Arizona Pay-Off

as by Duke Patterson
A Black Horse Western from Hale, August 2009

When Tex Scarron, six feet of whipcord steel, rode home to the Bar X in Arizona, he found Parson Dean and his gang working a lucrative ‘protection’ racket. Any rancher who failed to pay up had his cattle rustled, his homestead burnt about his ears and his cowhands shot in the back.

Tex’s earlier experience fighting hoodlums came in handy, and the gunplay was fast and furious before he rid the territory of the Parson, solved the mystery that lay behind the racket, and incidentally found happiness with the mysterious outlaw girl whose trail had so often crossed with his own.

Like one of the other books released by Hale this month, Arizona Pay-Off has previously been published way back in 1954, whether under this title and as by Duke Patterson I don’t know. Like the other book this one is also a much longer read than many Black Horse Westerns. Again it comes in a the usual page length but the print is much smaller, there are more lines per page and chapters don’t start on a new page, they begin a couple of lines down from the end of the previous chapter.

The writing style is, I’d imagine, a product of its time – I haven’t read that many westerns from the 1950’s – and many terms used I’d have thought would have been more at home in a crime novel than a western; guns being referred to as rods, women being called dames and skirt, and trouble-makers as hoodlums, for instance. Perhaps those of you who have read more westerns from this time period could let me know if these terms were used regularly in westerns?

Tex Scarron sure has his work cut out for him as he finds himself trading bullets and wits constantly as he attempts to work out just what is going on in this part of Arizona and why. It soon becomes apparent that there is more than one person behind the troubles and the identity of this person is kept a secret by the author until he’s ready to reveal all, and this discovery came as a surprise to me. But the writer has more in store for both his characters and the reader by adding a neat twist nearer the end.

Arizona Pay-Off would fit under the traditional western umbrella in my mind, a tough hardboiled writing style full of entertaining characters that’ll have you wondering to their motives. Plenty of action and a touch of mystery lead to a final showdown that ties-up all the loose ends.

Arizona Pay-Off has its official release today, so if this book sounds like the type of story you enjoy then I’d suggest getting your order in soon as Black Horse Westerns tend to sell out fast.

Dragonfire Trail

As by Hank J. Kirby
A Black Horse Western from Hale, August 2009

You could call them ‘blood brothers’: they had shed plenty of their own blood during the savage battles of the War. And it had mingled more than once.

Afterwards, they rode together, getting into and out of scrapes, watching each other’s back, sidekicks and friends. Then that old enemy and infamous disrupter struck gold. Lots of it. Already tainted with blood.

The only way it could be settled was over blazing guns.

This book gallops forwards at a pace that’ll take your breath away. Hank J. Kirby (author Keith Hetherington) grabs the readers’ attention from the very beginning with a failed stagecoach robbery – or was this what was intended? From then on he weaves a trail laced with the mystery of missing gold that it’s said is protected by a dragon. A dragon? That was more than enough to keep me reading, hooked in finding out just what this dragon was.

The story is filled with well-described gunfights and fistfights, an exciting prison escape, betrayal, and greed. The explanation of what the dragon is was beautifully told and painted a very vivid image in my mind, this dragon also providing a nail biting and tense finale.

I found Dragonfire Trail to be such a good read that I read it in one sitting, didn’t intend to but the authors writing style just made the book so easy to read that I’d reached the end almost before I realised it. For me, Keith Hetherington, has written a book that’ll definitely have me on the lookout for more of his work.

Dragonfire Trail has an official release date of August 31st but is available now, and I’d recommend putting your order in as soon as possible before it sells out.

Western Fiction News

Express Westerns have announced the listing for their second anthology. As yet untitled this collection will contain twenty-one short stories specially written for this book. The stories come from previously published authors and a handful of newcomers, one of the latter being the first story from sixteen year old Chantel Foster - writing as Peter Avarillo, an interview with Chantel can be found here. The book is to have an introduction by James Reasoner.

Dead Man Talking by Derek Rutherford
Lonigan Must Die! by Ben Bridges

Billy by Lance Howard

The Man Who Shot Garfield Delany by I.J. Parnham

Half a Pig by Matthew P Mayo

Bloodhound by Courtney Joyner

More Than Meets the Eye by Gillian F Taylor

Big Enough by Chuck Tyrell

One Day in Liberty by Jack Giles

Shadows on the Horizon by Bobby Nash

On the Run by Alfred Wallon

The Gimp by Jack Martin

Visitors by Ross Morton

The Nighthawk by Michael D George

Darke Justice by Peter Avarillo

Angelo and the Strongbox by Cody Wells

The Pride of the Crocketts by Evan Lewis

Crib Girls by Kit Churchill

Man of Iron by Chuck Tyrell

Cash Laramie and the Masked Devil by Edward A Grainger

Dead Man Walking by Ed Ferguson

If you'd like to read my thoughts on Express Westerns first anthology, Where Legends Ride, they can be found here.

If you're a fan of David Thompson's Wilderness series you may be interested to know that Leisure have begun publishing the series in special limited edition large print editions, each containing two books.

Leisure are also publishing the series in audio.

