’t long before Cole only has two men riding beside him, one of whom is not used to riding horses, never mind fighting it out with outlaws. The pace picks up again once these three catch up with their quarry and there’s some excellent gunplay before the trail leads back to Paradise. 

Once the outlaw problem is resolved, the story continues and Cole is criticized for his handling of everything, rather than being accepted as the hero who brought down the killers and deputy marshal contemplates handing in his badge and leaving town for good ending the book on a sour note which is one of the books strengths. 

Huffaker wrote a screenplay from this story which was made into the 1961 movie Posse from Hell starring Audie Murphy and John Saxon.

Posse from Hell proved to be a gripping read that left me looking forward to reading another Huffaker book soon. 

HANG McALLISTER

By Matt Chisholm

Cover art by Gino D’Achille

Panther Books, 1970
Piccadilly Publishing, March 2022

Rem McAllister was on one of the toughest missions of his violent career. He rode into Mexico – and found a whole heap of trouble brewing. For one thing, he discovered that there were some mean hombres bent on invading Texas. For another, he found himself mixed up in a vicious war. And soon enough his outsize talent for trouble got him into a situation where two different leaders and a whole army were bent on hunting him down. Even for McAllister, these were fearsome odds . . . 

This book is a must read for fans of Matt Chisholm’s McAllister. His father, Chad McAllister, was always vague about the identity of Rem’s mother, stating she was either a Mexican lady of high birth or a Cheyenne princess, depending on how drunk he was at the time of telling. Rem has never met his mother and now he might just discover who she really is when he meets an old lady named McAllister. That isn’t the only shock for McAllister regarding family as he also finds himself fighting alongside a man who claims he is Rem’s brother. At first McAllister is suspicious of both, even though they know enough about Chad McAllister to make their stories ring true. Could it be that Rem has finally found his mother and at the same time a sibling he was unaware of?

For both McAllister fans and those who just enjoy a good western read, then this book should satisfy all. From the opening scenes this book grabs the imagination, hooks the reader with questions, and creates tension with plenty of how is he going to get out of that situations. The action is almost nonstop, as McAllister battles vastly superior odds. The author doesn’t give his hero an easy time of it either as McAllister is viciously beaten a couple of times and imprisoned. 

Matt Chisholm is a pseudonym used by author Peter Watts, and yet again he’s written a book that is thoroughly entertaining. The story is packed with great characters and has a terrific plot revolving around an invasion of America. Profanity is minimal, and the violence is hard-hitting but not overly graphic. The author also has a neat twist at the end that clears up McAllister’s questions about his new found family members.

The McAllister series ran for 39 books and they can take some finding these days in paper form. If you don’t mind reading ebooks, then you are in luck as Hang McAllister and many others are available electronically.  

McALLISTER MAKES WAR

By Matt Chisholm

Cover art by Gino D’Achille

Panther Books, 1969

Rem McAllister was the embodiment of his turbulent age. He made his own law. He carried out his own justice. He killed his own snakes. He was a legend in his lifetime.

Vengeance – for his friend, shot down right in front of his eyes. Vengeance – against the toughest, cruellest, all-fired meanest operator the West had ever seen, a man who took what he wanted just whenever he wanted it. Gold, other men’s lives, control of the whole damn’ town, he grabbed it all.

Rem McAllister set out to avenge his friend and clean up the town. All he had to fight with were his two fists, his gun – and his courage. But these were weapons McAllister knew how to handle better than any man around…

McAllister is probably the most successful character Matt Chisholm created. McAllister starred in 39 books, a couple of them being put out under a different pseudonym, Cy James. Those books were eventually re-written and put out under the Matt Chisholm name with different titles. This happened to a couple of the Chisholm McAllister books too. McAllister made brief appearances in other westerns by this author as well. So successful were the McAllister books that they were reprinted time and again. The book featured in this review was reprinted in the same year it was originally published.

Ever since reading my first McAllister book I’ve been a massive fan. Not just of McAllister but of the authors work overall. The authors real name is Peter Watts and he wrote westerns under the pennames of Matt Chisholm, Cy James and Luke Jones. He had over 100 westerns published. I’m pleased to say I own every one of them.

McAllister Makes War is a great entry in the series. As is usually the case with this authors work, this book is packed with action. Tough men, and women, battle it out with words, fists and guns. The plot doesn’t offer any surprises as it moves forward at an extremely rapid pace. McAllister believes he knows who’s responsible for the death of his friend but needs proof. Whenever he arrests someone he hopes to persuade to tell the truth they meet a violent death. Even being locked up in jail doesn’t save them. Frustrated, McAllister pushes hard, alienating himself to many, but that doesn’t bother him, he needs the guilty to make a mistake. It isn’t long before gunmen are set on McAllister and the town erupts in all out war.

If you like fast-moving westerns with a tough gritty edge then this book, indeed this series, is certainly worth looking for. One thing for sure, I won’t be letting too much time pass before I grab another off my shelves.