RIDE THE HAMMER DOWN

A Ralph Compton Western by Terrence McCauley

Cover art by Dennis Lyall

Berkley, December 2020

Marshal John Beck was the law in the dangerous town of Mother Lode, Arizona. On his own, he’d managed to keep bandits, rustlers, and desperadoes at bay. It was a tough job for one man to handle, but he made it work…until the day Bram Hogan and his Brickhouse Gang got the drop on the lawman.

They beat Beck to within an inch of his life and dropped him in the desert, where nothing but a slow, painful death awaited him. But the hand underestimated Beck. At his lowest point, he found a way to survive. Now he’s coming back, and anyone who stands against him is going to ride the hammer down to the grave.

From its brutal opening scenes this booked proved to be a gripping read. Terence McCauley’s gritty storyline is filled with engaging characters, some that will have you urging them on, hoping they survive, and others you’ll be wanting to meet a vicious demise. Amidst all the ferocity, the author finds time to add a little romance as love is born from violence, but will Beck survive to enjoy this new found relationship? Throughout the tale you can never be sure if Beck will be alive at the end, or any of the other characters for that matter.

Descriptions are excellent, especially those telling of Beck’s struggle to survive in the desert. You’ll share his desperation, his spiral into madness. Later his elation that becomes fear as he believes he brings death to those who get near him. During the final savage shootout, you’ll feel the aches of his battered body, his weariness and determination to let nothing stop him from killing those who wronged him.

I certainly wondered how this book would end, and at no time did I predict the final scene that provided a fitting close to this tremendous tale.

If you’ve not read anything by Terence McCauley yet, then I’ll suggest this book as the perfect place to start.

RIDE FOR JUSTICE

A Ralph Compton novel by Robert J. Randisi

Cover art by Dennis Lyall

Berkley, October 2020

Matt Wheeler was a legend in the West. His fast gun and dedication to justice made him a sought-after lawman for hire, but all of that promise vanished one sunny day when his wife was shot down in cold blood by a heartless band robber.

The thirst for vengeance sent Wheeler on a quest to find the killer. For taking the law into his own hands, the former lawman was convicted and sent to prison.

Seven and a half years have passed, and Wheeler has completed his sentence. One question remains: Will he ride for vengeance or for justice?

The first part of this book concentrates on Wheeler’s attempts to get work so he can raise the money needed to travel to his wife’s grave. He also battles with the question of whether he wants to track down the other two men involved in his wife’s death. Wheeler is fairly old too, so another question is does he still have the stamina and ability to track and face the killers? It takes a while for Wheeler to figure out what he wants to do, and his wife’s grave plays a large part in his decision making.

Like the majority of books I’ve read by Robert Randisi, this is a fast-paced easy read. The tale is dialogue driven and action scenes are dealt with quickly and efficiently, so as not to hold up the fast-developing plot for too long. Randisi also has a neat twist waiting for the final scenes that makes for a memorable ending.

Many of Robert Randisi’s books mix real people with fictional characters and this is another of them. Bass Reeves, Judge Isaac Parker and President Porfirio Diaz all have import roles to play in the outcome of this book.

Fans of Robert Randisi’s books will certainly enjoy this one and if you are yet to try this author this could be the perfect place to start.

THE KELLY TRAIL

 

A Ralph Compton novel by Terrence McCauley
Cover art by Steve Atkinson
Berkley, August 2020

Over the past twenty years, William “Bull” Kelly has acquired a reputation as one of the best ramrods in Texas. He has led legendary cattle drives to almost every railhead in the country. Most impressive of all, he once drove his herd all the way up to Montana. But after years of working for other people, he has decided to run cattle on his own with his five sons.

Everything starts off fine, but when a group of cattle thieves tries to stampede the herd, the Kelly family is decimated. The rustlers quickly find out that Kelly isn’t called “Bull” because he insists on riding at the head of the herd. He got his name from the bullwhip he keeps coiled on his belt. He can make the whip sing, but against the gang of desperadoes, he’ll need every ounce of his skill if he hopes to get out alive.

Although this book is based around a trail drive, the actual difficulties of moving a large herd doesn’t have a big part to play in the story, it’s just the method of bringing a great set of characters together in a series of violent clashes that sees both sides wanting revenge for different reasons.

William “Bull” Kelly is a hard man. A man who doesn’t take sass from anyone, including his sons. A man who will do anything to achieve his aims. He also has a habit of looking to the sky to talk to his long dead wife which provides some amusement to what is essential a brutal story.

Having Kelly use a bullwhip instead of a gun (although he will use the latter if it’s the only option) makes Kelly standout from many other western heroes we usually read about. There is a cinematic feel to the scene where Kelly with just his whip has a standoff against eleven armed riders that was one of the highlights of this book for me.

Violence is graphic in its description as is its aftermath, especially those who have felt the lash and lived to suffer from their wounds as infection sets in, which, in a couple of cases, sees men slip into fever and become driven by insanity. 

