Wayne D. DundeeRezensionen

About a half hour ago, Mr. Avery was released from Iron Gate Territorial Prison in the Arizona Territory. A transport wagon driven by Rudy Haemmler is being used to transport the just released convict to the nearest town of Fordsburg. Mr. Avery has no idea why the four men on horseback on the narrow trail ahead of them want him so badly they have blocked and stopped the transport. While the heavily armed men claim to have been sent by friends of Mr. Avery to escort him for his safety back home to Tonto City their appearance and behavior indicate otherwise.

Things probably would have violently escalated right then and there if not for the timely intercession of Bounty Hunter Bodice Kendrick. Seven years for a manslaughter conviction there are many folks that want Mr. Avery dead as soon as possible. In a twist from his normal paying work as a bounty hunter, Bodie Kendrick has been hired to keep Mr. Avery alive and get him to another town in the area where he has some friends waiting for him.

Easier said than done. Blue Tom Iverson and his men are not going to let that happen easily. And they may not be the only folks in the harsh desert country looking to get Avery and anyone with him one way or another.

Wanted: Dead is the latest in a rich and highly entertaining western series that began with Hard Trail to Socorro. Wayne D. Dundee has created a complex western series where each tales has elements of a mystery at work that also serves to push the tale forward. This read, like the others, features complex characters doing what they must to survive while at the same time plenty of action keeps things moving at a rapid rate. Wanted: Dead, like the rest of the series that is best when read in order, is a mighty good read and strongly recommended.

Wanted: Dead (Bodie Kendrick—Bounty Hunter Book 5)
Wayne D. Dundee
http://fromdundeesdesk.blogspot.com/
Bil-Em-Ri Media
August 2017
ASIN: B074V231T9
E-Book
199 Pages
$2.99

A word file was supplied by the author several months ago with absolutely no expectation of a review.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2018

"Wide Spot In The Road" is the fourth novella in the Drifter Detective series featuring PI Jack Laramie, who travels the Texas roads in a beat up Desoto with a trailer. Not enough detective business in the big cities is drifting his way so he has set out on the road to see what he can stir up. And, trouble is his business so, stopping into a roadside diner for a bowl of chili, he finds trouble. The book is set in the late fifties and Laramie is one tough hombre. Much of the book focuses on a standoff with an outlaw motorcycle gang of the type that made Hollister famous in the fifties. Dundee also drops the name of Mike Hammer with the waitress asking Laramie if he was like Mike Hammer. This is a short piece, but a good, solid fun read. You can really feel how lonely it is in this desolate little spot and Laramie may not do much detecting in this piece, but he sure gets everyone's attention. Good stuff, indeed.

Wayne Dundee, writing under the house name of Jack Tunney, spins a yarn about a Polish fighter in the blue-collar town of Milwaukee. Danny "The Duke" Dugronski fights several great matches told in such terrific play-by-play action that you'd swear you were watching the match instead of only hearing about it. It might be a cliched story about the mob guy wanting to control the fighter and sending toughs to teach him a lesson when he wont play ball, but this writer makes it work so well it is hard to stop turning the pages. This is the good stuff if you are looking for a story that has all the feel and action of a 1940's boxing story.

Billed as the second book in the Veridical Dreams series, it is a harsh night filled with cold and ice as Treasure Of Ice And Fire begins. By cunning and a bit of subterfuge Master Nindocai and his fellow travelers made it through the mountain guard post manned by two of the Wyvar regulators. Getting through that guard post was just one of the many hurdles the group has to overcome in their quest. The fact that the holy man has heard what might be the “Secret Hammer” mentioned in the message from goddess Arya makes it seem that they are on the right track.

Getting to the valley of Gahm was just the first hurdles. Nindocai is a priest of the old gods and part of the religious faith frowned upon to the point of execution by the current regime. He as well as a few other people believe it is long past time to remove the godless Wyvar. The source of the hammering the priest hears is located in the ruins of a temple dedicated to Arya, the goddess of hope. Fortunately, the priest will get some help in Treasure Of Ice And Fire by Wayne D. Dundee.

A Crusade Powered By The Hammer Of The Gods is a line from the cover telling readers all they need to know. This is a fantasy novel featuring a quest. A quest seeking to change the future and the world as these characters know it. Known for his mysteries and westerns, author Wayne D. Dundee proves in Treasure Of Ice And Fire that he can easily write in the fantasy genre as well.

It is one heck of a good read.

