Mel Odom

Rancho Diablo

 by

Mel Odom

Army Scout Sam Blaylock rode into the small Texas town of Shooter's Cross looking for deserters, not trouble. While up in the mountains, he discovered a wilderness plagued by nature and haunted by superstition, but one that he thought he could tame with his experience and strong back. He didn't know he was going to have to kill to keep the home he planned for his family, but he didn't let that stop him. Sam had been looking for a home for his family for years. That search had been interrupted by the Civil War. Now Sam is putting down roots, and not even the Devil himself can stand in the way.

Sam Blaylock arrives in Shooter's Cross on the trail of deserters, but it isn't long before his attention is drawn to the abandoned Rancho Diablo. Purchasing the ranch seems like the opportunity of a lifetime, yet it quickly comes with a price. The man who sold it has every intention of reclaiming it, and before long Blaylock finds himself the target of a bushwhack. While trying to turn the struggling property into a profitable operation, he must constantly watch his back. Fortunately, the crew he gathers around him is tough, loyal, and dependable. With their help, Blaylock just might have a fighting chance of holding on to Rancho Diablo.

I've had this book sitting on my Kindle for a few years, and I'm not sure why it took me so long to finally read it. Shooter's Cross is the opening story in the series, and it does an excellent job of laying the groundwork. We meet Blaylock as he arrives in town and begins the difficult task of establishing the ranch so that his wife and children can eventually join him.

I wouldn't describe this as the most action-packed Western I've ever read, but there's enough action to keep the story engaging. The primary purpose of a first book is often to establish the characters, setting, and direction of the series, and Shooter's Cross accomplishes that remarkably well.

Mel Odom is an old school writer, delivering strong prose and a story that keeps the pages turning. By the time I reached the final chapter, I was eager to continue with the rest of the series.

Rating: 5/5

This book can be purchased through Amazon or Wolfpack Publishing. 

William S. Brady

 Comanche!

(Peacemaker #1)

by

William S. Brady

War taught him to kill …to stay alive!

McLain had nothing left in Missouri. His wife was dead, his farm was burned out.

The Civil War taught him the bloody art of killing, and now he was alone. He owned a brace of Colt Dragoons pistols, a Sharps carbine, and a horse. He followed the rebel guerrilla trail south to Texas …

And there, the Nokoni Comanche took his horse and plunged him into violent struggle for survival that was even more savage than the White man’s war.

A brutal fight for life that sent McLain down the killing trail again.

But this time in pursuit of a dream.

John T. McLain headed for Texas after the war with nothing left to his name and the hope of building a new life. Instead, he rode straight into a world of trouble.

Walking Bear and his Comanche warriors were on the warpath, with a small troop of soldiers firmly in their sights. The main body of the small force had been drawn away from a remote outpost, leaving only a handful of men isolated, surrounded, and cut off from help.

The sergeant in command asked McLain to ride for assistance. He agreed, but by the time help arrived, the garrison had been wiped out and the only woman at the post, Alice Patterson, had been taken captive.

Faced with the disaster, the captain leading the relief patrol chose the easiest way to protect his own career: he blamed McLain for everything. Suddenly branded responsible for the massacre, McLain was left with only two choices. He could run for his life, or he could find Alice Patterson, the one person who could clear his name.

McLain was never the kind of man to run.

Published under the famed Piccadilly Cowboys imprint, Comanche is not as relentlessly violent as the Edge series or even some of the Apache adventures. Nevertheless, it is a solid and enjoyable western, with strong writing and plenty of action to keep the pages turning.

I remember reading a number of these books as a teenager, and I suspect I may even have read this one before. If so, I had completely forgotten the story, which was no bad thing. It allowed me to experience and enjoy the novel all over again.

If the ultra-violent excesses of Piccadilly's harder-edged titles, such as Edge, are not to your taste, then Comanche may be just the western you're looking for.

You can pick it up from Amazon or direct from Piccadilly Publishing. 5/5.

   

Clay Randall

 Bushwhacked

Amos Flagg #4

by

Clay Randall

As a kid, Danny Lee saved the life of a jailbird – Amos Flagg's old man.

On the job, Sheriff Amos Flagg shot and killed a rustler named Brady. Now Brady's woman vowed revenge. She hired the fastest, slickest killer money could buy – Danny Lee.

Lee took the job, and he was a pro – he meant to do it, and do it right ...Kill Amos Flagg

Danny Lee rode into town with a single purpose: kill Amos Flagg.

The trouble was that Amos's father, Gunner Flagg, knew exactly who he was. Years earlier, when Gunner had ridden the owlhoot, Danny Lee had saved his life. Bound by an old debt and torn between loyalty and family, Gunner agrees to keep Lee's identity secret until he leaves town.

But Danny Lee never intended to leave without settling his score.

When Amos is ambushed and left hovering near death, Gunner realizes the man who once saved him is now hunting his son. With vengeance burning in his veins, he saddles up and rides into the very jaws of hell to bring down the friend who became his enemy.

I really enjoyed this one. Gunner Flagg takes center stage as the story follows his relentless pursuit of revenge and justice. As always, the writing is sharp, gritty, and packed with action. The cast of characters is excellent, and the tension builds steadily all the way to a thrilling finale. A hard-hitting Western that keeps the suspense high right down to the last page. 5/5.

This book can be purchased through Amazon or from Piccadilly Publishing.

Saul David

 Sky Warriors

by

Saul David

From bestselling historian Saul David, a riveting new history of the British airborne experience across the Second World War.