The loss of Kelly’s sons sees him slip into some kind of madness too that can only be satisfied by killing those responsible, no matter if it means riding alone into a confrontation with superior odds that he cannot hope to live through. The dark tone of the story at this point surely had me wonder whether Kelly would be alive at the end of this gripping tale.

This is Terrence McCauley’s third western and on the strength of this book, and the previous two, he has firmly cemented himself into my top western writers list. Definitely an author not to be missed.

Reunion in Hell

A Ralph Compton novel by Carlton Stowers

Cover art by Dennis Lyall

Berkley, April 2020

Brothers Clay and Cal Breckenridge, sons of a hardscrabble East Texas farmer, never did see eye to eye. Clay, the eldest, returned home after the Civil War to help his father run the family farm; Cal deserted his military post and disappeared into a new life with a new name. Everyone knew who was the good son and who was the bad.

Clay had almost forgotten his wayward brother until the morning a limping horse approached the farm with young Cal Breckenridge’s body slumped in the saddle, shot in the back.

Vowing to avenge Cal’s death, Clay sets off on a perilous journey across the West to find the man responsible and bring him to justice – and take down an outlaw enterprise in the process.

It was back in March 2016 when Signet stopped publishing Ralph Compton westerns and now Berkley has decided to re-launch the line. Starting in April 2020 they are putting out two brand new books each month, and like before, they are printing the real authors name on the cover of the books. Carlton Stowers had just started writing for the Compton line when publication of them came to a halt. In fact, one of Stowers two earlier books, Phantom Hill, was the last one to be published. This is my first time reading anything by him.

When this book was first announced it was called The Breckenridge Boys but as you can see it had a title change to Reunion in Hell, a much harder hitting sounding title. The flames, the pursued riders, that title, all give promise of a violent action western, so did it live up to my expectations? Not really, at least not the brutal action-packed content I’d hoped for. Having said that, the story did pull me in and I enjoyed reading it.

The book is split into four parts a prologue and an epilogue – the prologue explains Cal Breckenridge’s reasons for deserting the army in the last days of the Civil War. The first part covers Clay’s reactions to the death of his brother and his hunt for whoever killed him. Part two is a flashback that tells of what happened to Cal and the other two parts deal with Clay’s revenge and what comes after.

The story is filled with great characters and deals with how they all deal with the events triggered by Cal’s death. Relationships are formed whilst others break under strain. When stolen money goes missing the outlaw leader is driven by a destructive need to recover it and no-one is safe from his wrath. Throw some Comanche into the mix and you have a recipe for a lot of action. And there is plenty of that, particularly in the third part of the book. I’d have liked the action scenes to have been a little longer as they were often over in a flash, but that is just my taste.

The epilogue explains what happens to most of the main characters after the main plot is resolved and is a neat and fitting way to end this very readable story. 

As you’ll have noticed, the book cover carries a tag saying this is part of the Gunfighter series, which may confuse long time fans of Ralph Compton books if they’re expecting this to be a continuation of the older Compton books that carried this series title which were about Nathan Stone and then his son Wes Stone as it has nothing to do with them, and neither do any of the coming books that are also being published as part of the Gunfighter series. As far as I can tell they are all going to be stand-alone titles.

Amazon UK still have the paperback version listed under the title The Breckenridge Boys but the ebook is listed as Reunion in Hell.

Tin Star

A Ralph Compton novel by Jackson Lowry

Cover art by Chris McGrath

Berkley, April 2020

Luke Hadley never imagined he would be left for dead with a chest full of bullets on the day of his wedding. All he wanted to was tend to his farm with his new wife, Audrey, and begin their lives together.

But when the Rhoades hang crashes his wedding party, they wreak havoc and abduct his bride, leaving the lifeless bodies of his guests. Luke has only a sparse trail of clues to follow, but with help from a phony Pinkerton bade and a mysterious woman with many skills – including breaking him out of jail – he finally rides down those who’ve wronged him….

It’s been four years since the last Compton novel appeared on the shelves. The line came to an end at the time many publishers ceased producing westerns. Now Berkley have decided to bring the Compton books back, the first two appearing in April 2020 and two more have been announced for each and every month of this year and into the next. As many western fans will know, Ralph Compton passed away in September 1998, but with his books being so successful the publisher decided to keep his name alive by putting more new novels out under his name but written by a variety of other authors, their names also printed on the covers. Berkley have continued with this trend. Looking at the coming books they have been written by old favourites and some newer western authors, all promising some great reads for fans of the western genre.

Tin Star has been written by Jackson Lowry. He’s not a new author to me, although I have only read a short story by him and that was sometime ago, so I was keen to try a full-length novel by him.

