HAUNTED VALLEY

HAUNTED VALLEY

By Jackson Cole

A Chosen Western, 1949

Most, if not all of the books published by Wells Gardner, Darton & Co., Ltd., under their Western, or Chosen Western, line are reprints that most likely appeared in the American pulps first, perhaps in shorter versions and quite often under a different title. Haunted Valley is one of those books.

Haunted Valley was originally published under the title Riders of Embrujada Valley in the October 1943 issue of Texas Rangers and it stars long-running hero Jim Hatfield. Jackson Cole is a pseudonym shared by a number of authors and this story was written by A. Leslie Scott.

Hatfield, also-known-as The Lone Wolf, rides into the Embrujada Valley to find out just what is the source behind the troubles there and put a stop to it. The reader is one step ahead of the Ranger, as the author has already told of the theft and hiding of some black opals that are supposedly worth a fortune but are also tainted with bad luck. The author does keep some secrets from both the reader and the Ranger until he’s ready to reveal them, usually through Hatfield working out just what is going on. Hatfield seems to have knowledge of everything under the sun. This is helpful when he sets to solve a cryptic map that should reveal the location of the hidden opals. Hatfield has a habit of talking to himself and his horse, Goldie, whilst pondering the problems he has to overcome. 

The author moves his story forward swiftly, so there is never a dull moment. There is plenty of gunplay as Hatfield takes on a small group of killers, but who are they working for? There are also two rival ranchers who seem set on a range war, can Hatfield stop the bloodshed before it starts? Hatfield will find himself in all kinds of deadly situations, one of which is illustrated on the book cover, before managing to bring peace to the valley.

A. Leslie Scott’s writing pulled me into the story easily, his descriptive passages are excellent, and are a little poetic at times. I did smile at some of the terms used as they were definitely a product of their times, for instance where bad language should be it says “blankety blank blank” instead. Many of the characters, including Hatfield, talk old style cowboy lingo that I occasionally had to re-read to make sure I’d understood what was being said properly.  

Overall, Haunted Valley is an entertaining read that left me looking forwards to reading the many Hatfield stories I have in pulp magazines and a handful of books.

TEXAS RANGERS - October 1956

TEXAS RANGERS
British Edition, Vol. X1, No. 12
Atlas Publishing, October 1956

This issue of the British Edition of Texas Rangers takes all its stories from the American issue published in March 1956. The British Edition only contains four stories, compared to eight in the original American publication. The same cover art by Sam Cherry was used on both editions but the border and lettering were changed somewhat. I’ve posted the American cover at the end of this review so you can compare it for yourselves.

The Jim Hatfield tale Guns Across the River by Jackson Cole is the opening novella. Jackson Cole is a pseudonym used by a number of authors. This time around it’s Peter B. Germano writing behind the penname. I believe he wrote 16 Jim Hatfield adventures out of the 205 or so Hatfield stories that appeared in the pulps.

Hatfield, known as The Lone Wolf, was caught square in the crossfire when the ghost of a dead man and the invasion of sheep brought war to Peaceful Valley. Germano includes quite a large cast of characters in his twisting plot that makes you wonder how he can possibly tie up all the story threads in such a short tale. This is something I’ve often marvelled at when reading other books by Germano under his pseudonym of Barry Cord, yet he always succeeds, and this novella is no different. There’s also some female interest for Hatfield but we know the Ranger is never going to settle down, don’t we? Guns Across the River is packed with action and told in a hard-boiled style and proved to be a very entertaining read and is right up there with the very best Hatfield stories I’ve ever read. 

Germano re-wrote Guns Across the River as War in Peaceful Valley which came out as one half of an Ace Double in 1959 as by Barry Cord. Jim Hatfield became Deputy U.S. Marshal Matt Vickers. 

The first short story is Moment of Violence by George Roulston. This tells of Matt Strombo’s return from prison after being sentenced for stagecoach robbery and killing the driver. As the tale unfolds, we discover it wasn’t Matt who pulled the trigger but his partner in the hold-up. Of course, Matt’s return to Dandy Crossing arouses many emotions in the townsfolk and more violence ensues. I enjoyed this tale a lot and found it to be a great introduction to this author. I have one of Roulston’s other stories, Court Day, in another issue of Texas Rangers that I hope to read very soon.

