Sundown McCabe

 Slade

by

Sundown McCabe

Someone wanted Luke Slade out of the way so they could steal his land. So they framed him for murder and looked forward to watching him hang. But it didn’t work out that way. Oh, Luke had to pay for the crime he didn’t commit, sure – but with a lengthy prison sentence, not a noose. And when Luke got out of the penitentiary, he came straight back to the town of Pecos River, where he had a mystery to solve – and some old scores to settle.

Luke Slade was only eighteen when he was framed for murder. The case was wrapped up neatly, tied with a bow, and handed to the court as if it were undeniable. The judge sensed something wasn’t right, but instead of the noose, Slade got twenty‑five years—still a lifetime for a crime he didn’t commit.

Fifteen years later, he walked out on parole with one thought burning in his mind: he was heading back to Pecos River, and the people who set him up were going to answer for what they’d done.

But those responsible weren’t about to let Slade tear down what they’d built. Before long, there was a bounty on his head. He wasn’t entirely alone, though—someone in town had begun posting flyers claiming his innocence. The trouble was, Slade might not live long enough to see the truth come out.

Sundown McCabe (Roger Norris‑Green), an Australian author, wrote a mountain of westerns for Cleveland Publishing—stories known for their speed, grit, and relentless action. This one delivers exactly that. I read so many of his books growing up that I may have crossed paths with this one before, though I can’t swear to it. Either way, it’s a strong, satisfying western that won’t let fans of the genre down.

5/5  

William M. James

 Death Dragon

Apache #20

by 

William M. James

Is it destiny or chance that brings Cuchillo Oro into the desert to interrupt a gruesome scene of blood and death?

The proud Apache of the famous golden knife is drawn into a deadly conflict surrounding a mystical Oriental woman, Water Lily, who possesses a disquieting blend of irresistible physical attraction and awesome spiritual power.

Her story is a strange one, threaded with brutality and teeming with bizarre ritual.

Once again Cuchillo is fighting in a world where fear and terror are a way of life, where death will strike whoever moves last ...

After saving a young Chinese woman from her brutal father, Cuchillo Oro finds himself dragged into a fresh cycle of violence, used as an unwitting pawn in a game he never meant to join. He feels an unexpected pull toward the woman, Water Lily — a feeling he hasn’t experienced since the death of his wife. But Water Lily carries a secret, and when it finally surfaces, it’s one I genuinely didn’t see coming.

As expected from the Piccadilly Cowboy stable, the story delivers its trademark brutal, unflinching violence. It’s raw, direct, and unapologetic. Having read a few of these books when I was younger, I don’t remember Cuchillo relying on his knife quite this much. The final bloody showdown pushes things even further, ending with yet another surprise that hits hard.

I’m not entirely sure which of the three regular contributors — Terry Harknett, John Harvey, or Laurence James — wrote this instalment, but it captures everything I remember about the series. It’s exactly the kind of gritty, relentless storytelling I expected, and I’m already looking forward to diving into the next one.

5/5  

Barry Cord

 Trouble in Peaceful Valley

by

Barry Cord

(Peter Germano)

After riding into Peaceful Valley at the request of a letter warning of dire trouble, Deputy Marshal Matt Vickers faces a war between cattlemen and sheep herders. Trouble has been brewing for years and now it is about to explode. The sheep herders are backed by a gunman who had once been a school teacher. The other side were led by a foreman who was tough and fast on the draw. Throw into the mix a band of rustlers and a feisty woman and Vickers has more than his share of trouble.

Barry Cord (Peter Germano) delivers what feels more like a mystery‑driven western than the action‑heavy stories I usually associate with the genre. There’s still some solid action, just not at the level I’ve come to expect from other westerns. Even so, the story moves well and the characters have real strength to them.

Trouble in Peaceful Valley originally appeared as an Ace Double under the title Hell in Paradise Valley, though I’m not sure what prompted the title change.

While it’s not my favorite Barry Cord novel so far, it certainly doesn’t put me off reading more. The good continues to outweigh the bad—and to be clear, this one isn’t that bad at all.

4/5

Jon Sharpe

 Dakota Deception

Trailsman #217

by

Jon Sharpe

(David Robbins)

Skye Fargo wants to help a lovely heiress...

But where there's no will, there's no way!

