Originally published in 1953, this western is typical of the genre written in the 50s (like Louis L'Amour) but not well developed.

Texas Gunfighter. SJ Bounds

A Western tale in the old style.

Bounds paints his picture with sparse strokes of the brush. Not a word is wasted in his straightforward style. He draws the reader straight in - the picture as clear as day.

Pat Malone, ex gunfighter turned Texas Ranger has been sent to clean up Sundown, a dusty border town which is becoming increasing lawless and under the corrupt control of Henry and his sidekick Black Snow.

Hendry is determined to take over the town and doesn’t care what he has to do to achieve this but some of the locals have had enough. Two added complications give Malone pause for thought; the mysterious Scarlet Sombrero - a latter day Robing Hood figure - and Jo Storme who turns out to be anything but the man he thought sent for him.

This is a fast paced western with well written, archetype characters. Written in the style of the old Western movies this is a taut tale of greed, corruption, betrayal and romance. Action packed we are thrust straight into the dust and danger of the old West.

A must read for fans of traditional Westerns.

I received an advance copy of this book from Net Galley for a fair and honest review.