THE LAWMAN

By Lyle Brandt

Berkley, 2007

Jack Slade pulled up roots a long time ago to take life one day at a time, risking his livelihood, and his neck, at gambling tables across the West. A disappointment to his family, he’s been estranged from them for years. Then he receives word of his brother’s death – under mysterious circumstances – in Lawton, Oklahoma.

It’s been four years since Jack saw Jim, who had firmly planted his roots to become a successful rancher. In addition to acres of land and herds of cattle, Jim left behind a fiancée who has been fending off offers on her property – and cattle rustlers.

The mysterious circumstances behind Jim’s death are starting to become clear. And when fate pins a badge of Jack, he finds himself walking the line between justice and revenge…

This is the first in a series that ran to eleven books. Lyle Brandt is a pseudonym used by Michael Newton.

As expected there is plenty of background information as to why Slade left his family and headed out West. We also discover that Jack and Jim are twins. The reactions of some of the inhabitants of Lawton and some outlaws are excellent as they believe they are seeing a ghost when Slade arrives in town. A lot of the tale explores Slade’s thoughts as he reflects on the past and his future and quite often goes over the same ground, which got a little repetitive. 

Slade’s need to find and punish Jim’s killers sees him at odds with the marshal, Harmon Ford, who needs evidence before he can arrest anyone. Once Slade becomes a lawman himself, he also has to follow rules which restrict how he can deal out his own brand of justice. These aren’t the only problems Slade has to deal with, there’s his growing attraction to his dead brother’s fiancée, Faith Connover.

Full of interesting characters, and a twisting plot, the book moves along at a steady pace with bursts of well described violence. The ending is satisfactory and leaves you wondering what the future holds for the survivors, something I’m hoping to find out soon as I don’t think it will be long before I read the second book in the series.

Rough Justice

GIDEON RYDER #2

By Lyle Brandt

Berkley, November 2014

The Civil War may have ended, but the divisions still remain among its survivors. Some continue to rally for equality. Then there are others, like the Knights of the Rising Sun. They’re a group of vicious vigilantes who want to halt progress in Texas and put an end to bluebellies and carpetbaggers by bullet, fire, and noose.

The Secret Service sends Gideon Ryder to stop the Knights before they grow from a gang into an army. But as Ryder follows the band of villains from Corpus Christi to Jefferson, Texas, his mission proves more difficult than planned, especially when the cowards only surface with sacks over their heads. To learn their identities, Ryder will have to get close enough to see under their hoods. Luckily, Gideon has an army of his own ready to take them down, flanked by his Colt in his left hand and his Henry in his right…

Any story set in this time period of American history has to touch on the politics of the day and Lyle Brandt uses this well to explain the driving force behind his characters. His passages of historical beliefs adding great depth to this violent tale of one man taking on massive odds.

With Ryder facing so many enemies the story features a substantial amount of gunplay which often sees Gideon in a how is he going to get out of that situation. Beating the Knights of the Rising Sun is not the only fight he has to face, he also has to win the trust of those he is attempting to help, and this isn’t easy when no-one seems to have heard of the newly formed Secret Service.

Lyle Brandt is a pseudonym for Michael Newton and his mix of action, historical politics, and some terrific exchanges of dialogue make for a winning combination and, for me at least, make it such a shame that this series fell victim to Berkley ceasing to publish westerns.

Smugglers' Gold

GIDEON RYDER #1

By Lyle Brandt

Berkley, December 2013

Five days after General Robert E. Lee’s surrender at Appomattox, President Abraham Lincoln is mortally wounded by an assassin’s bullet. Scattered Confederate forces ignore the armistice, determined to continue the Civil War despite the Union victory. American citizens, tired of years of bloodshed, want nothing more than to rebuild a country vulnerable to corruption and criminal enterprises.

Disgraced ex-Deputy U.S. Marshal Gideon Ryder has been given a second chance to serve his country – as an agent of the newly created United States Secret Service. Assigned to investigate a smuggling ring operating out of Galveston Island on the Gulf Coast of Texas, Ryder must navigate his way through the population of immigrants, sailors, former slaves, and ex-Rebels to infiltrate a gang of outlaws more deadly and dangerous than the Secret Service could have imagined…

The first part of this book deals with the assassination of President Lincoln and the author includes a lot of historical information of the hunt for those who were behind the shooting. During this we witness how these events help persuade Gideon Ryder to agree to work for the just formed Secret Service. Although, at times, this section of the book does read a little like a history lesson, it also makes for some fascinating reading.

Once Ryder is assigned to his case the story becomes full of intrigue, questions and action. And this is where the book takes on a different slant to many of the westerns I’ve read as a lot of this tale takes place at sea, which makes for some first-rate scenes on ships including a violent attack by pirates.

Ryder easily infiltrates the gang he’s been sent to bring to justice, he isn’t interested in killing them or busting them up, his job is to find evidence so others can close them down. But with one of the gang members not believing he’s who he says he is it isn’t long before Ryder is fighting for his life.

Lyle Brandt is a pseudonym used by Michael Newton and he sure knows how to write exciting action sequences such as the already mentioned pirate attack, along with a couple of terrific saloon shootouts. There’s also a spectacular scene where Ryder singlehandedly destroys a ship. Characters are well crafted and the story moves forward at an excellent pace.

On finishing the story I find myself hoping it’s not too long before the second book in the series is published. 

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