Treasure Of Ice And Fire (Veridical Dreams Book 2)
Wayne D. Dundee
http://fromdundeesdesk.blogspot.com/
Beat To A Pulp
http://www.beattoapulp.com
February 2016
ISBN# 978-1943035090
Paperback (also available in eBook format)
106 Pages
$7.15

Amazon says I picked up the eBook to read and review on March 11, 2016. Amazon does not make a distinction between books I pick up for free during an author promotion and ones that I picked up by way of funds in my Amazon Associate account. At this point in time I have no idea how I got it.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2016

Waking up and having no idea where you are or your own name is not a good thing. At least folks found him at the R-Bar ranch and brought him into the small cabin three days ago. He’d been found up by the high meadow after a storm. Who he is and why he was there are just two of the many questions at work in this short story.

The ranch is run by teens and their far younger siblings after the death of their parents. Fever took them last winter, as it did many others, in the area. The twins are 8 and supervised by Addie who is almost 17 and her brother Heath, 18. Heath is the one who found the unconscious stranger and brought him to the cabin. The Rudisels are holding their own despite the efforts of nature and man to boot them off the land. With no idea who he is or where he should go, it becomes natural for the stranger to stay and get involved in their struggle in High Meadow Storm by Wayne D. Dundee.

As is frequently the case in Mr. Dundee’s westerns a major mystery is at work in this story. In fact, there are several mysteries in play in this enjoyable tale. Nominated for the 2016 Peacemaker Awards of the Western Fictioneers this tale that was originally published in Protectors 2: Heroes-Stories To Benefit Protect is now available as a standalone read. High Meadow Storm is also mighty good read as one would expect from Wayne D. Dundee.

High Meadow Storm
Wayne D. Dundee
http://fromdundeesdesk.blogspot.com/
Bil-Em-Ri Media
April 2016
ASIN: B01DQ8RCLM
eBook
43 Pages
99 Cents

Material supplied by the author in exchange for my objective review.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2016

Gunfire Ridge is the fourth installment of the Bodie Kendrick Bounty Hunter Series. It opens with Kendrick in the company of a soiled dove in the town of Ford’s Bottom. The quiet is disturbed by the pounding on their room door, followed by threats, and very soon gunfire. When the lead stops flying and the dust has settled a bit town marshal, Cotton Mayhew, makes it clear that the bounty hunter has overstayed his welcome in these parts. Thanks to the Sheriff up in Laramie already having authorized his bounty pay at the local bank, Kendrick can collect his monies due him and head on out of town immediately.

That would be just as well as for all involved as some folks are no doubt coming to town to settle a score with Kendrick. Today’s attempt at killing him traces back to an event earlier in the series and the far flung family members, of which there are quite a few, seem to be of no mind to let things go. Kendrick also has work to do near Pine Ridge, Nebraska and would like to get out of northern Colorado before the winter snows set in. That is going to be a way easier said than done in Gunfire Ridge.

Gunfire Ridge: Bodie Kendrick Bounty Hunter Book 4 is another good one. Starting with Hard Trail To Socorro, Rio Matanza, Diamond In The Rough and now Gunfire Ridge, the very good reads in this series are well worth your time. Kendrick is a man’s man--- he loves hard, he drinks hard, and he works hard. When killing needs to be done he does it as that is the cards he was dealt. A very good western series where there is plenty of action and adventure with a hint of romance and mystery thrown in the mix. Award winning author Wayne D. Dundee simply can’t write a bad story. This is another good one.

According to Amazon I picked this up in early April 2015. I have no idea now if it was a free read or I used funds in my Amazon Associate account. I suspect the latter.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2016

When one is a bounty hunter in the Old West, one is used to the sound of gunfire. The bark of rifles and pistols is a frequent experience. One that is often followed being in the thick of the flying lead. On this sunny day in the middle of nowhere the sound of gunfire coming over the small ridge to the west is totally unexpected. It can’t be ignored either. Bounty Hunter Bodie Kendrick’s trip to the town of Lowdown in the foothills of the Dos Cabezos Mountains will have to wait.

Once Kendrick gets to the ridgeline and can see down the slope on the other side, he can also see that a stage is under attack. The stage is stopped thanks to the death of two lead horses. It is also clear that the shotgun guard is dead. The driver and at least one person inside the coach are pinned down and shooting back at four ambushers.

Bodie Kendrick intervenes and manages to turn away the ambushers saving the lives of all still living. He also learns of a mystery and quite a lot more in Diamond In The Rough: Bodie Kendrick Bounty Hunter Book 3. Beyond the possible sighting of the wanted man, the mystery involving the passengers on the stage might very well tie into his original trip to Lowdown.

Third in the series behind Hard Trail To Socorro and Rio Matanza, the Bodie Kendrick character is pretty much fleshed out at this point. He’s a man’s man who does what needs to be done. He isn’t above spending his free time in brothels or saloons, but is most comfortable out on the trail alone in the wilderness. He does not look to avoid problems and such is the case here as he easily could have ignored the distant gunfire and gone about his business. Diamond In The Rough by Wayne D. Dundee is another very good western read.

