Robert B. Parker's Buckskin (A Cole and Hitch Novel)

The discovery of gold in the foothills outside Appaloosa pits two locals against each other. With hired guns on both sides, it isn’t long before folks start disappearing. Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch have their hands full trying to keep the rivals from all-out war while, at the same time [and unknown to them], a killer bent on vengeance heads for town.

In this, the tenth outing for Virgil and Everett, most of the expected characters make an appearance. The intriguing subplot involving the young killer plays out with a few unexpected twists and turns, leading to a surprising revelation as the unfolding story comes to a close. The overuse of an unnecessary expletive seems out of character for the Robert B. Parker tradition and may be show more annoying to readers of the series. show less

Gold is discovered outside Appaloosa on property owned by two local businessmen. Both hire gunmen to protect their interest and Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch find themselves in the middle, trying to prevent open warfare. This confrontation is building toward a climax on the eve of the Appaloosa Days festival, organized by Allie, Cole’s wife. A theater troop, in town for the event, is led by a beautiful actress who catches Hitch’s eye. Meanwhile, “the kid,” a mysterious sociopathic murderer, is headed to Appaloosa to find his mother who abandoned him as a child.

This ninth entry in the Cole/Hitch series is uneven, alternately interesting and plodding. Appaloosa is changing as the west is maturing, as evidenced by town festivals show more and theater companies, a main street paved in cobblestones, and a town ordinance forbididding the possession of firearms inside the city limits. There’s not much for Cole and Hitch to do in a gussied-up town like this so they mostly walk to-and-fro and ride back-and-forth emphasizing the mundane, day in the life of a marshal.

Cole and Hitch’s job has evolved into that of investigators, but they have not lost their proficiency with firearms. Cole is blazingly fast with his six guns and Hitch is deadly with his eight-gage shotgun. Scenes that call upon these skills are rare, however, and the present offering suffers as a result.

In place of action, Knott creates a sense of mystery that keeps the reader engaged. Unfortunately, thirty percent of the story focuses on the kid’s backstory and sociopathic ruthlessness. This extended focus was unnecessary, and each scene from the kid’s point of view created a temptation to put the book down. The chapters range from 3-6 pages in length so a little “grit my teeth and soldier on” resolve got me through those uninteresting scenes.

In summary, Buckskin is an uninspiring but workmanlike entry in the Cole/Hitch saga. The thin plot is propped up with “filler” scenes that do not advance the story. The result is not bad, but far from the best. show less

The only Westerns I read are the Robert B Parker Hitch and Cole series. Robert Knott does a terrific job of carrying on the series. He has a great understanding of how to use dialogue. "Buckskin" was a good story with a slight surprise ending.

A very disappointing read; and in my opinion, a very poor addition to the earlier Cole and Hitch Westerns in the series. The filthy language was not helped by a very bad (stupid) plot.

I’ve read all the books in this series. I seriously doubt if I will take the time to read another one. I enjoyed the first book in the series but have been disappointed with each new book.