Gunhawk

as by John Long
A Black Horse Western from Hale, August 2009

Jeff Rand, a feared and vengeful gunslinger since his family were murdered, is persuaded by Jim Miller to give up his gunning and join him in peaceful gold mining. All goes well until one day Jeff returns to camp to find Miller murdered and the gold stolen.

Jeff rides off in a black mood of revenge. But after a saloon fracas, he is forced by gunmen to take part in a bank raid. Then the raiders are ambushed, and though Jeff escapes with half the gang, they accuse him of informing and beat him up.

Can Jeff extricate himself? Can he clear his name and can he bring the murderers to justice? Lead must fly before he can find the answers.

I’m not sure as to the real identity of John Long, is this his real name or a pseudonym? Was Gunhawk the book’s original title and who first published it? The copyright page states the book was first published in 1957. The book is longer than most Black Horse Westerns being written today; does have the usual number of pages but the print is much smaller resulting in more lines per page, the margins are narrower too.

The story is full of hard men, many taking another life just to prove they have the ability to draw and kill someone faster than others. The main character, Jeff Rand, fits this mould too, but we also get to share his fear of some of the faster gunmen in the outlaw gang he reluctantly finds himself riding with. The author creates an air of loneliness and despair in Rand extremely well, making the reader care about Rand, want him to succeed in his quest to find out who killed his friend, Jim Miller, and fulfil his need for revenge.

The outlaw gang is full of strong, and memorable, personalities, all seemingly waiting for the simmering mistrusts to explode in violent acts at any moment, which they frequently do, in fast brutal action.

Due to the story’s age some of the words used by the author would, perhaps, not be used so often today, for instance Rand has many ‘queer feelings’ about many things, and there’s some old-time cowboy language used too, but not as much as I was expecting. For a long time I also thought there wouldn’t be any female characters turning up in the tale, but a couple did, eventually, but only briefly.

I found Gunhawk to be an entertaining read, full of gritty action that sees much of its story examining the darker side of life, of human nature. So if you enjoy the more hardboiled approach to your reading then this could well be the ideal choice for you.

Gunhawk has an official release date of August 31st, but should be available from Internet booksellers now.

Gannon's Law

by Peter Wilson
A Black Horse Western from Hale, August 2009

When Sheriff Jim Gannon’s wife-to-be Kate is gunned down by a sniper it triggers off a chain of events that brings the lawman into a bitter conflict with bullying Jack Clayton and his sons. Gannon is drawn into a web of treachery, robbery and murder involving stolen Union gold and a mysterious renegade Confederate soldier – Clay McIntire.

Only after tracking down the outlaw gang and learning of their secret past does Gannon realize that his life is in danger from friend and foe alike. But does the knowledge come too late?

Peter Wilson’s second Black Horse Western is just as good as his first Guns of Virtue, filled with well-drawn characters and vivid descriptions. From the opening sequence you’ll be sharing Gannon’s frustrations and then his grief to the loss of Kate. As the story unfolds so the various plot twists will hook the reader and you have to begin to wonder how Gannon can emerge victorious and avenge Kate’s death. Many of the characters aren’t quite whom they seem to be either.

Peter Wilson’s writes in an easy to read style and moves the plot forward a break-neck speed that includes an exciting flashback to events set during the Civil War that provides the backbone to the story.

Gannon’s Law strengthens my belief that Peter Wilson is an author worth keeping an eye on. This book has an official release date of August 31st but is available now from many Internet booksellers.

Elmer Kelton passes away

Today is a sad day indeed as one of the greatest western writers has passed on this morning. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Elmer Kelton.

Gun Fury

as by Walt Keene
A Black Horse Western from Hale, August 2009

Veteran gunfighter Tom Dix and his pal Dan Shaw get a telegraph message from the remote border town of Gun Fury. Both men know that it must be serious for their friend Wild Bill Hickok to contact them. They saddle up and ride knowing that something perilous is brewing.

Death awaits and greets them as soon as the reach Gun Fury. Within hours bodies start to pile up. And the curious thing is that the infamous Hickok claims he never sent for them. Trapped, Dix and Shaw have to fight for their lives in Gun Fury.

Of the many Black Horse Westerns I’ve read this is one of the first I can recall that features a real person from the history of the West. In this case his inclusion is an important factor to the major plot thread of the book, even though for the most part of the story Hickok is just a background character.

Tom Dix and Dan Shaw are the main players in this fast moving, easy to read book, that immediately captures the readers attention with questions as to why Hickok would send for retired lawman Shaw and ex-convict/gunfighter Dix – if he indeed did.

The book gradually builds to its exciting final showdown through a number of tense confrontations that have Dix and Shaw facing crazed gunmen and a rancher that has those who remain in the dying town of Gun Fury in a grip of fear. If that isn’t enough the arrival of top gunfighter Will Fontaine adds to the problems.

Walt Keene is a pseudonym of Michael D. George and Gun Fury is his sixth BHW under this name, going by the other titles listed at the front of the book. If traditional, straightforward, westerns are your preferred choice in the genre then I’d suggest you get your order in soon. The book is officially published on August 31st but is available now from many Internet booksellers.