The legendary ‘Red Devils’ were among the finest combat troops of the Second World War. Created at Churchill’s instigation in June 1940, they began as a single parachute battalion of 500 men and grew into three 10,000-strong airborne divisions: the 1st, 6th and 44th Indian, each composed of parachutists and glider-borne troops. Wearing their distinctive maroon berets, steel helmets and Dennison smocks, they served with distinction in every major theatre of the conflict – including North Africa, Sicily, mainland Europe and the Far East – and played a starring role in some most iconic airborne operations in history: the Bruneval Raid of February 1942; the capture of the Primasole, Pegasus and Arnhem Bridges in July 1943, June 1944 and September 1944 respectively; and Operation Varsity, the biggest parachute drop in history, near Wesel in Germany in March 1945.

An engaging and informative read that traces the development of Britain's airborne forces from their formation through to the end of the Second World War. Saul David covers the key campaigns in which they fought, from Tunisia and Operation Husky to the D-Day landings, Arnhem, and the final assault across the Rhine. He also examines the often-overlooked Battle of Sangshak, where the Indian 50th Parachute Brigade's determined stand against the Japanese bought valuable time for the British to strengthen the defences at Kohima.

I've read several of Saul David's books and have yet to be disappointed. His deep knowledge of the subject shines through on every page, and the numerous personal anecdotes and lesser-known stories add color and depth to the narrative. An excellent account of the airborne war. 4/5.

Colin Burgess

 Destination Buchenwald

by

Colin Burgess

It was the summer of 1944 as liberating Allied forces surged towards Paris following the D-Day landings. For a large group of downed airmen being held in that city’s infamous Fresnes Prison, they were about to face evacuation into the blackest, bloody heart of Germany and experience the most acute evil of the war. Amid great secrecy, those 168 airmen – including several from Australia and New Zealand – were transported on a filthy, overcrowded nightmare train journey which ended at the notorious Buchenwald concentration camp, accompanied by orders for their execution. At Buchenwald they witnessed extreme depravity that would haunt them to the end of their days. Yet, on returning home, they were confronted by decades of denials from their own governments that they had ever been held in one of Hitler’s most vile concentration camps.

A riveting yet deeply harrowing account of the Allied airmen sent to one of Germany's most infamous death camps. However, this story extends far beyond their experiences alone. Alongside them suffered Poles, Russians, Gypsies, and countless others, all trapped within a system built on brutality and dehumanisation.

What unfolds is a stark and confronting record of torture, starvation, and cruelty almost beyond comprehension. The conditions endured by the prisoners were inhumane in the extreme, and all the more shocking because every event described is true.

This is a well-written and meticulously researched account, but it is not an easy read. The sheer scale of the suffering and barbarity depicted in these pages can be difficult to absorb. Yet I found myself compelled to keep turning the pages, driven by a need to understand how human beings could inflict such unimaginable cruelty upon their fellow man.

Powerful, disturbing, and unforgettable, this book serves as a sobering reminder of the depths of human brutality and the resilience of those who endured it.

A strong 5/5.   

Jon Sharpe

 Cry Revenge

Trailsman #95

by

Jon Sharpe

Skye Fargo receives an advance for the hired killing of the murderous Sioux war chief Mountain Lion, but discovers to his horror that the man who put up the money may have participated in Mountain Lion's bloody massacre...

Fargo is hired by Wayne Drummond to kill a Sioux war chief on a murderous rampage. The orders are simple: find him and put him down. But the job is anything but straightforward. Clues begin to surface that Mountain Lion’s violence may have a deeper motive, and when Fargo finally uncovers the truth, everything changes. Suddenly he’s facing two enemies, and caught in the middle is a young woman he must save.

A strong entry in the series, even if it takes its time getting to the action. It has the expected adult moments, and one scene shows Fargo’s humanity more clearly than most. Written possibly by John Messmann. 4/5.

William W Johnstone

 An Arizona Christmas

by

William W Johnstone

&

J.A. Johnstone

It’s a heartwarming holiday of burning revenge and blazing bullets when the Jensen family gathers in Tucson for Christmas in this Western adventure.

Like most families, the Jensens gather to celebrate the holidays. This year, since half the clan is scattered across the American West, they’ve decided to split the difference and meet up in Tucson. Matt and Luke will be there, and maybe Ace and Chance, too. That leaves Sally, Preacher, and Smoke Jensen, who’ve reserved three seats on a westbound stage to make sure they don’t miss the festivities. What could possibly go wrong?

The first to strike is a sandstorm as blinding and deadly as any northern blizzard. Then comes an Apache ambush, forcing the passengers and drivers to seek shelter in a cave. Even if Smoke and Preacher manage to shoot their way out, they have another big surprise waiting—a ruthless gang of outlaws after the cargo of cash on the stage, happy to slaughter anyone who tries to stop them. If the Jensens hope to save Christmas this year, they’ll need to save their own lives first . . .

After planning a Christmas get‑together in Tucson, the Jensens and Preacher set out for the holiday rendezvous. But what should have been a quiet stage ride for Smoke, Sally, and Preacher turns into anything but peaceful.

Sharing the coach with them is a strongbox stuffed with cash bound for the Tucson bank — and two problems riding hard behind it. One is a man named Tuttle. The other is a band of bloodthirsty Apaches determined to stop that stage dead in its tracks.

I enjoyed this story a great deal. It’s the kind of action‑packed adventure readers expect, well written and full of momentum. Oddly enough, it’s my first Christmas tale by WWJ, but I’ve got more waiting — and I won’t hesitate to dive into another. 5/5