According to the Amazon overlords, I picked this up in early September 2014. I have no idea now if it was a free read or one that I picked up by way of funds in my Amazon Associate account. I suspect the latter.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2016

Ogallala, Nebraska, located in the panhandle, has seen wilder days. It is a town in transition as the legendary cattle drives from Texas no longer come through thanks to the spread of the railroads to the south. Lone McGantry hasn’t been to Ogallala in over a year and things have definitely changed. Whether it is for the better or not is something that remains to be seen. This October day finds Lone McGantry in town to meet with a certain attorney regarding a recent letter he received at the settlement store he shops at near his horse ranch.

After the events of Dismal River Lone McGantry went into horse ranching. A lawyer named H. Munro wants to hire Lone McGantry for a job. Since the ranch has not made him rich yet he could use a well-paying side job. Learning from the livery man that the attorney is a woman makes things even more interesting for McGantry.

Harriet Munro is trying to get a retrial for her client. A wanted fugitive by the name of Roxanne Purdom Bigbee was convicted of murdering her stepfather, Alston Bigbee. She did the crime by shooting him dead as he sat at the kitchen table one morning. The why she did it was never brought to light as her previous attorney failed her in many ways at trial in Rainrock, Nebraska. Roxanne eventually escaped custody and is currently working in a saloon just across the border in Colorado.

Munro wants McGantry to go to Julesburg located just across the state line over in Colorado. Once there she wants him to get Roxanne out of the saloon she is working in and escort her to Scotts Bluff which is the territorial seat for Rainrock. Once Roxanne is there and has surrendered to local law enforcement, Munro intends to request a hearing before the new circuit judge. Known to be an honest and fair man, Munro expects him to grant the appeal and order a new trial.

The background on the saloon known as the “German Palace” makes it clear that this is not going to be an easy job. McGantry does not like easy work and is looking forward to earning his pay. That saloon is just one complicating factor of many as things never get easier. Those who conspired to destroy Roxanne are not about to stop now. As threats align against Roxanne and anyone who would help her events lead to a Reckoning At Rainrock.

This is the second in the very enjoyable series featuring Lone McGantry who has done a bit of everything in his life. His skills result in him being placed in adversarial situations from the start to the nearly guns blazing finish. Complicated characters, a mystery to solve, and plenty of action make this another very good western read. One that could be read first, if so inclined, though the events of Dismal River are briefly discussed.

Reckoning at Rainrock (Lone McGantry Book 2)
Wayne D. Dundee
http://www.fromdundeesdesk.blogspot.com
Bil-Em-Ri-Media
October 2015
ASIN: B0164ATRT4
E-Book
219 Pages
$1.49

Material was recently picked up to read and review by way of funds in my Amazon Associate account.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2015

Lone McGantry has done a lot of things over the years and some of the jobs were difficult and nasty. The latest job has the potential to be seriously annoying. He really does not want to be a taking a bunch of wealthy English folks on an excursion from North Platte, Nebraska out to the Sandhills. But, he got roped into this mess by Buffalo Bill Cody himself. Telling Buffalo Bill no is a near impossibility and as a result McGantry said yes when contacted by the foreign nobility. Even if he is increasingly of the mind that this is a super bad idea, McGantry isn’t one to go back on his word. There also a nice payday in store once all is said and done. As Buffalo Bill pointed out in his telegram, the English folks have money and are willing to spend it so at least some of it should come his way.

For Lone McGantry there are not a lot of ways to make money in the Nebraska panhandle of the 1880s. An English Lord by the name of Reginald Haddenforth, his wife, Lady Claire, and several others in the party intend to sightsee and hunt Buffalo. Lord Haddenforth and his wife have hunted boar in Germany’s Black Forest as well as gone on safari to Africa three times. Lord Haddenforth writes books about his adventures and intends to do the same regarding the Sandhill extension. All that is well and good, but Lone McGantry is of the opinion that women should stay in town where they belong and those going out on the expedition need to understand that the old west is dangerous and needs to be taken seriously.

For Lone McGantry and his men, life in the old west is not some grand adventure to be had before returning to a plush chair to sip cognac by a roaring fire. For men of McGantry’s ilk, the old west is their way of life and absolute reason for being. It is in their soul. It comes with, at times, a brutal cost. ¬It isn’t to be trivialized in some book. A hard and painful lesson Lord Haddenforth and his party have repeated opportunities to learn over the next few days.

