The Revengers (A Jeremiah Halstead Western)
Jeremiah Halstead, the lawman in Battle Brook in the newly created state of Montana, is appalled when the outlaw Ed Zimmerman is granted a pardon by Governor Owen. Zimmerman has re-invented himself as a developer and is building a new town. He has offered a reward of $10,000 for anyone who kills Halstead. Several of his young followers try to earn this; their reward is death – Halstead fires faster than they do. Then Zimmerman hires Emil Riker, now sheriff of Battle Brook, but a known gunman and outlaw, to kill Halstead. The pace of the novel, already swift, increases. Written by the author of half a dozen westerns, this book shows evidence of an experienced writer of this genre, whose research is deep and extensive. While the squeamish might find the body count high, one has to credit the pacing – it starts off fast and gets faster as the stakes get higher. An absorbing read for the lover of western novels.