Next up is Miguel’s Private Miracle by H.G. Ashburn. An Indian boy had thoroughly believed in the white man’s God till the scalp-hunters came… This short story has a strong religious theme that I found a bit overpowering. It is very well-written though, but it does contain something that I found hard to believe. Different, but not really to my taste. 

The third and final short story is The Reluctant Hangman by John Jo Carpenter, which is a pseudonym use by John Reese. With the sheriff ill it’s up to his deputy, Hiram Cutler, to perform a hanging. This is something Cutler has little stomach for and so he struggles psychologically with the task he’s been called to perform. This proved to be a gripping tale with a well-thought-out ending that I devoured eagerly. I can’t remember reading anything else by John Reese, and this tale left me wanting to try more of his work as soon as I can. 

Overall, I’d not hesitate in recommending this issue of Texas Rangers, if you can find it, as it contains some very strong storytelling indeed. 

THE HORSE MARINES

THE TEXIANS

Book 2 of 5

By Zach Wyatt

Cover art by Bruce Minney

Pinnacle Books, August 1984

Josh Sands was far from his San Antonio station, but the fierce young Texas Ranger had sworn to protect the entire Territory from her enemies – including the Mexican warships unloading arms in the deadly swamplands along the Gulf of Mexico.

The last thing the hard-riding Ranger expected was to be corralled into Captain Isaac Burton’s mad scheme for capturing the warships himself – with a handful of men who had never so much as seen a rowboat.

But Josh had to pursue a private vengeance as well: to hunt down a death-dealing devil known as Cotton Blue; a vicious gunrunner who had killed Josh’s partner in cold blood; killed for the same pleasure other men found in a woman’s arms… 

Like the first book in this series, Zach Wyatt uses a real event for the main part of the plot, the attempt to capture warships that took place in June 1836. Of course, Josh Sands involvement is entirely fictional as is his pursuit of Cotton Blue. Zach Wyatt blends truth and fiction seamlessly, resulting in an exciting read that contains many cliff-hanging moments.

We also learn more about our fictional hero as we witness Sands freeze when looking into the eyes of death. He experiences guilt and struggles to deal with it as he recovers from a life-threatening bullet wound. His fevered belief of being rescued by an angel floating through the swamp made for some very visual and surreal reading which was beautifully told by the author.

Sand’s loss of his fellow Texas Ranger and his final showdown with Cotton Blue sandwich the main part of the story; Captain Burton’s spur-of-the-moment attempt to capture three warships. I don’t want to say anymore about this for fear of ruining this part of the tale for anyone planning to read this book, but I will add that it makes for some gripping reading.

If you like fiction based around real historical events or books about the Texas Rangers then this has to be a must read and I’d also recommend it to all western fans. Zach Wyatt is a pseudonym used by George W. Proctor and this book reinforces my belief that he is an author worth reading. 

I always found The Texians books hard to track down, but it’s much easier now, if you don’t mind reading ebooks, as Piccadilly Publishing has made the whole series available in this form.

GUNS ACROSS THE PECOS

By Jackson Cole

Popular Library, 1965

In the fertile oasis of the Delnorte Valley seethed a full-scale range war. Lynch fever spread. Bombs exploded along the wire fences – reflecting the hate that filled the valley. The Coral River ran red with blood and open war was expected at any moment. Ranger Jim Hatfield had to find the man responsible for the violence before Delnorte became a valley of death.

The man Hatfield had to stop was protected by a terror organization called “The Black Cappers.” Their specialties were killing and destruction and they had forced the nesters and the ranchers into two armed camps. Hatfield found himself caught in the crossfire – an easy target for anyone with an easy six-gun. He was running on sheer power and had to get his man in a hurry . . . before the powder-keg of Delnorte Valley exploded!

This story was originally published under the same title in the November 1937 issue of Texas Rangers (see below). I’d guess the 1965 version has been expanded to create the length needed for a book. Jim Hatfield was created in 1936 by A. Leslie Scott and all the stories were published under the pseudonym of Jackson Cole. Scott was the main writer for the long running series alongside Tom Curry. A few other authors wrote for the series too. Guns Across the Pecos was written by Curry.

This is a tough, fast-paced story that contains a number of surprises and plenty of action – more or less every chapter containing gunplay or fist fights. Although the tale does include women, they don’t have very big roles – even the girl who provides the love interest.