Originally published several years ago by Oak Tree Press, an e-book version was recently published by Bil-Em-Ri-Media. First of a series, Dismal River is another example of why author Wayne D. Dundee is nominated for many awards and wins quite a few. Complicated characters, plenty of action, and plenty of mystery in a western setting makes Dismal River a mighty good read.

Dismal River (Lone McGantry Book 1)
Wayne D. Dundee
http://www.fromdundeesdesk.blogspot.com
Bil-Em-Ri-Media
October 2015
ASIN: B0164ADFM4
E-Book
281 Pages
$1.49

Material was recently picked up to read and review by way of funds in my Amazon Associate account.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2015

Bounty Hunter Bodie Kendrick normally works alone. But, these are special circumstances in the borderlands of the Arizona territory. Doc Turpin has a considerable reputation as a bounty hunter over in Texas. Bodie Kendrick primarily works in the territories of Arizona and New Mexico. Each has heard of the other over the years so it makes sense to unite in a partnership after their paths cross as a result of the massacre at New Gleanus.

Bodie Kendrick had the misfortune of riding into New Gleanus about an hour after the Harrup brothers along with their cousin Huck Mather and in the company of their new outlaw buddies, the Klegg gang, robbed the local bank. While the robbery of the bank had been accomplished easily and could have led to a clean getaway, they instead went crazy and shot up the town and its citizens. Six were killed, numerous others including women and children were wounded by the shots and/or flying glass as bullets flew everywhere. The destruction of store fronts and property was heavy as were the injuries and deaths. All of it was totally unnecessary and proof that the combined gang had to be stopped at all costs.

Doc Turpin had arrived in town just after Bodie did and also went to work helping out by tending to the wounded, putting out fires, and anything else he could do in the immediate aftermath. Doc had been chasing Otis Klegg and his gang after their recently botched robbery of a payroll wagon that resulted in the deaths of three guards and the driver. Considering the shape of the town and its citizens, the local posse is not going to get the job done. They may be good at tending a store or running a farm, but these folks are not going to be able to deal with chasing and capturing these hardened and increasingly violent criminals.

After discussing their assessment of the situation, Doc and Bodie agree to form a partnership to go after the violent killers and put an end to their trail of carnage once and for all. That partnership will create an additional mission that will take them across the border into Mexico in Rio Matanza (Bodie Kendrick- Bounty Hunter Book 2).

Following the excellent Hard Trail to Socorro author Wayne D. Dundee has created another complicated western filled with mystery, action, and realistic characters. Plenty is at work here in a tale that spans countries and cultures sure to please those readers that prefer traditional westerns. While one can read Rio Matanza first, it is well worth it to start at the beginning with Hard Trail to Socorro. Both are mighty good westerns from an award winning author.

Rio Matanza (Bodie Kendrick- Bounty Hunter Book 2)
Wayne D. Dundee
http://www.fromdundeesdesk.blogspot.com
Bil-Em-Ri Media
July 2012
ASIN: B008QP9CMS
E-Book (paperback also available)
232 Pages (estimated)
$0.99

Material was either picked up awhile back via funds in my Amazon Associate account or when the author made the read free. I have no idea now which way it was and Amazon does not make a distinction as both situations are classified as a “verified purchase.”

Kevin R. Tipple ©2015

His real name is J. D. Miller. Many know him as “The Lawyer” as a nod to his former profession. These days his courtroom is the land and he is judge, jury, and executioner. He is on a quest to dispense personal justice to those who wronged him so grievously though some do not care for his taking justice into his own hands. That means there are deputies and others looking for him. That sad state of affairs means that his hunt comes with additional risk every time he sets foot into a town.

He had arrived in the north Texas town of Emmett minutes before the explosion at the jail. He had planned a relaxing evening including a good night sleep in an actual bed at the nearby hotel. He was still in the street when the explosion at the jail up the way took out the back wall. Then, a few seconds later, the shooting started.

In the chaos Miller ran to help and opened fire on the outlaws as they rode down the street seconds after they had killed two that wore badges. While managing to stop one of the outlaws from escaping, Miller sustained injuries. Injuries that lead him to need treatment from the local doctor who also happens to be a fountain of information regarding the situation and more in The Lawyer: The Retributioners by Wayne D. Dundee.

Using characters originally created by Edward A. Grainger, author Wayne D. Dundee has created another excellent installment of the series. The Lawyer: The Retributioners touches on the narrow minded racism prevalent at the time and other societal issues while delivering a solidly good western tale. A tale that continues the groundwork laid by Edward A. Grainger this work further expands and continues the series like what has happened with Cash Laramie and Gideon Miles series.

If this series is new to you The Lawyer: The Retributioners can be read first though there are references to events found earlier in the series. For that reason it would be best to start with The Lawyer: Stay Of Execution which includes the original short story, The Lawyer by Edward A. Grainger.

