Al Conroy

Imagine a really angry Bret Maverick with a penchant for violence and you'll have a good idea of what Al Conroy's Clayburn is like. In this, the first book of a short series, Clayburn is out to avenge the death of a friend who was ambushed while driving some wild horses back to his ranch. Clayburn is a no-nonsense character, who takes calculated chances, and doesn't turn down the offer of a lady's affection in turn for his help - particularly when it fits into his preconceived plan. Conroy show more is one of Marvin Albert's many pseudonyms, and once again, he proves himself a master of elemental plotting - setting up a compelling situation that draws the reader into the story. This book falls a little short of his best work, however, because it is just a little too predictable and inevitable in the final half of the story. Nevertheless, I'm interested to see the other adventures of Clayburn. I have one other book in the series, and one way or another, I'm sure I'll pick up the others. show less