Hatfield is extremely fast with his guns, talks to his horse Goldy, and has a quick mind that helps him solve all the problems he faces almost effortlessly. Hatfield occasionally comes across as superhuman when it comes to second-guessing his enemies and when he gets shot – the latter occurring more than once in this tale but Hatfield seems able to shrug his wounds off and carry on as if nothing had happened.

Being such an old story there is some of the kind of lingo we don’t see much of nowadays, such as ‘dawggone it’, ‘keerful-like,’ and ‘shoot yuh daid.’ This, to me, is part of the fun of reading these old tales but at times can be a challenge when there’s a lot of it in one sentence. 

Tom Curry keeps the main plot twist a secret until near the end, and it was one I didn’t see coming, although I did work out who was behind whatever it was that was going on. The story ends with a classic hero chasing bad guy across country scene, making for a final dramatic showdown that ends the tale in suitable style. 

I’ve read a few Jim Hatfield tales in pulp magazines and found them to be very entertaining and this extended book length story proved to be as equally enjoyable. 

Border Bandits

THE RANGER #2

By Dan Mason

Harper, March 1991

The Ranger: Hard, sharp, fearless. He’d face down the devil himself to bring evil to justice in the untamed West.

Border Blood: Violence on the sizzling no-man’s land between Texas and Mexico is nothing new. It seems one side always has what the other wants – money, power, freedom. Now, a new series of brutal raids by a ruthless band of brigands has handcuffed the local law. In rides Texas Ranger Lex Cranshaw. Outnumbered or not, he vows to bring one of two things to the border – peace or blood.

So how do you find a brutal band of bandits when you have no idea where to find them? This is the problem that author Dan Mason gives Texas Ranger Lex Cranshaw, and this is the hook that kept me turning the pages. 

Cranshaw starts the investigation alone whilst waiting for a fellow Ranger to join him. Along the way he will find himself accepting the help of others and trying to stop more joining the chase, especially a padre named Murtagh. The padre believes he has reason to ride with The Ranger, Cranshaw believes the man is out of his depth and, as I expected, things don’t work out the way either want.

Bandits, Rangers and those caught up in the hunt are well drawn, each having their own character traits that make them a joy to read about. The story contains plenty of action, some of the deaths and discoveries of corpses quite gruesome in their description. Pacing is excellent and the plot takes a twist when the Mexican Army get involved – not liking that Texas Rangers are operating on their side of the border without permission. 

The final showdown between The Ranger and the bandits is exciting and bloody. Everything is tied up neatly but not everyone survives, giving the story a hard-hitting ending that left me looking forward to reading more books in this series.

Dan Mason is a pseudonym for author Charley McDade. 

Cover art is by Larry Schwinger.

Outlaw Ranger

By James Reasoner

Rough Edges Press, September 2014

G.W. Braddock was raised to be a Texas Ranger and never wanted anything else. But when he's stripped of his badge through no fault of his own and a corrupt system turns the vicious killer Tull Coleman loose on the people of the Lone Star State, Braddock has to decide if he's going to follow the law—or carry out the job he was born to do, even if it means becoming an outlaw himself!

If you like your westerns jam-packed with action then you need look no further than this book. James Reasoner is a seasoned pro who writes thoroughly entertaining westerns, many published under a variety of pseudonyms.

Outlaw Ranger is the first in a new series. In this Braddock finds himself dismissed from his position as a Texas Ranger due to political pressure. These politics also see his prisoners released as under the new legislations they were arrested illegally. To say both these events frustrate Braddock immensely is a grand understatement, and he hits the trail to bring his freed prisoners to justice once more.

In Braddock’s mind he is still a Ranger. Ever since he can remember he’s wanted to be one and he can’t imagine any purpose to his life unless he is a Texas Ranger. Of course this causes many problems as he is now acting illegally. Some of Braddock’s backstory is told in flashbacks that explain his desire to be a Ranger and tell of his relationship with his father who was also a Ranger.

Teaming up with a young Mexican girl who may have a lead to the whereabouts of the men he hunts Braddock crosses the border and that’s when his troubles really begin.

James Reasoner writes a very fast paced story that has a terrific ‘out of the frying pan and into the fire’ moment that sees a badly battered Braddock taking on massive odds singlehandedly.

On finishing this book I found myself eager to find out what troubles Braddock will find himself in next. I won’t have to wait long to discover the answer as two further books in the series have already been published and I’ll be adding them to my collection immediately. 

Available as paperback and ebook.