The Lawyer: The Retributioners
Wayne D. Dundee
http://www.fromdundeesdesk.blogspot.com
Beat To A Pulp
http://www.beattoapulp.com
July 2015
ISBN#: 978-1943035076
Paperback (also available in e-book)
114 Pages
$6.50

Material supplied by the publisher in exchange for my objective review.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2015

Having delivered prisoner Luther Hyatt back to Cheyenne, U. S. Deputy Marshal Cash Laramie is looking forward to some time off. After putting up with the foul piece of human garbage known as Luther Hyatt for three very long days on the trail, Cash has plans for a bath, food and booze, and quite possibly some time with Lenora Wilkes. Unfortunately, Chief Marshal Devon Penn has other plans for Cash.

Chief Penn is very concerned about a possible Indian uprising based on a movement, some would call it a religion, in the area. While that idea is a bit vague, it is clear there was a recent prison break down at Castle Rock Prison located south of Denver. One of the escapees is a guy named Vilo Creed known as “Creed the Breed.” He might be headed towards “Vedauwoo Rocks” also known as “Skull Rocks” to some. He also might have gotten ahold of 100 Springfield Model 1873 carbines that were stolen several years ago.

Creed is half Indian as he is Lakota Sioux and has familial connection to Kicking Bear who is trying to spark the uprising. If Creed has the guns and gets them to Kicking Bear the chances of an uprising of some sort rise dramatically. Chief Penn knows Cash knows the Vedauwoo better than most since he spent some of his time as a child moving around the Vedauwoo. He wants Cash to get there and stop Creed by any means. Recovering the guns would be a nice bonus, but the main mission is to get Creed before he can get anything going in the area. Once again Cash is being sent to deal with a major problem without any backup. It is not the first time and won’t be the last.

Like many of the books in this western series, there is a mystery at the heart of the tale. Such is the case here in a tale that works on multiple levels. Richness of detail, characters with multiple motivations and agendas, and plenty of action make this another very good read in a compelling series. Billed as the sixth book of the Cash Laramie and Gideon Miles Series this could easily be read first if you are not familiar with this series.

The Guns Of Vedauwoo (Cash Laramie and Gideon Miles Series Book Six)
Wayne D. Dundee
http://www.fromdundeesdesk.blogspot.com
Beat To A Pulp
http://beattoapulp.com
September 2012
ASIN: B009FLOLY6
E-book (print also available)
142 Pages
$1.49

I picked this up quite some time ago using funds in my Amazon Associate account in order to read and review it.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2015

It is November and just about everyone knows the silver vein is played out in the mountains at this point. The town of Silver Gulch is barely hanging on in the form of a few ramshackle buildings and some tents. The few stragglers left in town have nowhere else to go and no way to get there so they hang on doing the best they can in desperate times. While the silver is gone the gulch the place was named for is still present as is a man known as Lobo Ames. Deputy U.S. Marshal Cash Laramie intends to find him, take him into custody, and return him to jail where he belongs.

To do that, not only will he have to contend with some of the town’s people in a town that has no law enforcement of any kind, he will have to deal with the worsening weather as winter storms are on the way. Manhunter’s Mountain will extract a heavy price before all is said and done in this terrific novel from author Wayne D. Dundee.

Like the other tales in the series, the read features complicated characters, a mystery or two in a western setting, and plenty of action to keep the story moving right along. It is another good one in a great series and well worth your time. Manhunter’s Mountain is billed as book 4 of the Cash Laramie and Gideon Miles series, but can be read first if you are new to the series. If you prefer to read in order start with the short story collection titled, Adventures of Cash Laramie and Gideon Miles.

Manhunter’s Mountain (Cash Laramie and Gideon Miles Series Book Four)
Wayne D. Dundee
http://www.fromdundeesdesk.blogspot.com
Beat To A Pulp
http://www.beattoapulp.com
January 4, 2012
ASIN: B006TMY8TM
E-book (also available in paperback)
132 Pages
$0.99

This is one of those cases where I am not sure if the publisher sent it to me or I bought it using funds in my Amazon associate account. Either is possible, but I suspect the publisher sent in my way for my use in an objective review.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2015

Originally seen in the short story, “The Lawyer” published in Protectors: Stories To Benefit Protect and in the Adventures Of Cash Laramie and Gideon Miles he returns here in The Lawyer: Stay of Execution. While Edward A. Grainger penned the original story, author Wayne D. Dundee penned this tale that takes the man known as “The Lawyer” on a new adventure.