Lowry has created a wonderful cast of characters for this book, each having their own personalities which is very evident in the three main female roles in his story. The hero, Luke Hadley, is also an engaging character, a farmer who is totally out of his depth tracking, and fighting, seasoned outlaws. Hadley’s ability with a gun is poor and he mostly misses his target. He’s also prone to charging into situations with thinking the consequences through and takes some heavy punishment for his rashness.

The story begins like many other westerns that have a man seeking vengeance against those who wronged him. The author adds an element of mystery in the unknown woman who appears to be helping him and this throws up the question of why? Lowry also has a couple of surprises waiting in store, one that proves to be a shocking revelation that proves to be a great twist to the plot, one I didn’t see coming.

Due to that great twist I don’t want to reveal anymore of the plotline here so as not to spoil the book for those planning to read it. What I will say is I really enjoyed reading this story and will be keen to read Jackson Lowry’s next Compton’s – two more have been announced, Never Bet Against a Bullet in June and The Lost Banshee Mine in July. 

Whiskey River

By Ralph Compton

Signet, January 1999

They came back from the war, and their land was gone. The Texas soil they’d nourished with years of backbreaking work has been snatched away. And in a moment of fury at this Yankee plunder, Mark Rogers and Bill Harder cut down a pair of tax collectors…and wind up behind bars in Fort Worth.

But then the former Confederate soldiers are offered a choice: They can face their sentences – or infiltrate a gang of whiskey runners who have been evading the law between St. Louis and Fort Smith. If they succeed, they’ll gain their freedom…and their confiscated land.

But when the two Johnny Rebs meet up with Wolf Estrello and his fellow bandits, they wish they’d taken their chances with a firing squad….

It’s been a long, long time since I read a Ralph Compton novel by the man himself, my usual choice being the later books written by a variety of authors who kept his name alive after his passing. In fact, I seem to think I’ve only read one of Compton’s Trail Drive books and I don’t remember much about it, it was so long ago. This time I decided to pick one of his stand-alone novels to see if it would help me understand why he is held in such high esteem by so many people. 

After the opening chapters which introduce the reader to Rogers and Harder and the challenge set to them, they become just another couple of characters within the fast-moving tale that involves a wide cast of characters that are given equal prominence within the story. 

Compton’s writing style is easy to read and he includes a sprinkling of footnotes explaining in more detail about certain elements, be they places or items, he mentions in the story. There is a fair amount of action, but for me it didn’t command enough page space, often being over and done with in a paragraph or two. I’ve also never read a book where so many people get thigh wounds and nearly all the characters seemed to be able to shrug off being hit, even by a Sharps, and within a matter of hours be as good as new again. There were also one or two other things that happened that stretched my belief a little like how far horses could be galloped (120-mile round trip) and how quickly. 

The story contains very little bad language, no explicit sex or graphic violence. Although the premise of the plot was very good it was predictable and offered no surprises. Having said that, the book was enjoyable enough to keep me reading it to the end. I’m not sure it helped me discover just why Compton is held in such high regard, perhaps I picked a book that isn’t one of his best?

STRAIGHT SHOOTER

A Ralph Compton Novel by Marcus Galloway

Signet, June 2013

Outlaw Wes Cavanaugh knows that crime doesn’t always pay – at least not that much. That’s why he and his partner, Mose, are willing to buy information from Jimmy Stock on a job that’s guaranteed to pay off big.

Jimmy’s made a career of selling tips to bandits, but the job he sells Wes – a payroll train about to leave Omaha – requires more than information. It requires a straight shooter who can hit targets from a long distance away…and in the outlaw business, even a straight shooter can’t be trusted.

With the passing of Ralph Compton, Signet decided to keep his name alive by continuing to put out books under his name written by other writers, eleven of them I believe. Signet also decided to print the name of the real authors on the books too making it easy for readers to identify who had written each new book. Marcus Galloway’s name appearing on ten of them, placing him only behind David Robbins and Joseph A. West in numbers of books written under the Ralph Compton brand.

The above blurb is perhaps a little mis-leading as to the contents of this book. Sure, Wes and Mose buy information from Stock but this takes up only a short part of the novel, as does the train robbery. Wes and Mose don’t have enough money to give to Stock so steal it from a traveling gunsmith. Most of the story follows the fortunes of said gunsmith, Zeke Hayes and his helper, ex-boxer, Aldus Bricker. The central character is Aldus, and it’s his need to discover why the tone of the letters he gets from his childhood sweetheart, Bethany, has changed, that sees them cross paths once again with Wes and Mose.

During the journey to Bethany’s hometown, Zeke and Aldus find themselves in a deadly fight for control of a town and this is resolved in an exciting battle that is one of the highlights of the book.

There’s also a neat outcome to the train robbery that brings that part of the story to an almost underplayed and perfect ending.

I’ve only read a handful of Marcus Galloways’ westerns and so far I’ve enjoyed them all. They haven’t contained quite as much gunplay as a lot of the books I read, but that isn’t a criticism as Galloway certainly knows how to grab the readers attention and build his plots in gripping prose that makes you want to keep reading. 

