ONE WAY TO BOOT HILL

WOLF STOCKBURN, RAILROAD DETECTIVE

Number 4 of 4

By Max O’Hara

Pinnacle Books, January 2023

When train robbers hit the Boot Hill Express – so called because of all the people riding it who have ended up dead – with a head full of steam, Wolf Stockburn makes quick work of them. But the gun smoke has barely cleared when a second gang attacks, catching Stockburn by surprise. In a hail of hot lead, he falls from the train and the thieves kill two guards and make off with the cattle the train was hauling.

Now it’s a matter of honor and payback as he trails the outlaws – his only clue a hoofprint showing a faint star shape. Dodging a deadly bushwhacker, Stockburn, hell-on-wheels angry, teams up with a beautiful half-Comanche hellcat and follows a twisted trail of bullet-ridden corpses to a final reckoning in a Mexican ghost town – where bad men end up dead . . . on the wrong side of the tracks.

Right from the start this tale is all action. Sure, there are moments when Stockburn manages to catch his breath, but even then, he’s in constant danger from an unknown sniper who could take a shot at any time. Stockburn soon has many more questions than he does answers, such as who is stealing the cattle and why? Who is the sniper? Can the various lawmen he meets be trusted? One of these officers of the law seems to want to put a hole in Stockburn’s head – can Stockburn talk him out of this? 

Readers of the previous Wolf Stockburn books aren’t going to want to miss this one. If you’ve not read any of the earlier books it doesn’t matter as the author fills you in on any background information you may need, especially as one of the characters that appeared in the first Stockburn novel has an important role to play in this book too.

It isn’t a secret as to the identity of the author writing behind the pseudonym of Max O’Hara, and that man is Peter Brandvold. This book contains all the qualities he is known for – a twisting gritty plot, descriptive prose that places you right in with the action, hard men and equally tough women, and some graphic violence. There is a notable lack of bad language and the book doesn’t contain any explicit sex.

One thing I’d like to highlight is the book’s blurb (which you can read above) which isn’t completely correct as Stockburn isn’t on the train when the second gang strike and none of the part after ‘hell-on-wheels angry’ is part of the storyline. I certainly wasn’t disappointed that these elements weren’t to be found in the book, as what does happen makes for some very exciting and gripping reading.

I’ve seen comments from Peter Brandvold indicating that this is the last Wolf Stockburn book. I think that is a shame as Wolf Stockburn is a great character and I think he deserves a longer run. I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed that the publisher contracts some more. 

KILL RED

WOLF STOCKBURN, RAILROAD DETECTIVE 3

By Max O’Hara

Pinnacle Books, June 2022

Red Miller is more than a thief and a killer. He robs banks and trains not just for the money, but to spit in the eye of every badge-toting lawman who dares enforce law and order. He surrounds himself with only the deadliest of desperadoes – and takes a perverse pleasure in deadly bloodshed.

Five of those people have banded together. They have all lost something to Red’s murderous rampage. There is no place in America or Mexico where the bandit and his gang can hide from their vengeance. And they’re led by Wolf Stockburn, Wells Fargo detective and a dead shot who knows that sometimes justice comes only from the barrels of smoking guns.

The first two books in this series were excellent reads, and for me, this third one surpasses them both. The author has created a wonderful set of characters that had me rooting for them or despising them – yes, these people can be found on both sides of the law. 

Red Miller is wonderfully evil. Stealing, killing, he enjoys it all. Part way through this tale he gets hooked on a drug that sees him suffering mood swings, so you can never be sure how he is going to react in any given situation.

Stockburn is driven by guilt. Out to avenge a death and then more as the body count increases and he won’t let the border between America and Mexico stop his pursuit of Red, even if it means facing the Rurales. 

It’s not just men who have strong roles to play in this extremely fast-moving tale. There are women too, equally as memorable as the male characters, and they have important roles to play in the outcome of this novel.

The action scenes are tough, savage and fairly graphic. Brutal fist-fights and gunfights, one of which involves a Gatling gun. Many bodies will litter the towns and countryside before we even get to the final violent showdown.

I’ve been a bit vague in my descriptions of the plot and what I liked about this tale as I don’t want to ruin any of the plot twists this story contains. I will say I wasn’t surprised when the chase led Stockburn into Mexico as this is a favourite place for this author to set his stories. As it is no longer a secret, I can reveal that Max O’Hara is a pseudonym for Peter Brandvold. 