As the work opens, the man known as “The Lawyer” aka J. D. Miller is in pursuit of Lou Crenshaw. Unlike what he used to do in the courtroom before a tragedy was unleased upon him and his family, these days the man known as “The Lawyer” dispenses justice as he sees fit based on his own interpretation and definition of law. Often that is “justice by the gun.” Crenshaw may be one of the men that were involved in the slaughter of Miller’s family. Whether or not the nearby shots at the non-descript broken down farm were fired by Crenshaw is a question that has to be addressed.

What isn’t questionable is that, thanks to the lawyer’s spyglass, he is able to spot three dead horses in the coral at the farm below him. The horses have not been dead that long. More importantly, one of the now dead horses is the same one that Lou Crenshaw had been riding the last few days. The horses aren’t the only things that have been shot. A man and a woman are both down just outside the barn.

As he watches he realizes the woman is alive and very pregnant. She is also clearly trying to help her husband. If Lou Crenshaw was trying to slow down his pursuer he has succeeded wonderfully as the chase will have to wait because these folks urgently need help.

What follows is a typical Wayne D. Dundee western filled with interesting multi-dimensional characters, plenty of action and suspense, and a clear morality at work. This mighty good western is followed by the original short tale “The Lawyer” making the reading experience complete. Hopefully, this is the start of another great series much like the Cash Laramie/Gideon Miles series.

The Lawyer: Stay of Execution
Wayne D. Dundee
http://www.fromdundeesdesk.blogspot.com
Beat To A Pulp
http://www.beattoapulp.com
January 2015
ASIN# B00RY8PQQE
E-book
125 Pages
$0.99

Material supplied by Beat To A Pulp in exchange for my objective review.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2015

Jory Ludek had a hard night of whoring and drinking and didn’t expect to be woken up so early as he lay in a bed in one of the sleeping rooms of a cantina. His partner, a cantina girl who had been paid for her time and efforts, took one look at the large bearded man and his shotgun and silently fled the room as directed. Bounty Hunter Bodie Kendrick is the man directing her actions as he intends to take Joey Ludek back to Socorro in the New Mexico Territory dead or alive. While he would prefer to keep his prisoner alive, either way works for him as he intends to collect on the stated bounty on the wanted poster.

Bodie Kendrick has a bit of a reputation in the early 1880’s as does Ludek based on the wanted poster. With a couple of incidents in El Paso and Apaches on the warpath nearby Kendrick figures there is more than one reason to get the heck out of El Paso as fast as he and his prisoner can go. The title makes it very clear that it is going to be a brutally Hard Trail to Socorro.

The first book of the Bounty Hunter Bodie Kendrick series this western read is a mighty good one. Filled with deceit and double cross, plenty of action, and a revelation or two Hard Trail to Socorro delivers a fine western from author Wayne D. Dundee known for his Joe Hannibal mystery series that this reviewer has yet to read (several of which are in the TBR pile). This award winning author has quickly gained a reputation for writing excellent traditional westerns. Hard Trail to Socorro is another example of that ability and a mighty good read.

Hard Trail To Socorro (Bodie Kendrick –Bounty Hunter Book 1)
Wayne D. Dundee
http://www.fromdundeesdesk.blogspot.com
Bil-Em-Ri Media
October 2014
ASIN: B00OXGNPGS
E-Book
170 Pages (estimated)
$0.99

Material was either picked up awhile back via funds in my Amazon Associate account or when the author made the read free. I have no idea now which way it was and Amazon does not make a distinction as both situations are classified as a “verified purchase.”

Kevin R. Tipple ©2015

The concept of duty or responsibility is often a major part of the western world as envisioned by Wayne D. Dundee and that is certainly the case here in This Old Star. For more years than he cares to count Jeb Stander was the sheriff of Flatrock Crossing, Nebraska. He isn’t the sheriff these days, but he still feels a duty to help out when the posse is out chasing Shake Whitley.

There was a jail break and bank robbery back in town and several of the good people of Flatrock Crossing joined up with the current sheriff, Ben Tembow, to give chase. Shake Whitley is a crafty devil which is why the law has been chasing him for one thing or another the last dozen years. The posse has been hard at work the last two days and don’t seem to getting anywhere. The weather has been nasty with rain and snow with no sign of the fugitive and the rest of the posse is just waiting for a reason to call it quits. Jeb offers to help and though Ben may not be thrilled with the prospect he isn’t about to publicly say no.

What follows is a complex story involving duty and responsibility in This Old Star. Like other very good westerns by this author, along with plenty of action there is an undercurrent about serious issues of the time that are just as valid today. Characters of complexity populate this author’s work where a single action may have multiple meanings. The 2010 Peacemaker Award winning short story recently released in e-book form, This Old Star is another very good one.