Blood Duel

A Ralph Compton novel by David Robbins

Signet, December 2007

Jeeter Frost may look like a mouse, but he’s as murderous as a lion. Now this serial killer has reporters on his tail wanting to know who the “Missouri Man-Killer” really is. Jeeter learns the newshounds are painting him larger than life—literally. To get to the bottom of his newfound fame, he has to tackle his one weakness and learn how to read. But what his teacher, Ernestine, gives him is more than he ever expected… 

Meanwhile, the one-horse town of Coffin Varnish gets the idea to make a buck off Frost’s bloodshed by putting the dead bodies on display. When visitors run dry, they invite more gunslingers to duel it out…for a fee, of course. As far as Jeeter’s concerned, all the funny business takes the shine off of Coffin Varnish—but soon he has a starring role in a show that’s deadlier than anyone bargained for…

This book is filled with great characters, Jeeter Frost, Ernestine, the weary lawman Seamus Glickman, and the leading citizens of Coffin Varnish. None of them are overly admirable people but they are definitely fascinating and their interactions and dealings make for a terrific read.

The story is fast moving, action packed, and contains many moments of humour. The dying town of Coffin Varnish is wonderfully described and you can feel the despair of those who live there. Greed and dreams of greatness fuel the motives of many of the characters. The mayors’ disenchantment with Dodge City – and all who live there – allows for some wonderful dialogue exchanges.

Blood Duel is a well-plotted and beautifully paced book that is virtually impossible to put down as everyone is drawn to Coffin Varnish for the final violent showdown.

Blood Duel is a book that I believe should be enjoyed by all fans of western fiction. 

Outlaw Town

A Ralph Compton novel by David Robbins

Signet, January 2016

Chancy Gantry and Ollie Teal are honest cowpunchers riding herd on fifteen hundred longhorns from Texas to Kansas. Their trail boss, Lucas Stout, is tough but fair. He’s never lost a hand on a drive and doesn’t aim to start now. So when a cowhand needs a sawbones bad, Stout sends Chancy and Ollie to escort the man to a town called Prosperity, which none of them has ever heard of.

At first glance, the town looks deserted – but the saloon is full. The dusty denizens of Prosperity are happy to help the ailing cowboy, especially when they hear about the herd grazing a few miles away. Chancy and Ollie are about to discover that some towns are a lot easier to ride into than to ride out of….

David Robbins presents the reader with a very interesting mix of characters, not least Ollie Teal, a man whom some would label as being backwards, his childlike wonder at everything and non-stop babble get on some peoples’ nerves but his loyalty to the brand and his pard, Chancy, are second to none.

There are other memorable characters too, both amongst the cowboys and the townspeople. The crippled doctor for instance and a handful of fast guns that will have you wondering who will come out on top should they have the need to face each other, something that has just got to happen, hasn’t it?

As one would hope for in a book written by David Robbins you get plenty of cracking dialogue, descriptions that portray the land, town, and emotions perfectly, placing you right there sharing the joys, laughter, horror and fear with the characters. And then there is the action, fast and brutal at times, that becomes almost non-stop when the cowboys realize the true intentions of those living in Prosperity.

There are plenty of edge-of-the-seat situations, surprises too, and it soon becomes apparent that you cannot predict who will be left alive at the end, if anyone. David Robbins ties everything up neatly and to say more would surely spoil the book for those intending to read it. My final thoughts are that this is a western all fans of the genre should enjoy.

Texas Hills

A Ralph Compton novel by David Robbins

Signet, November 2015

Owen Burnett’s needs are small. All he’s ever wanted is his wife’s affection, his children’s health, and a little plot of land to farm. Still, he’s no fool. So when his neighbour Gareth Kurst makes him a business proposition that could leave him richer than he’s ever dreamed, he can’t refuse giving the risky scheme a try.

Rounding up cattle in the Texas hill country is nothing to take lightly. Between the Comanches roaming the countryside and the horns of the beasts he’s hunting down, Owen knows every second he spends out in the wild puts his life in plenty of danger. But the greatest threat to his person is one he never expected: his ruthless and conniving business partner, who has no plans of ever sharing his bounty….

The mix of three very different families trying to work alongside each other without killing each other, an old mountain man, and a band of Comanches on the warpath, makes for many tense situations, especially when the Comanches begin to raid farms where the womenfolk have been left alone. These suspense filled raids being one of highlights of this excellent tale.

Like in much of David Robbins’ work the importance of family bonds plays a major part of the motivations of a lot of the characters. Greed drives some too. There is also a growing romance between an unlikely pair that provides a lot of the humorous moments within the story.

The book begins like a slow burning fuse, fizzing with anticipation, then burning faster with dangerous intent before exploding in a deadly race for life and violent gunplay. 

David Robbins writes in short chapters, ending many with someone in peril but then switches to other characters for the next chapter or so making it almost impossible to put the book down before you discover what happens next to them all.

