From Publishers Weekly
Longtime fans of the late Kelton, who died this summer, will welcome the return of Texas Ranger Andy Pickard to the saddle. In 1880s Texas, newlywed Ranger Pickard is on the trail of Donley Bannister, wanted for the murder of low-down Cletus Slocum. Bannister won't be an easy fugitive to nab, because most folks think Bannister did a good deed by killing Cletus. Pickard shares these sentiments to an extent, but as a dutiful lawman, he will not rest until he has captured Bannister. Pickard's grueling pursuit takes him all over Texas, and along the way he's shot, saved by Bannister, aided by a black army deserter and constantly dealing with frontier lowlifes and owlhoots. Bannister's wife, Geneva, also pursues Bannister, enduring her own suffering, but not before dishing out her particular brand of justice to those who cheat or harm her. When the big showdown arrives, Kelton tosses in some dramatic and satisfying plot twists to give this tale extra punch. This is an exciting oater, with Kelton's signature western authenticity and characters drawn outside the typical western formula.
(Nov.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
--This text refers to an alternate
Hardcover
edition.
Veteran Kelton once again shows why he is considered to be one of the giants of the western genre. Andy Pickard, a young Texas Ranger, is assigned the job of bringing in Donley Bannister, a horse trader accused of murder. He tracks Bannister down pretty quickly, but he is thrown for a loop when Bannister, instead of turning tail and running when Andy is jumped by some thugs, actually saves Andy’s life (and then disappears again). What follows is a story told mostly in shades somewhere between black and white. Is Bannister friend or foe? A villain or a good man who did one bad thing? Where does Andy’s duty end and his compassion begin? Written with Kelton’s usual eye for character and place, the novel uses the formulas associated with typical westerns to tell a moving story of honor and courage. --David Pitt
--This text refers to an alternate
Hardcover
edition.