This Old Star
Wayne D. Dundee
http://www.fromdundeesdesk.blogspot.com
Western Trail Blazer
http://www.westerntrailblazer.com
January 2015
ASIN: B00RPQ5PLQ
E-Book
46 Pages
$0.99

Material was picked up to read and review using funds in my Amazon Associate account.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2015

These days O’Doul is working on a ranch located near Pitchfork Creek. Both he and a young guy named Leonard Fain work for ranch owner Joe Reichert. The recent tragedy in the family has made Joe a bitter man. So much so he might be abusing his wife, Annie. Young Leonard is not only a bit of a hot head; he has developed feelings for Mrs. Reichert. That is certainly not a good thing since she is married and all. In fact, it is an easy way to get dead if Joe Reichert picks up on it. There is a good chance of that considering the fact that Leonard is not the subtle type.

Along with calming down and understanding his place as a ranch hand, O’Doul counsels Leonard to get his mind on other matters. But, despite his efforts, Leonard isn’t listening that well as things between husband and wife clearly begins to escalate. O’Doul has a worsening problem of his own as things intensify meaning O’Doul has his work cut out for him if he wants to help.

O’Doul is a complicated novella western from Wayne D. Dundee and another good tale from this talented author. Though the premise is simple enough the author makes it work by adding character details, a twist or two with a definite time deadline cranking up the suspense, and other storytelling elements to take the work far from its common premise beginnings. Complicated and realistic characters drive events in a tale that is part western and part Greek tragedy. Much is at work here on many levels making O’Doul a really good one.
O’Doul
Wayne D. Dundee
http://www.fromdundeesdesk.blogspot.com
Western Trail Blazer
http://westerntrailblazer.com/
January 2015
ASIN: B00RPQ5OVW
E-Book
37 Pages
$0.99

Material was either purchased via funds in my Amazon Associate account to read and review or it was picked up during one of the author’s free read promotions. I have no idea which it was now and Amazon does not indicate which as both situations are treated as a “verified purchase.”

Kevin R. Tipple ©2015

By Blood Bound: The Smith & Sons Saga is a novella in three parts reflecting its publication as a series of short stories in the anthology Fathers: 12 Tales of the American West published by Western Trail Blazer Publishing.

As the book opens Marshall Silas Smith is returning to the town of Clancy, Nebraska on a late October morning. The air is chilly for the forty-four year old Silas as well as his horses. For the men whose bodies are tied to the saddles of the horses he is leading back to town the temperature of the air or anything else no longer matters. Unfortunately that includes a young deputy by the name of Wiley Patton whom Marshall Smith took with him on the mission to track down and capture the two dangerous robbers. Marshall Smith, despite the painful task ahead of him to talk to the parents of the dead deputy, is glad to be back.

That was until he was told by his chief deputy that a certain woman by the name of Mrs. Magda Corvelle has arrived in town by the way of the stage. She wants to see the Marshall as soon as possible and the news she brings is not good. Due to recent events the Marshall needs to take a leave of absence and return to Kentucky and see about his sons. Two boys who are now grown men and made it clear long ago they wanted nothing more to do with him after he came home from the Civil War. Whether they know it or not they need their Dad now more than ever and Silas Smith intends to get back into contact with his estranged sons.

That will prove far more easily said than done for a variety of reasons.

This western novella from Wayne Dundee is a very good one featuring plenty of action and angst. The main characters involved are flawed and yet, for the most part, decent human beings who are doing the best they can. That often happens at the barrel of a gun as the bad guys are many in this trilogy of linked short stories.

If you are not reading the books of Wayne D. Dundee you are making a mistake. If you aren’t, By Blood Bound: The Smith & Sons Saga is a good one to start on your Wayne D. Dundee reading list.

By Blood Bound: The Smith & Sons Saga
Wayne D. Dundee
http://fromdundeesdesk.blogspot.com/
Bil-Em-Ri Media
Self-Published
December 2014
ASIN: B00QGAR588
E-Book
130 Pages (estimated)
$0.99

Material supplied by the author in exchange for my objective review.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2015

If the drifter detective, Jack Laramie, had blinked he might have missed the small “chili” sign in the window of Frenchy's as he passed by. After all there was only one vehicle in the parking lot and the place itself wasn't much to look at. Neither was anything around it at this wide spot in the road where an unpaved county road crossed the little used state highway. Just another wide spot in the road with this one located somewhere in the Texas panhandle. No reason to stop other than that sign for chili.

For Jack that sign was reason enough to stop. Jack loves his chili and prefers the variations one gets across the state in real places to eat as opposed to the cookie cutter chain joints he sees more and more. He has a lot of opportunity see things out on the road as, despite being based in Dallas, he is out there in his DeSoto pulling the horse trailer. The road is where he mainly earns his living as a private detective. It is early afternoon and he has been on the road quite awhile so by this point he realizes he is pretty hungry and that makes it a good idea to check out the chili served in Frenchy's of Beule’s Corner.