In Texas Hills David Robbins has certainly written a book that should entertain all fans of westerns. 

The Law and the Lawless

A Ralph Compton novel by David Robbins

Signet, August 2015

When a bunch of ruffians robs a bank in the sleepy town of Alpine, it’s only natural for the locals to be alarmed. But this gang and its leader, Cestus Calloway, are not common criminals. In fact, Cestus, known as the Robin Hood of the Rockies, distributes his loot to those less fortunate and rains stolen money down on the townsfolk. As if that isn’t too good to be true, this gang holds to one important rule: Steal but don’t kill….

All Alpine’s marshal, Boyd Cooper, wants is peace and quiet, not to get a posse together to track outlaws. However, when an altercation leads to the exchange of gunfire and the spilling of outlaw blood, he doesn’t have much of a choice. The outlaws fear their reputation might be at stake, so they declare revenge on the tin stars of Alpine. They’re mad enough to break their own no-kill rule, and Boyd Cooper knows things could end as bloody as they started….

David Robbins has created a bunch of memorable characters on both sides of the law in this extremely fast moving tale. In fact I hoped some of the lawless would escape death so they could return in another book, but in a David Robbins story it is not predictable as to who will be living by the end on either side.

With the killing of some of their own, Calloway has difficulty keeping control of his vengeance hungry gang members, and David Robbins creates some fine tension as they argue about the best way to take out the posse. And it’s not only Cestus who has problems keeping a tight rein on his band of outlaws, because Boyd Cooper has to struggle to keep his posse together, particularly when a turn of events makes it evident that Cooper no longer wants to bring the outlaws in for trial but wants to see them all dead.

The story is filled with twists and turns and lots of gripping action, and it isn’t long before the posse are played for fools and find themselves, unknowingly, being lead into a death-trap from which there can be no escape.

So who is victorious in the end? Of course I can’t reveal that here but I would suggest anyone who decides to read this book is going to enjoy finding out.

The Evil Men Do

A Ralph Compton Novel

By David Robbins

Signet, February 2015

If things are quiet in the little town of Sweetwater, Marshal Fred Hitch sees no reason to make waves. But when Tyree Johnson shows up, Fred’s relaxed nature is put to the test. At fifteen years old, Tyree is a tough-as-nails bounty hunter with no patience for anyone calling him “boy.” He’s come to apprehend a killer who escaped from Cheyenne and has been hiding in plain sight in Sweetwater.

To save face and his town’s good name, Fred must ride with Tyree and his prisoner all the way to Cheyenne. The unlikely pair has a rough trail ahead of them, and as tough as Tyree is, he has some lessons to learn about the evil men do – and how to survive it.

David Robbins has created three superb characters to tell his story through. Fred Hitch who would rather talk and be friends with everyone good or bad instead of facing danger with gun in hand. Tyree, who has a reason for being a bounty hunter, needs the money for information on men he’s been searching for for a long time. Aces Connor, cowboy and reluctant gunfighter who will teach Tyree the art of shooting and hopefully in doing so save all their lives.

Each of these three men have their own reasons for teaming up to escort the prisoner who causes them more than one problem. But it’s after their captive has been dealt with that they find themselves in what seems like a suicide mission that surely none of them can survive.

This book has everything you’d expect from a David Robbins novel, fast in pace, twists and turns, believable dialogue laced with humour, and lots of hard hitting action. Everything building to a final showdown that’ll take your breath away and leave you wanting more.

Top class entertainment that should be on the reading list of all westerns fans.

The Cheyenne Trail

A Ralph Compton novel by Jory Sherman

Signet, April 2014

Chip Chippendale met Ransom Barnes after the War Between the States, when the two cowboys drove a herd up from Texas together. But when Chip first laid eyes on Wyoming, he knew he was home, and the two friends split off on different trails.

Each man now has his ranch, but when Ransom’s home is attacked and burned by a marauding band of Cheyenne warriors, he is faced with ruin – and makes matters worse by gunning down the Cheyenne leader’s son. A target of the most vicious renegade on the high plains, Ransom turns to his old friend Chip. And Chip never forgets his friends – even if it means making a few enemies.

The above blurb is taken from the back cover and I have to wonder whether whoever wrote it actually read the book, for it doesn’t resemble to story within. To start with the blurb implies that Chip plays a large part in the tale, this isn’t true, he only appears in the last fifty or so pages. Ransom Barnes? There isn’t anyone with this name. The man who loses his home to the Cheyenne is called Reese Balleen and it’s his trail drive to sell his cattle to Chip that is the main storyline.

Having said all that The Cheyenne Trail is a very entertaining read. It’s a long time since I’ve read a cowboy verses Indian story. Throw in bad weather and a group of rustlers and in Jory Sherman’s expert hands you have a well told traditional western that contains very little bad language and no sex. There’s plenty of action and towards the end we find Chip has his own problems to deal with.

