Ray Hogan (1908–1998)

On his way to Dodge City, Matt Buckman is attacked by a group of renegade Kiowa and when it appears he will die, a group of rawhiders intervene and save him. However, the down side is he has only the clothes on his back and must join the rawhiders to survive only to shortly realize these men are really killers and thieves. His issue is how to escape from them before he accused of being one of them.

Hogan paints the rawhiders as sub humans and their violence as extremely heartless. The happy show more ending may strike some readers as a little forced. Fast moving story though. show less

This is a short but entertaining read. Shawn Starbuck is searching for his missing brother who he needs to find in order to clear up the inheritance issues surrounding their father's estate. His search leads him to the dry, dusty town of Brasada where he is immediately mistook for a hired killer who is rumoured to be coming to kill the local mega ranch owner Pierce Hagerman, the Mr. Texas of the title.

Starbuck soon learns the rancher's son hired the assassin in a drunken rage and now regrets show more it. He is hired to protect Hagerman and as he does so, tries to bring the dysfunctional Hagerman family of father, son and attractive daughter back together. In the end, Hagerman is shot but lives to see his son become the man he wanted him to be. Shawn leaves the beautiful daughter with great difficulty but the search for his brother must continue so I suppose author Hogan has another novel to work on. Part of the Shawn Starbuck Series. show less

Day of Reckoning (Review)

Marshall Wade Henry is trying to prevent the murder of six citizens. They apparently were involved in the lynching of the Dolan family. The avenger sent a letter to the town promising to kill all six followed by the burning of the town. The murders have already started but no one has seen the killer or even heard the report of his gun.

Henry encourages the remaining intended victims to stay out of sight until he catches the shooter, but some forget or don't wish to show more give in to the killer. With three citizens still alive, Henry comes up with a plan to smoke out the assassin.

Good western story with mystery component as an addition asset.

Dead Man On a Black Horse (Review)

Jim Shay stops at a homestead for food and water only to discover the family that lived there have been tortured and murdered. Another traveler stops at the same time but leaves quickly to meet other commitments. After he leaves, a local deputy sheriff appears and assumes he has caught the killer in Shay. At the following quick trial the deputy lies to make sure Jim is convicted.

During the journey across the desert to state prison, Jim is freed but must survive numerous attempts by Apaches and outlaws to kill him in order to bring the real killers of the homesteaders to justice.

Lots to like in this novel. show less

Sheriff Seth Rossiter confidently commences a journey to take his former friend Duke Finley to the penitentiary to serve his sentence for bank robbery. Rossiter doesn't know it but Duke has organized his rescue by his dead partner's wife. After his prisoner escapes, Rossiter must chase Duke down and deliver him to prison or his career is over.

The pursuit is long and tough and Rossiter soon learns that while he is chasing three people rather than two, someone else is chasing him.