Customer Reviews

The Devil Gets His Due

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Lou Prophet is a bounty hunter. His motto is you don't stop until the job is done. So, when he met up with Louisa Bonaventure in Minnesota during her search for revenge on the Red River Gang that killed her family, he decided to help her out. Partly because of the reward on their leader, Handsome Dave Duvall, but also because Louisa, whom Prophet dubbed "The Vengeance Queen," was only 17 years old and might be in need of some assistance (and protection).

Since then, the duo have whittled the formerly 20 members of the Red River Gang down to one: Duvall himself, and Prophet wants to take him alone and, if possible, alive. It's part of the bounty hunter code. But "Miss Bonny-venture" wants Duvall for herself, as well, and is willing to die for the pleasure.

The Devil Gets His Due is the fourth novel by author Peter Brandvold to feature bounty hunter Lou Prophet. A prolific writer, Brandvold is the author of multiple series, including the Sheriff Stillman Once books, the Cuno Massey .44-Caliber series, and the Rogue Lawman books. He also writes under the pseudonym Frank Leslie and is reportedly one of the stable of authors writing regularly for the long-running Longarm series.

Based on the evidence of The Devil Gets His Due, Brandvold will be a new favorite. He starts out with action and keeps it coming. His grasp of character is modern yet authentic to the period, and I especially enjoyed that he doesn't take the traditional route regarding an expected love interest between Prophet and Louisa. This alone let me know I was reading a writer of imagination and originality. I've already added three more of his novels to my collection, hoping to sample each of his series in turn. Then I hope to track down some of his newest books.

This is the first of Peter Brandvold's Westerns that I've read. If his others are anywhere as good as this one,I be reading lots more.
This yarn has everything in it that I look for in a Western and stays clesr of becoming more of a Whodunit or mystery novel.
In this tale, we know who the culprit is, right off in the first chapter ;and the storyline stays on focus right up to the end.
Along the way we get introduced to lots of Old West characters;including young damsels who have been wronged,homesteaders,Indians,Deputy Marshals &local Sherriffs,ranchers,owlhoots,saloons & their bars,pianos,card games ,bar tenders,and the ever present bat-wing doors. Dusty ,hastily constructed old west towns,lots of descriptions of the country,horses, trail camps,guns,hunt downs and shoot-outs; and even a travelling Preacher to round out the story.
What I like about Brandold,is that his writing is so descriptive and he keeps the story moving right along;and never ends up with a bunch of verbage . Not even each chapter,but every page holds your interest and conveys what life was on the Owlhoot trail;and even makes you feel you're travelling along with them all. One can almost hear the din of the saloon,the hoofbeats of the horses,the smell of the coffee at the desert campsites;and even the crack of the snipers rifles and the blast and agony of the shoot-outs.
There is no mistaking the character of the main hero,Lou Prophet. He is a Bounty Hunter,through and through. There is no doubt as to where he stands ;and all he comes into contact with him; soon learn or pay the price.
"He always believed in giving a man-no matter how evil-a chance to be taken alive. It was part of the code necessary in an occupation where,if you weren't vigilent,you could easily become as depraved as the men you hunted."
I am always interested in the artwork of the covers.In this case we get a good idea of the desert landscape as well as the two main characters in the story.It leaves no doubt of what the author had in mind when he created these intriguing people. I only wish that a little more effort was put forth by the publishers ;and we were given pictures of several other principle characters. It would add an awful lot to the story ,and only prove that a picture is worth a thousand words.
As this is my first Western by Peter Brandvold,I must say that I have been very impressed. I don't know if Lou Prophet is a charaacter in his others,I hope so,because he looks like he is well thought out and would be great for a continuing series. My interest has been whetted,and I'd really like to see where Lou goes from here. Wouldn't it be fun to see Lou and that delightful Louisa meet up again along the Owlhoot Trail.
I really got a kick out of Prophet's thoughts on "The Vengence Queen"..
"Fool girl,"he called, "You're gonna be the death of me yet!"
If you are on the hunt for a great Western;gou can't go wrong with this one.

On a dreary Sunday afternoon in Minnesota, Pete Brandvold took me through the Dakotas and all the way to Kansas. This book was such an easy, exciting read that it would have taken me longer to drive (or ride a Mean & Ugly horse) than it took me to read the book...I couldn't put it down. I couldn't believe how much I really hated Dave Duvall by the end of the book. Pete Brandvold is a fantastic writer with much to offer the literary world.