Jory Sherman mainly tells his story through Reese but does switch to other characters every now and again, such as the three Cheyenne warriors who are shadowing the herd looking for a chance to steal some cattle to feed themselves and their small band of fellow Indians who are dying of starvation.

The lively, and often humorous banter between the cowboys balances the hardships of the trail and the pain of death. The determination to get the job done comes across strongly and you’ll soon find yourself urging the cowboys onwards to success.

Do they lose the herd to the Cheyenne or rustlers? Do they reach Chip’s ranch and does Chip win his own battles? I guess you’ll just have to read the book yourself to find out and hopefully you’ll find it as enjoyable as I did.

 Amazon.com                           Amazon.co.uk

Interview: Matthew P. Mayo

Matthew P. Mayo may be a new name to many western readers but he’s been contributing articles, essays and reviews to magazines for a number of years. He’s also edited a couple of anthologies and has had a few short stories of his own included in anthologies too, both westerns and other genres. Recently he has been behind two westerns for major publishers and has more on the way.

When did you decide you wanted to be a writer?

I can’t recall a specific lightbulb moment of decision, but I’ve been a big reader for ages, and like lots of other writers I dabbled with making up my own stories as a kid in elementary school. I published a fair amount of poetry in high school and college in various anthologies and journals, all the while playing at short fiction, a couple of novels that petered out, that sort of thing. I got a BA in English and years later, while working as a magazine editor, I took an online novel-writing course. It was a great experience that spurred me into going back to school for my MFA in writing. 

Did anyone encourage you to be a writer, and if so whom?

Growing up, the biggest encouragement I received in that direction came from my parents. Mom’s a teacher and Dad’s a dairy farmer, and they are both big readers. So my brother, Jeff, and I read everything all the time. I can tell you that fetching cows in from the pasture always takes longer when you have Edgar Rice Burroughs or Louis L’Amour in your pocket.

My wife, Jennifer, is my strongest daily cheerleader. Without her encouragement, I’d be stuck in a cubicle somewhere, gnawing my own limbs off. 

What was the first novel you had published and if this wasn’t a western what was your first western?

My first published novel was a Western: Winters’ War, published in 2007 by Robert Hale, London, for its great Black Horse Westerns line. I was over the moon about that. I wrote two more for Hale: Wrong Town and Hot Lead, Cold Heart. It also led to great e-friendships with a number of fine established Black Horse writers, among them Ian Parnham and Howard Hopkins, who were helpful and encouraging as I worked to get that first manuscript up to snuff.

You’ve recently had a Compton novel published entitled Dead Man’s Ranch. How did this come about and can we expect more?

I got in the door there because of my agent, who sent copies of some of my other books, including my Black Horse Westerns, to the editor of the line. And yes, more to come: I recently turned in another Compton novel. I also contribute to the Slocum series of "action Westerns." And I’m always working on a number of other fiction and non-fiction projects.

What appeals to you about the western genre?

The 19th century in America was a time of raw possibility for a lot of folks. Many headed West of the Mississippi River with a handful of hope and little else, and ended up establishing lives on the frontier (much as people did in the hinterlands of New England a century before). Some of them built great fortunes, some of them failed miserably and headed back East, some died alone in rough conditions, many more worked hard and carved out solid, admirable lives. All of this and so much more makes for fascinating material to research and to use as inspiration to tell stories. 

Which western writers would you recommend?

Reading Louis L’Amour is like slipping into a favourite old jacket—fits just right and feels good. I’m also a big fan of Ernest Haycox, A.B. Guthrie, Jr., Dorothy Johnson, Jack Schaefer. Among writers working today, and in no particular order, I’ll mention some of the many I enjoy and learn from: Loren D. Estleman, Larry D. Sweazy, Peter Brandvold, Larry McMurtry, John D. Nesbitt, James Reasoner, Robert Randisi, Marcus Galloway, Dusty Richards, David Robbins, Ian Parnham, David Whitehead, Howard Hopkins, Charlie Whipple, Nik Morton, Gary Dobbs, Ray Foster, Jory Sherman, Joseph West, Johnny D. Boggs … I know I’m forgetting many—I could keep on going. It’s such a rich time for readers of Westerns!

How much importance do you place on research and how important is historical accuracy in westerns? 

I research a whole lot, especially for non-fiction books. Also, much of what I use as the basis for research comes in through my regular reading. I’m always amazed at how a seemingly insignificant scrap will pop up again months or years later and provide a useful direction for an entirely new project. 

What is the biggest challenge in writing a western?

My primary challenge when writing a Western—or any type of novel—is to make sure that readers are entertained.

Your Black Horse Westerns were to be published by Leisure as paperbacks and it must have been very disappointing that this didn’t happen, but I think you must be pleased Dorchester didn’t manage to put your books out before their collapse?