Normally, when the Trailsman says "no" to a job, it's final. But wealthy spitfire Charlotte Weldon has the knack for arousing his curiosity. Especially when Charlotte's sister runs off with their father's will--and without it, the family fortune is lost. All Charlotte actually wants now is her sister dead....

And since Fargo knows the truth, she wants him dead, too...

Skye Fargo turned the job down at first, but curiosity finally got its hooks in him. It didn’t take long to track down Darlene Weldon—and even less time to learn the ugly truth. Her family wanted her dead. And once they realized Fargo knew it, they added his name to the kill list.

As if that wasn’t enough, trouble was riding hard in the form of the renegade Moon Killer, a blood‑crazed butcher who left no one alive. For a while, it looked like Fargo might be headed for an early grave.

I’m told that “Jon Sharpe” on this one was actually David Robbins, and it shows. The writing has his trademark pull, tight action, sharp tension, and a story that keeps you turning pages. It’s one of the stronger entries I’ve read in the series.

5/5

 

Barry Cord

 Cain Basin

by

Barry Cord

(Peter Germano)

Drifter Steve Crystal travels from town to town, searching for his missing wife and child. Then an attack on him outside Cain Basin leads him to assume a new identity...

In a case of mistaken identity, Steve Crystal, who happens to be looking for his missing wife and child, and he is beaten and left unconscious on the trail into Cain Basin. His attackers thought he was Marshal Jim Bretman, summoned there by Sheriff Arch Akers. They were wrong—and when Crystal finally came to, he discovered the killers had eventually found their real target, for the marshal lay dead beside him.

With a score to settle, Crystal takes on Bretman’s identity and rides into Cain Basin, straight into the trouble brewing there. This time he intends to show the men responsible just how tough he is—and that they should have finished the job when they had the chance. But as the situation begins to unravel, Crystal may have taken on far more than he can handle.

Another strong story by Barry Cord (Peter Germano), filled with great characters and fast‑paced action. I read it in a single day because I had to know what was coming next.

Sam Bowie (Todhunter Ballard)

 Thunderhead Range

by

Sam Bowie

(Todhunter Ballard)

Dale Thorne returned home with one purpose: vengeance.

His target was King Parson, an ornery, brutal tyrant of a man—the same man who’d driven Dale off Thunderhead Ranch and driven Dale’s mother into an early grave. Waiting for him, too, were the remnants of a broken family: two half brothers. Les—already dead, killed the night before Dale’s return—and Ford, simmering with resentment toward both his father and his brother.

And then there was Lucy Colton, who despised everything and everyone connected to Thunderhead Ranch.

But Dale hadn’t come back empty‑handed. He carried one crucial piece of knowledge: His father had rewritten his will the night before he died, leaving everything not to Dale’s mother nor King Parson, but to Dale himself. Now Dale was home to uncover that will—and reclaim what should have been his all along.

The story was solid—maybe not great, but certainly engaging—with action that steadily escalated toward a brutal, satisfying finale. The writing held up well, and the plot kept me entertained throughout.

The characters were equally strong, especially Lucy, a fiery, strong‑willed woman who added real spark to the narrative. There was also a welcome thread of mystery as Thorne tried to uncover who murdered his brother.

And for those who enjoy digging into author backgrounds, Sam Bowie is yet another pen name used by the remarkably prolific Willis Todhunter Ballard.

4/5

Lee E. Wells

 Vulture's Gold

by 

Lee E. Wells

Hank Allen owned The Golden Vulture mine, The Golden Vulture saloon, and most of the rest of Paso Grande lock, stock and lawman. New people may come into his town from time to time but not for long, unless he says it s all right.

Kate Brent hires Jerry Crane to escort her to Paso Grande, determined to uncover the truth about her brother’s death. Everyone insists Apaches were responsible — until a letter arrives claiming his own partner, Hank Allen, was behind it.

No sooner do they reach town than Crane is jumped by Allen’s hired muscle, and things only escalate from there. Allen isn’t the type to let trouble simmer, and Crane soon realizes the only way to deal with a deadly crew like this is to cut the head off the snake.

Unfortunately, the best thing about this book is the cover. I struggled to stay engaged and found myself skipping sections. The writing is serviceable and the action is plentiful, but something essential just isn’t there.

3/5