ASSASSIN'S TRAIL

CANYON O’GRADY

Number 13 of 25

ASSASSIN’S TRAIL

By Jon Sharpe

Cover art by Jerome Podwil

Signet, May 1991

Canyon O’Grady had a long way to go to get his man. The big redheaded U.S. special agent had to catch up with the kingpin of an assassination ring making tracks for Oregon – and the trail cut through Blackfoot land. Canyon was ready to handle both assassins’ bullets and Blackfoot arrows – but not a blonde built for trouble, a pair of greenhorns dead set on sure-fire suicide, and a tangle of treachery and deceit that left Canyon wondering whom to save, whom to kill, and how not to make the dead wrong choice…

After a run of books written by Chester Cunningham, we have a new author writing behind the pseudonym of Jon Sharpe. I’ve seen two different authors suggested as being the writer of this book but haven’t read enough of either to make a guess as to which it could be, Jon Messmann or Will C. Knott. Perhaps neither?

The author’s prose is very readable and the plot doesn’t offer much in the way of surprises or gun action – of course there is some gunplay but not as much as I’d expect from a book carrying the name of Jon Sharpe. The storyline did hold my attention though and introduced some great characters, such as Jake Gettis, bodyguard to Judge Langley who O’Grady has been sent after. 

I found it strange that O’Grady would allow himself to be talked into babysitting some greenhorns, even though they are travelling in the same direction as he, instead of racing ahead to track down a man assumed to be planning to assassinate the President. Somehow, I’d have thought this would have been the special agents’ number one concern and nothing would get in the way of taking down the judge before the President could be killed.

A lot of the book is taken up with O’Grady’s attempts to stop the spread of cholera, which is wreaking havoc among the people of a wagon train that the judge is travelling with. 

The book contains an exciting duel with a Blackfoot warrior who is determined to kill O’Grady and part of the story follows this warrior and his band as they discuss how to wipe the encroaching whites from their country, none of which had much baring on the story other than filling pages. One of these scenes contains some gruesome descriptions of what happens to a couple of prisoners.

There is also a glaring error that will annoy purists. Each of the O’Grady books contain a page at the front that outlines the time and setting the story takes place, which I believe is written by the author, and this one announces that the book is set in 1859. Throughout the story O’Grady uses a Henry rifle, which were not introduced until 1960.

After Cunningham’s entries into the series, this one did feel like a let down if I’m honest. It was still an ok read and I would read more by whoever wrote this book, which is a good job as there is another coming from this author in a couple of books time I believe.

Cover artist Jerome Podwil has once again produced a superb cover, each of the illustrations capturing a scene from the story. He must also have been told about O’Grady’s switch of horses as Canyon is depicted on the animal he rides for much of this tale instead of his usual mount.

Assassin’s Trail is one for the completist, not a book to judge the whole series on. 

Longarm #26

LONGARM AND THE DRAGON HUNTERS
as by Tabor Evans
Jove, November 1980

At Dragon Bluff, rival archaeologists warred for a cache of priceless dinosaur fossils…angry Arapahos rose up to protect their land and its riches…and hired guns were primed and ready, for sale to the highest bidder.

Longarm rides into the “Great Dinosaur War” to put an end to the violence – and enjoy the favours of a fiery teamster who claimed to be more woman than any man could handle!

The plot of the book makes a welcome change from fortune hunters digging up Indian lands for gold, even though much of the story follows a similar pattern to many of the westerns that use that theme. Due to the hunt being for dinosaur remains means the author could add a lot of fascinating information about them, and it’s one of these beliefs that the archaeologists are racing to prove is true, that provides the conflict between the rival groups of bone hunters.

The author (William C. Knott writing as Tabor Evans) includes some great character studies, such as the teamsters, the women that all seem eager to offer themselves to Longarm and also lead to many of his problems, the Indians, a Reverend and his flock, but it’s the archaeologists themselves who prove the most entertaining with their eccentric ways, particularly when the start bickering at each other.

There’s loads of action and nail-biting races against time – which a couple of times seemed a bit to impossible to win but were won – and a truly great ending that painted some very vivid images in my minds eye.

Lone Star #20

LONE STAR ON THE DEVIL’S TRAIL

as by Wesley Ellis

Jove, April 1984

Driving two thousand head of cattle from the Starbuck ranch in Texas all the way to Dodge City is no easy task, but a flood that’s put the railroad out of commission leaves Jessie and Ki with no choice. Drought, prairie fires, renegade Indians, and even an attack by a panther are just part of the job…a killer who’s determined to see Jessie dead is something else entirely!

This is an easy to read and well written book that moves along at a cracking pace and, although it offers little new in cattle drive stories, has some exciting moments along the way, such as Jessie and her horse battling a family of wolves.

Wesley Ellis – in this case William C. Knott – builds his story through incident after incident until the final savage showdown between the killer, Jessie and Ki. In fact Ki has little to do in this story until this last fight.

The obligatory sex scenes almost come across as padding as neither have much to do with the trail drive or assassination plots of the story.

All in all a pretty straightforward tale that’s good enough to satisfy readers looking for a bit of escapism and light entertainment.

Golden Hawk

by Will C. Knott

Signet, Sept. 1986

Number one in a great new adult series announces the cover blurb.

The prologue tells how children Jed Thompson and his younger sister, Annabelle, find themselves captives of the Comanche after the Indians kill their parents. Chapter one begins 10 years later as many braves want to take Annabelle for their wife. Trouble is both Thompson’s hate their captors and Annabelle does not make for a good wife. Her adopted father soon ties of her and sells her to some Comancheros who have a Cheyenne buyer for her.

Jed swears to escape the Comanche and go after Annabelle and free her too.

This book is a fast moving story of Jed’s bid for freedom, his struggles to blend into the white man’s world and his hunt for his sister. There’s lots of action, at times quite graphic. Being an adult western there are plenty of sexual encounters too. Knott doesn’t make Jed, known as Golden Hawk to the various Indian tribes, an all-conquering hero. Jed finds himself near death more than once and doesn’t recover in a couple of days like some western heroes.

An enjoyable book, even overlooking the big clanger dropped in the middle of the book when Jed’s family name changes from Thompson to Johnson for a while! Some good supporting characters and a Comanche with a very interesting name, I’d love to hear the story behind that one!

The book ends in such away that the reader will want to continue with book two and I’m looking forward to reading it.