RAMSEY'S LUCK

THE RAMSEYS 
Book 2 of 18
By Will McLennan
Cover art by Bill Dodge
Jove, September 1989

The War Between the States was long over. But the fighting spirit lived on in Matt Ramsey – and kept him roaming for five restless years. So, when his old friend Knox Wapley signed him on as a ranchero, Matt was glad of the chance to stay in one place for a while and keep out of trouble.

But trouble is something that just can’t leave a Ramsey alone – and Matt soon finds himself dodging bullets in a full-blown range war. Only this war is one that Matt Ramsey isn’t going to lose!

The first three books in this series were written by Gary Clifton Wisler. Three other authors then wrote behind the pseudonym of Will McLennan, these being Ed Gorman, Robert J. Conley and John Legg – the latter writing most of the books. 

This story takes place over a number of months and sees Matt enjoying being in one place, becoming friends with Wapley’s family. Matt invites one of his younger brothers, Bucky, to join him and the Wapley’s. Life seems peaceful but Matt senses that there is something Knox hasn’t told him. It soon becomes clear that a neighbouring rancher, Nash Emery, is trying to buy the Wapley ranch and various mishaps are causing problems. Matt also gets on the wrong side of a gambler known as the Kansan. 

It isn’t long before the bullets begin to fly, fired by snipers mainly. Even though Matt knows who is behind the attacks he can’t prove it, as Emery is always seen elsewhere when the shooting takes place. It isn’t long before Knox is killed, and Matt decides to stay and protect Wapley’s wife, Gail, her children, and Knox’s father. But can two men, a woman, and a bunch of children take on Emery and his riders, especially when he hires himself some gunfighters? 

Wisler’s tale begins on a slow burn, the tension mounting as the pace increases, building towards the inevitable showdown. There are some hard-hitting action scenes and some surprising victims, but other than that this is a traditional range war western – and there’s nothing wrong with that. I find Wisler’s writing to be very readable and I’m enjoying seeing the character development of the Ramsey brothers. On finishing the book, I was left looking forward to reading the next one as soon as I can.

The Ramseys

By Will McLennan
Jove, May 1989

Kyle and Matt Ramsey were lucky to return home alive from The War Between the States – Kyle wore his empty left sleeve as a badge of honor. Crossing the Texas border, the fearless brothers expected a heroes’ welcome. Instead, they found that their fight for freedom had only just begun.

War profiteers had taken over the town and plundered the Ramsey homestead. As the family’s future lay in jeopardy, Kyle and Matt squared off for a shoot-out the carpetbaggers would never forget…

Having read a few of the later entries in this eighteen-book series I’ve been keen to go back to the beginning and discover how it all began. The first three entries were written by Gary Clifton Wisler, an author I don’t remember reading anything by before. Three other authors would then write behind the Will McLennan pseudonym, these being, I believe, Ed Gorman, Robert J. Conley and John Legg, the latter writing the lions share.

When Matt and Kyle return home I was surprised to discover how young their younger brothers were but as the book progressed it covered a couple of years so I could see how the brothers would grow if each book continued at this pace.

Like most of those I’ve read Matt is the center character, a man who hoped to find peace when returning home from the horrors of the Civil War. Yet a combination of carpetbaggers, family tragedy and white hooded riders calling themselves the Knights of the Silver Circle soon wipe away happiness and replace it with bitterness. An anger that can only be satisfied by hitting back but will this be enough to cleanse that resentment?

Gary Clifton Wisler has written a very readable book, his study of changing emotions as equally gripping as his action scenes, and some of the latter paint very vivid images in the minds-eye and are extremely hard-hitting. 

The close of the story promises new adventures for the surviving Ramsey’s and on the strength of this opening tale I’d certainly be wanting to read more. 

Pioneering Press - New Western Publisher

Endeavour Press – the UK’s leading independent digital publisher – has grown at an impressive rate since its inception in 2012. With the digital market on the rise and the demand for e-books at an all-time high, Endeavour Press now publishes 30 books a week across a range of imprints.

As part of its ongoing expansion strategy, Endeavour has recently launched an exciting new western imprint – Pioneering Press – which will cater towards the growing demand for traditional westerns in digital format.

Managed by Georgina Cutler, Pioneering Press is proud to publish both new and classic westerns by authors based in the US and the UK, including award winning author Robert J Conley, E C Tubb, John Russell Fearn and Christopher Kenworthy, to name but a few.

Pioneering Press believes that no book is an ‘old book’. Books can be, and indeed are, rediscovered on kindle every day. Good stories will always grip readers and will therefore always have a place in the market. Great care is taken in the production of our books, with exciting new covers commissioned to combine the traditional with the contemporary.

Our aim is to capture the history and spirit of the Old West by bringing back classic titles for old and new readers alike, whilst also pioneering authentic new material set on the American frontier.

