A Short Ride to Hell

By Paul Green

The Crowood Press, July 2017

When a Wells Fargo stage is robbed and all the passengers murdered, Sheriff Luke Callaghan is suspicious of Jackson Tate’s claim that this was the work of Apaches. He sets off in pursuit of Tate and his gang only to find himself battling a gun running Mexican bandit, Hector Salinas. Things go from bad to worse, and Callaghan is forced to defend his beloved town of Maxwell against attack, attempt to prove the innocence of his friend Matt Carver who is suspected of involvement in the robbery and rescue his sweetheart Christiana from kidnapping.

Black Horse Westerns aren’t long books, coming in at 160 pages, so all the elements of the story outlined above, and a few others, mean this fast moving tale is packed with action. In fact no sooner does one deadly encounter come to a conclusion than another starts. Amidst all this gunplay the author also manages to include a mystery element, as to who exactly informed Tate and his gang that the stage was carrying a valuable cargo.

Paul Green mixes a great cast of characters of bandits, Apaches, soldiers, lawmen, townsfolk and a very strong female role in the case of Christiana, that all may be who they say they are, or may not. The latter adding some surprises as truths are revealed as the story progresses. Green also has a neat twist waiting too, one that I didn’t see coming.

Having read a couple of Paul Green’s westerns previously, and enjoyed them, I had high hopes that this one would prove to be just as entertaining and it more than matched those earlier books, leaving me looking forward to reading another of his Black Horse Westerns very soon.

You'll notice a big difference in price in the two adds above, that's because one is for the hardback version and one for the ebook. 

Last Day in Paradise

By Paul Green

Hale, February 2013

When professional gambler Jimmy ‘the kid’ Casey beats the spoiled son of a wealthy ranch owner Jack Hartigan in a game of poker, he is forced to shoot the young man dead in self defence. Hartigan vows revenge and the footloose card player flees the town of Paradise, only to find himself pursued by a gang of ruthless killers, led by the crafty and determined Abe Morgan.

Things become more complicated when the gang captures Jimmy’s fiancée and renegade Apaches go on the warpath. His only option is to return to a town ruled by fear and settle his score with Hartigan once and for all….

If you like the traditional western then this is just the story for you. Jimmy Casey is a capable hero looking to escape his life as a gambler and settle down with his fiancée, Ellen. Ellen is used as a damsel in distress character, she has plenty of screaming to do as she’s kidnapped, and held at gunpoint more than once.

Paul Green tells his tale at a very fast pace and includes some great action scenes, the final showdown between Casey and Hartigan being particularly visual in its writing style.

This is Paul Green’s third Black Horse Western and the second I have read, and on the strength of both of these books I’m sure I’ll be picking up another of his westerns soon.

Last Day in Paradise is officially released on February 28th but should be available to buy now from the usual Internet bookstores.

The Devil's Payroll

By Paul Green

Hale, December 2011

John Harrison, a lawyer turned bounty hunter, finds himself entangled in a web of intrigue after capturing fugitive outlaw Clay Barton. He is persuaded by the beautiful Maggie Sloane to allow Barton to lead them to the loot robbed from an army payroll. But things get complicated when Barton double-crosses them and Maggie is kidnapped by the mysterious Leo Gabriel.

With the veteran buffalo soldier, Sergeant Eli Johnson, at his side, Harrison battles ruthless vaqueros and a Comanche war party to recover the money, re-capture Barton and rescue Maggie. However, a further surprise awaits him when he finally catches up with his enemies.

This is the first Black Horse Western from Paul Green, and if it’s action you want he’s an author worth trying out. This book is filled with gunfights as Harrison encounters people wanting to kill him in every chapter, be they bandits, Comanche’s or outlaw Clay Barton. All these deadly battles means the book has a high death count and after seeing early on that Paul Green has no problem killing off some of the main players, the reader can never be sure who will be alive by the end.

Maggie Sloane is not only included for the love interest, she is a strong and able character in her own right, who doesn’t flinch in the face of danger or when she has to kill. She is also an able tracker, better than most of the men who she rides alongside.

Paul Green is a very readable writer who manages to cram a lot into his story. The plot develops well and the pace is fast and furious throughout. He also includes a fair amount of background on his character  Harrison that explains why he became a bounty hunter.

The Devil’s Payroll is officially released on December 30^th but should be available for pre-order now from the usual Internet bookstores.