Callahan Rides Alone

by

Lee Floren

Published 1977

(Centurion Books)

Ex-Texas Ranger Al Callahan came to Montana to buy into a ranch, but it wasn't that simple. Two men tried to kill and rob him and then his would-be partner turned out to be a woman. Her main rival was another hellcat and that made the situation even worse. What with rustling and murder going on, not to mention a mighty peculiar character who walked around with a pack of wolves as bodyguards, Callahan got to thinking that maybe he should have stayed in Texas. But he had come this far so he might as well go the rest of the way

At first, I found myself a bit lost in this story, but as it progressed, everything fell into place, making for a solid tale. Not the best, but definitely enjoyable. Callahan was lured north under false pretenses to invest in a ranch run by Max Heywood, mistakenly thinking Max was a man, not a woman. From there, chaos ensues. Two men attempt to kill him, a peculiar old man with wolves shows up, he discovers Max has a brother, and learns that Max and Ann Scott, a young woman from the neighboring ranch, absolutely despise each other. Adding to the turmoil, cattle rustlers are targeting the ranch, leaving Callahan in over his head. I think I might have read this book years ago, but I couldn’t quite recall it. All in all, it was a solid entry in the western genre by an author whose work was widely published in magazines, paperbacks, and serials both in the U.S. and internationally. 

 High Rise

by

Gabriel Bergmoser

After a year of searching, rogue ex-cop Jack Carlin has finally found his estranged daughter, Morgan, holed up in the top floor of a rundown, grimy high-rise building. The trouble is, Jack's unconventional policing and information-gathering methods in the past has made him some serious enemies. And what Jack doesn't know as he heads into the building, intent on saving his daughter, is firstly, that Morgan doesn't want to be saved - particularly not by him - and secondly, that the entire criminal underworld in the city are on their way too... There's a bounty on his head, and they're after his blood - and they don't mind if Morgan is collateral damage.

As bounty hunters and gang members converge on the building, father and daughter are thrown into a desperate fight for survival through fifteen stories of deadly enemies - with only each other to rely on.

This book showcases Bergmoser at his finest. It's well-written, packed with a fantastic cast of characters, and loaded with nonstop action. Jack Carlin is on a mission to find his daughter, ultimately tracking her to a high-rise. As I mentioned, the cast is excellent—even Maggie from THE HUNTED makes a cameo.

However, it’s quite violent, so if that’s not your thing, this might not be the book for you. For the rest of us, dive right in and enjoy.

My only gripe, and this is purely personal, is that the book is written in present tense. But like I said, that’s just me. Overall, it’s an exhilarating read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this story. 

Top Gun

by

Gordon D. Shirreffs

Get a copy here from Wolfpack Publishing!

Dade Averill was fed up with being a gunslick. Before getting locked into the path he’d been on for years, he’d wanted more out of life than the clothes on his back and the pair of silver-inlaid Colts on his hips.

When an old friend pleaded for his help to fight off a bunch of killers, he wanted no part of it but couldn’t simply turn his back. He knew what he had to do, simply because he was the best. There was no rest for the weary, and no resting place for a top gun—except the final one.

I really enjoyed this book. It has a strong element of mystery, starting with Dade Averill being asked to help a friend while trying to leave his gunhand ways behind. Add another fast gun named Guthrie and an old flame named Mae, and things get intriguing right from the start. Then he meets the sheriff and his daughter, and everything shifts. The sheriff is murdered, and Chris Guthrie, the prime suspect, is locked up. But Averill suspects he’s not the killer, so he sets out to uncover the truth while staying alive. Eventually, everything unravels, leading to a final bloody showdown. 

Shirreffs is at his storytelling best here, crafting a broad range of characters, any of whom could be the killer. I read the paperback pictured below—the cover art is excellent, and the pages have that wonderful old book smell. Originally published in 1957, the edition I read dates back to the mid-to-late 1970s.

 

 Blood and Gold

Outlaw Ranger #3

By

James Reasoner

Get it here from Wolfpack Publishing.