At the time I was very excited because the editors at Dorchester (Leisure) were keen on my writing. Then the reports began popping up about Dorchester’s seemingly imminent collapse. I was disappointed because ever since I was a kid, I’d wanted to see my name on a mass-market paperback. But the reports were such that my agent and I pulled my books from the deal and I kept rights to them, intending to release them myself. And that’s what I’m now doing with Gritty Press (see below).

Are you likely to write any more Black Horse Westerns?

As much as I love and support the Black Horse Westerns line, I make my living writing books (and editing magazines), so I head for the higher-paying gigs. I wish I didn’t have to base that decision on money, because I can’t say enough good about the line and the publisher. Hale has been great to deal with and the Westerns they put out are great reads.

Gritty Press have just put out a new version of Wrong Town, as an ebook and paperback, billed as the first in the Roamer series. When can we expect the next book and what can you tell us about Gritty Press?

My wife, photographer Jennifer Smith-Mayo, and I have set up our own imprint, Gritty Press, and we recently released a revised version of Wrong Town, recast as the first in the “Roamer” series. It’s now out in ebook and trade paperback format. Winters’ War and Hot Lead, Cold Heart will follow soon. The next Roamer adventure is in the works, and I hope to release it in the fall. It’s a corker that will reveal more about Roamer’s past, a bit about his future, and throughout, I will endeavor to keep readers wondering how he’ll live through the predicaments he finds himself in.

Roamer’s mentor is a grumpy old mountain man named Maple Jack, who, chronologically, makes his debut in the story, “Maple Jack and the Christmas Kid,” in the new anthology Christmas Campfire Companion, by Port Yonder Press. In that story, he takes in the young greenhorn he calls “Roamer.” References to Maple Jack appear in Wrong Town, and Roamer pops up now and again in various Maple Jack tales. I’ve published several Maple Jack tales so far, with more on the way. People seem to like the old curmudgeon, so I’d like to collect his stories in a single book before too long.

Regarding Gritty Press, Jen has lots of experience designing books, magazine layouts, billboards, bus signs, CD and DVD covers, you name it, so we’re lucky that we can work in-house on our own covers and logos. She’s come up with snazzy new covers, typeset the interiors, and we’re even working on “Gritty Gear” (T-shirts, mugs, etc.) because we think the logo’s so nifty. I’d like to eventually release work by other writers. I’m a big fan of the men’s adventure genre, both fiction and non-fiction, so that’s the direction we’re headed with Gritty Press (www.grittypress.com).

You’ve had a number of short stories published in a variety of Western anthologies. Do you find short stories as easy to write as a full-length novel?

I do find short stories are easier to write, primarily because they are usually simpler, more straightforward plots. I also like them because they allow you to try things you might not get a chance to in something novel-length. I’ve written dozens of short stories in lots of genres, so I hope to rerelease them soon, as well.

You were listed as a finalist in the Western Writers of America Spur Awards and also in the Western Fictioneers Peacemaker Awards. Which stories were nominated and where can readers find them?

One of my shorts, “Half a Pig,” from the Express Westerns anthology, A Fistful of Legends, was a 2010 Spur Award finalist for the Western Writers of America. That was a big honor (and ego boost!) for me. And the next year, my steampunk Western story, “Scourge of the Spoils,” from the DAW Books anthology, Steampunk’d, was nominated for a Peacemaker Award by Western Fictioneers, another big thrill. The stories are available via links at my Website: www.matthewmayo.com. They will also appear soon as ebooks via Gritty Press.

You have four non-fiction books that collect stories from different areas of Western History, how easy was it to find enough tales for these books and do you have anymore of these books planned?

I enjoy writing historical non-fiction books and though I’ve written about various regions, the books about the West are especially fun for me. The first, Cowboys, Mountain Men & Grizzly Bears: Fifty of the Grittiest Moments in the History of the Wild West, was written when we lived outside of Bozeman, Montana, and much of it during the winter looking out at the snow-covered mountains, right along the Bloody Bozeman Trail—amazing! The book was first published in 2009 and continues to sell well. In fact, it’s been optioned for film, so we’ll see how that comes along.

The second in my “Grittiest Moments” series, Bootleggers, Lobstermen & Lumberjacks: Fifty of the Grittiest Moments in the History of Hardscrabble New England, is similar in vibe, but about the older history (beginning in 1620) of my native New England, in the northeast of the US. For the third, I headed back out West and North: Sourdoughs, Claim Jumpers & Dry Gulchers: Fifty of the Grittiest Moments in the History of Frontier Prospecting. That one’s due out in early June, 2012.

And in August, I have a slightly different Western history book coming out: Haunted Old West: Phantom Cowboys, Spirit-Filled Saloons, Mystical Mine Camps, and Spectral Indians. Collecting stories for these books is the fun part. The difficult part is narrowing the selections down to those I can use. I’m working on a couple more such books right now, some about New England history, and I have a number of Old West topics I plan to tackle next. My publisher has a big presence out West, so it’s great exposure—and a grand excuse for me to travel there for, ahem, research purposes….