For me, Peter Brandvold is one of the best western authors writing today. His storylines are always gripping and full of action. Unlike some of Peter’s other work, this book, indeed the series, doesn’t contain any explicit sex and there is a distinct lack of bad language making it a safe read for all western readers. 

Book 4, One Way to Boot Hill, is due out at the end of December and that is one release I’m looking forward to. 

HELL'S JAW PASS

WOLF STOCKBURN, RAILROAD DETECTIVE 2

By Max O’Hara

Pinnacle, August 2021

The killers are organized – and ruthless. One by one, they slaughter a railroad crew at Hell’s Jaw Pass in Wyoming Territory. No survivors. No mercy. To ensure the rail line’s completion, Wells Fargo sends their best detective, Wolf Stockburn, to the nearby mining town of Wild Horse. It’s a rowdy little outpost full of miners, outlaws, and downright killers smack in the middle of two of the largest ranches in the territory. It’s also as close to the pit of hell as Stockburn has ever been . . . 

Train holdups, ranch wars, slaughter – this little boomtown’s got it all. Stockburn’s not sure he can trust anyone here, even the deputy’s daughter. This pretty gal isn’t just flirting with Wolf, she’s flirting with disaster. And that disaster comes with a hail of bullets, and – before it’s all over – a lot of blood on the tracks . . .

The second book in the Wolf Stockburn, Railroad Detective series proved to be just as entertaining as the first. The story starts with Stockburn stopping a train robbery and saving a beautiful girl’s life – a girl that will cause all kinds of problems for Wolf. She’s not the only young lady that will complicate Stockburn’s investigation into just who is behind the massacre at Hell’s Jaw Pass, as there is also the deputy’s daughter who seems to know more than she’s telling.

As more characters as introduced, so the plot twists and turns. Surprising revelations add to the intensity of the tale as Stockburn slowly closes in on those responsible for the slaughter. Another obstacle for Wolf to overcome is an unknown sniper with a Sharps who is doing his best to put Stockburn down. 

Descriptions of people, places and action are excellent and the plot moves forward at a rattling pace, leading to a dramatic and frantic showdown but there is still work for Stockburn to do before he rides off into the sunset. There’s a race against time that it seems Wolf will fail to win . . .

Let’s hope it’s not too long before Pinnacle publish more in this series. 

WOLF STOCKBURN, RAILROAD DETECTIVE

By Max O’Hara

Pinnacle, April 2021

The newspapers call them the Devil’s Horde. A well-oiled team of cutthroat bandits who terrorize the Northern Pacific Railway on route to the coast through Dakota Territory. They dynamite the tracks, blow open the express car door, murder the crewmen, rob the passengers, and empty the safe of gold and cash. If Wells Fargo & Company can’t find a way to stop the Devil’s Horde, there’ll be hell to pay . . . 

Enter Wolf Stockburn. A tall, rangy Scotsman who dresses like a gentleman but shoots like a cowboy, Stockburn learned his craft from a legendary gunfighter – and honed his skills as a Pony Express rider through hostile Indian country. Now the veteran Wells Fargo detective will ride the rails from coast to coast. Make sure the train and its passengers reach their destination safely. And take down the Devil’s Horde – one by one, bullet by bullet – the devil be damned . . . 

The author uses a very different method of telling the story in the opening chapter that is extremely effective and memorable. After that the tale is told in a more traditional way. O’Hara has created a terrific cast for this opening book in a new series, not least the title character. Wolf Stockburn is tough and determined and haunted by a dark past that is revealed throughout the tale. We also discover that he has been searching for his missing sister and has been doing so for years. Two women give Wolf plenty of trouble, their instant dislike of each other providing some cracking dialogue. Both have important roles to play in the outcome of this excellent read.

The story builds well, captivating the reader easily. Plot twists and cliff-hanger chapter endings ensure the reader will want to keep turning the pages. There’s plenty of action, often quite graphic in description. There’s also a race against time to stop a train robbery and its crew and passengers from death that makes for gripping reading. Over all of this hangs the question of who are the Devil’s Horde? 

The ending is tense, bloody and exciting, bringing the story to a satisfying close. I was left eager to read the next volume in the series, Hell’s Jaw Pass, that is due to be published in August, 2021. On the strength of this book, let’s hope that the Wolf Stockburn series is in for a long run.