We welcome submissions from both new and previously published authors in the western fiction genre. If you are an author of western fiction where the digital rights are available, and you are interested in discussing the possibilities of digital publishing, please feel free to contact Georgina directly at: georgina@endeavourpress.com

Pioneering Press is always keen to hear from its readers and we are always on the lookout for enthusiastic reviewers for our books. Please do not hesitate to get in touch.

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Nickajack

by Robert J. Conley

St. Martin’s Paperbacks, October 2002

Originally published Doubleday, April 1992

His crime was choosing to stay alive. His fate was to pay with his life…

In the East, his people had lived on the land for thousands of years. Now it was a nation bitterly divided, and Nickajack had decided to leave it behind. But when his country’s broken heart came chasing after him in the West, he found himself with enemies he didn’t choose, forcing him to pick up an old, oiled pistol, and aiming at a stranger in self-defence. A reckoning had begun – as Nickajack faced a law that accused him of murder, and sealed his fate forever.

This is a powerful read. A book that deals with tragedy, that which befalls Nickajack himself and that of his tribe caught up in a political struggle based on corruption and the treatment of minority groups.

Robert J. Conley tells this story in prose that will be long remembered, his tale tears at the heart in its sadness. Much of the story is told in reflection as Nickajack remembers the events that have torn through the Cherokee Nation and swept him up in them, which have ultimately seen him on trial for murder. Make no mistake this is a hard-hitting tale of suffering and betrayal based around true events. The tone, as you’d expect, is dark and is beautifully paced as it builds up to its inevitable ending.

Robert J. Conley won a Spur Award for this novel and it’s easy to see why. It seems such a shame to me that very few readers of westerns mention him when discussing the genre. Conley seems to be a very overlooked writer, and on the strength of this book I’d say that many people have been missing out on some terrific reading. To those I say try this, I’m sure you’ll be impressed.

Barjack and the Unwelcome Ghost

by Robert J. Conley
Leisure, September 2009

Marshal Barjack likes to keep peace and quiet in the tiny town of Asininity. It’s better for business at the Hooch House, the saloon that Barjack owns. But peace and quiet got mighty hard to come by once Harm Cody came to town. Cody’s made a lot of enemies over the years and some of them are hot on his trail, aiming to kill him—including a Cherokee named Miller and a pretty little sharpshooter named Polly Pistol. And when the Asininity bank gets robbed, well, now Cody has a whole new bunch of enemies…including Barjack.

Although I’ve read other books by Robert J. Conley, this was the first time I’d read one of his Barjack books. Barjack is a great character who seems to spend more time with his woman and drinking whiskey than working in his marshalling office. The book is written in the first person and Barjack has some great outlooks on life, and has a pretty sharp tongue, dishing out some superb sarcasm throughout the story.

Harm Cody makes for an excellent bad guy who gives Barjack and his friends a real problem as they chase him down only to have him disappear time and again. This all makes for some very entertaining reading. Cody’s ability to vanish from under Barjack’s nose soon has him thinking he’s chasing a ghost.

As well as plenty of action, Robert J. Conley includes some very funny moments, such as the laugh-out-loud scene involving a bathtub.

The only problem I had with the book was the writing style in that it took a bit of getting used to. Conley writes the book as his characters speak, so there is plenty of slang and wrongly spelt words – for instance seed instead of saw, tuck instead of took, skeered instead of scared, drawed instead of drew, and Churkee instead of Cherokee. Once I’d read a page or two and got used to this way of writing I found myself enjoying it and found it gave the book a charm all of its own.

This story has definitely got me wanting to check out more of Robert J. Conley’s Barjack books, seems I’ve been missing out on a great series.

Stagecoach

edited by Ed Gorman and

Martin H. Greenberg

Berkley, September 2003

Immortalized in film and legend, the stagecoach was a colourful, hard-driving transport that linked far-flung places the railroads didn’t reach. Now, Stagecoach is galloping into town with a strongbox full of eight action-packed stories celebrating this icon of the American West, written by some of today’s top Western writers. Each tale follows an enigmatic stranger who arrives by stage at Tombstone – the town that was too tough to die – where they encounter the likes of the Earp Brothers and Doc Holliday.

Contents:
Bluff Creek Station Louis L’Amour
A Fresh Start Don Coldsmith
Hearts Richard S. Wheeler
Nate’s Revenge Robert J. Conley
The Fly on the Wall Judy Alter
Killer in the Dark Ed Gorman
The Story Robert J. Randisi
Hangman’s Choice Loren D. Estleman

Anthologies are a good way to try authors you’ve never read before, and for me this collection contains stories by three such writers, Alter, Conley, and Wheeler. Two of which inspired me to read more by them.

All the stories were very readable and, even though some feature the same real life characters, were all very different in content.

Some have a traditional approach, a couple managed to touch my emotions, others include humorous moments, one doesn’t contain any gunplay but is non-the-less a compelling read, a couple contain great twists, one or two are quite dark in their themes.

So a great mix of stories, those by Gorman and L’Amour being the standout tales to me. In fact L’Amour’s story being the best work I’ve ever read by him - and this is the only story to have been published before, the others being written for this anthology.