You’ve been involved with helping your wife, Jennifer, put out three photo books covering different areas of New England. Could you tell us a little about these, such as how you decided what subjects should be included in them?

We were hired as a writer/photographer team to write and shoot a series of coffee-table books for Globe Pequot Press. The first, Maine Icons: 50 Classic Symbols of the Pine Tree State, was released in May, 2011, and continues to be a big seller. 

We followed it up with New Hampshire Icons and Vermont Icons, both of which will see release in July, 2012. We had the same difficult decisions when it came time to reduce the list of hundreds of potential iconic items, people, places, foods, etc., in each book. We’re long-time residents of this region, and we take every opportunity to get out and about in it, so we felt reasonably certain that our choices would be well received—and so far they have been, though the only guarantee with these books is that we’ll never please everyone. But we try! And the good news is that there’s plenty of material for follow-up volumes.

Which of your westerns would you recommend to someone who hasn’t read any of your work yet and why?

I do believe I’d steer a newcomer to Wrong Town (Roamer Book 1) (Gritty Press edition!), since it continues to generate lots of positive reviews and fan mail. I think in that one I did a decent job in capturing some of my favorite themes and elements: a self-reliant attitude, overcoming adversities, grim situations—though not without a bit of humor, too. 

If you could write a sequel to any western (not your own) which would it be and why?

Wow, I’d never thought of that before, but wouldn’t a sequel to Jack Schaefer’s Shane be fun to tackle. Or better yet … a prequel! Now that sounds like fun.

What do you think of the western genre today and what do you think the future holds for the western?

I believe the Western genre is brimming with promise, as evidenced by the number of exciting writers of Westerns working today (look no further than to the members of Western Fictioneers, Black Horse Westerns Group, or Western Writers of America). The future for Westerns looks great, especially considering the recent cool crossover work with other genres: Western horror, steampunk, romance, and more.

What is your favourite western movie and why?

I’ll wimp out and choose two instead (for this week): “Will Penny” with Charlton Heston, and “Open Range” with Robert Duvall and Kevin Costner. “Will Penny” is like a big short story. It’s filled with great acting, believable situations and characters, and doesn’t end how you think it might. And “Open Range,” altered somewhat from the book by Lauren Paine, also offers top-shelf acting in an engaging story about characters who are all too human. And then there’s “Seven Men from Now,” “Ride the High Country,” “Tombstone”….

Finally what do you read for pleasure?

I read lots of stuff—comics, novels, non-fiction books. I spend a lot of time reading books for review and for research, so when I tuck into something for pure pleasure, it’s a real treat. Right now I’m reading Larry D. Sweazy’s mystery novel, The Devil’s Bones, and enjoying it immensely. I’m also dipping into a short stack of Joe Lansdale’s older stuff, Westerns and horror, and loving it. Those I’m reading on my Kindle and on my iPod Touch. The convenience and storage on such devices is amazing.

DEAD MAN’S RANCH

A Ralph Compton novel by Matthew P. Mayo

Signet, March 2012

For years Brian Middleton’s father waited for his long-lost son to come back to Turnbull, New Mexico, to run the family’s Dancing M Ranch with him. By the time Brian returns, his old man is dead and buried. Although named in his father’s will as the rightful heir to the family cattle spread, Brian is about to find out it’s not that simple.

Brandon MacMawe, Brian’s half-brother, wants the property for himself – as does the county’s wealthiest rancher, Wilf Grindle. Brian’s got both hands full fending off these men when a wild card rides into town: a no-account con man and killer named Mortimer Darturo, who has ideas of his own for the dead man’s ranch….

The first Ralph Compton book from Matthew P. Mayo is definitely a page-turner. The book is filled with excellent characters the make you want to find out what happens next. Brian Middleton is so much out of his comfort zone that he rubs people up the wrong way without being aware that he is doing so, making it very difficult for people to like him, not that he really cares as he just intends to sell the ranch quickly and return home.

Slowly Brian comes to appreciate what is on offer as he discovers some hard hitting truths about family members, particularly about those he thought he knew. Maybe these discoveries come too late as he and his half-brother are left for dead and the author sure doesn’t make it clear if either will survive thus gripping the readers’ attention, making the book very difficult to put down until the answer is revealed.

The blurb perhaps makes the book sound like another range war story and in part that could be true, but it’s not by the gun that those wanting the ranch plan to take it. Legal paths are one route and another sees blackmail as a possibility. Then there’s the son looking to impress his father and it’s through this desire that things all begin to go wrong.

Matthew P. Mayo tells his story at a fast pace, his plot threads drawing all the main characters together for a savage and brutal confrontation that not all will survive. As well as tough male characters Matthew includes some very strong women who refuse to back down when faced with disaster.

This may be Matthew P. Mayo’s first Compton book but I sure it won’t be his last, and I for one am looking forward to the next.