A savage ambush...twenty men slaughtered in a brutal massacre...a fortune in gold stolen! This was a crime big enough and bold enough to bring the Outlaw Ranger to the wide-open settlement of Cemetery Butte, where a powerful mining tycoon rode roughshod over any who dared to oppose him. But even that atrocity doesn't prepare G.W. Braddock for the evil that awaits him, stretching bloody hands out of the past.

The third book in the Outlaw Ranger series is a thrilling ride. Braddock, seeking peace in the quiet village of Esperanza, spends his days playing chess with the local priest. However, tranquility is short-lived when Senora Dominguez approaches him for help. Her grandson was killed in an ambush, where a fortune in gold was stolen, and she believes Braddock is the perfect man to seek vengeance. But revenge isn't hers alone—Martin Rainey, the man behind the mining operation, becomes an even bigger target as the thieves use the massacre and stolen gold as a way to strike at him.  

This was another fantastic story by an author who truly knows his craft. It’s shorter than some others in the series, but it kept me hooked and flipping pages (digitally) right to the very end. I don’t think I’ve ever come across a bad story by James Reasoner. The best part is that all the Outlaw Ranger books are available in an omnibus edition. Load up your boots (or Kindle)!

James Reasoner

 Trigger Happy

Nathan Stark #2

By

William W Johnstone

Steely-eyed. Quick as a rattler. Unforgiving as the desert sun. The stories of Nathan Stark’s grit and determination as a manhunter across Indian territory are legendary. He stalks the wild western frontier on behalf of the army, pursuing hostiles to avenge his slaughtered family—and redeem his own failure to protect them.

Once again reluctantly partnered with Crow scout Moses Red Buffalo, Nathan has been assigned to assist the U.S. cavalry in escorting a large band of Blackfoot Indians across Montana and into Canada. Refusing to leave, Chief Thunder Elk threatens to wage war if his tribe is not left alone. Wealthy rancher Bennett McGreevey wants the land the Blackfoot call home, and he’s powerful enough to ensure the army does his bidding.

But Nathan Stark is not a soldier. And no cattle baron is going to give him marching orders. It’s a perfect storm for bullets to rain sheer hell across the land . . .

This was another well-written story, bringing the two main characters together again as comrades. The book picks up almost exactly where the first one left off, resolving a lingering loose end from the previous installment. It's a solid series, and I'm looking forward to reading the next book soon. That said, I personally didn't find this one as good as the first in the series.

The two main characters are complete opposites, like chalk and cheese, and often clash with each other. I think this dynamic works well even if it gets a little wearing in some patches.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the ARC of this book.    

 A Bullet is Faster

Big Jim #22

By

Marshall Grover

(Len Meares)

Don't quote me but from what I can gather this book was first published around 1965/66. However, both covers look good. 

What appears to be a straightforward murder case is anything but simple. Amos Lanfield faces the gallows in a trial no rational lawyer would dare to take on. The case seems utterly hopeless. Yet, Julia Rigby, a determined female lawyer, has a different plan. She not only wants to represent the supposed killer, she figures she can win. But someone doesn't want her digging too deep.

Enter Jim Rand. Former cavalryman now hunter of Jenner, the man who killed his brother. Julia needs someone to look after her and Big Jim is just the man. 

Then when the final blazing showdown came, only one man would stand tall--Big Jim.   

A classic Len Mears western—lighthearted, with a touch of comedy, a dash of mystery, and a simple yet engaging story that’s well-written and entertaining. Like many of his westerns, it follows the timeless good vs. bad theme. I read a lot of his books as a kid, and they’re just as enjoyable now as they were back then.

Get the first book here!

 Deadly Mistake

by 

Rob Sinclair

Simon Peake is not your average hero. He's called a cleaner. If you have a body, you want gone, then he's your man. But things go sour when he is brought the body of a woman to dispose of.

One problem...she's not dead.

Failing to do the job and killing two of the men who brought her to him, Peake finds himself on the wrong side of Lance Hardy, a scumbag who likes to feed people he doesn't like to his dogs.

Then things really heat up.

Sinclair has written an action-packed story with the cental character Simon Peake, I think is more of an anti-hero than anything else. It was well written and overall entertaining enough to hold my attention.

But be aware that this book has an element of violence and gore if you intend to read it.

This book will be published 17 September 2025

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this story.