At first, just after Jack got out of the DeSoto and started for the door, the decision seems a bit questionable as there are some raised voices, some noise, and a man suddenly storms out of the diner and barely misses Jack. For his sake he does and with a few more fast steps jumps into his truck. He takes off at a high rate of speed headed down the isolated highway. According to the waitress, Bonnie, who also happens to be the niece of the owner, the guy who made a scene and took off is Alden Frain. Tipping furniture over and ripping the phone off the wall was not appreciated by Bonnie. He probably just ruined any chance he had with her of having a relationship. Tearing the phone off the wall was bad enough, but things are really going to go downhill when two very scared young adults arrive closely followed by a biker gang that wants payback.

Fourth in an excellent series that began with The Drifter Detective this installment by author Wayne D. Dundee is a good one. Recently published by Beat To A Pulp Press, Wide Spot In The Road is another great action oriented tale featuring the grandson of legendary lawman Cash Laramie. At the same time, readers also find out a little bit more about Jack and what keeps him on the roads of Texas working cases during the 50s. Keeping his grandfather’s memory alive with a gun and a talisman, Jack holds up the family name while trying to make sure good people aren't harmed by the bad guys. In this case, he might be a bit outnumbered. A book and a series very much worth your time.

Wide Spot In The Road
Wayne D. Dundee
http://fromdundeesdesk.blogspot.com/
Beat To A Pulp Press
http://www.beattoapulp.com
May 2014
ASIN: B00KAMO86K
E-book (also available in print)
66 Pages (estimated)
$1.99

Material picked for review using funds in my Amazon Associate account.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2014

Trails of the Wild: Seven Tales of the Old West” book opens up with “Rattler” by James Reasoner. Texas Ranger Cobb and bank robber Franklin Harmon have had a gun battle going for the past hour. The large boulders were the only cover from the shots from Harmon and Cobb knew there was a big risk of a snake being in the rocks when he took cover in them. But, with his horse dead and no other cover around in the surrounding Texas landscape he didn’t have much of a choice. Cobb isn’t about to let a big fat diamondback rattler lying across his legs from stopping him from what needs to be done.

“The True Story of Boy Kaleen” by Patti Abbott comes next. The California Gold Rush is on and his Ma worked as an entertainer in one of the hundreds of saloons that serve the area miners and more. Eventually Ma got pregnant and delivered Tom and Kaleen. Their quest to know who their father was began.

He had been told not to stop in Cougar Springs. Once there he had been helpfully advised to leave town as fast as possible. Having rode more than 50 miles across Colorado he isn’t about to keep riding as the fading mining town does have a saloon. That will help him rid himself of his thirst, but not the ghost named Davy who haunts him in “Too Many Crocketts” by Evan Lewis.

Howey Simpson rides for the Hashknife Outfit. At least the work is steady in “Line Rider” by Chuck Tyrell. It is winter and he is stuck working out of a shack on the line midway to Chintz, but the solitude and the routine don’t bother him at all. Then, one night, a beautiful Navajo woman by the name of Doli showed up and everything changed.

Jackson was late getting back and something very bad has happened in “A Decent Man” by Kieran Shea. His sister Sarah named the guilty man as “Azariah Thorpe” and says that afterwards he bragged he was going south to Kansas City. Thorpe is a dead man once Jackson gets to him.

Having a reputation as a bad man can keep folks out of your way. In “Day Of Reckoning” by Matthew Pizzolato a man by the name of Wesley Quaid has that reputation. A reputation hard earned and he has the skills to back it up when need be. His skills are about to be needed as Horace and his family are being harassed on the street just outside the bar.

The majority of the book is the novella “The Empty Badge” by Wayne D. Dundee. U. S. Marshall Cash Laramie has been tracking the Driscoll Gang and is moving in on them despite the stormy night. They are holed up in a shallow cave and he means to get them all--- dead or alive. At least that was the plan before all heck broke loose.

The seven stories of Trails of the Wild: Seven Tales of the Old West are all good ones. Featuring a group of prolific and talented authors, the book has plenty of solidly good old fashioned western action and adventure and is very good from start to finish. The book most definitely is a good one and well worth your time.

Trails of the Wild: Seven Tales of the Old West
Edited by David Cranmer
Beat To A Pulp
http://www.beattoapulp.com
November 2013
ASIN: B00GI5M4SM
E-Book
143 Pages
$2.99

Material provided by editor and publisher David Cranmer for my use in an objective review.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2014

Excellent hard-boiled western that does more than grip you with a strong story, but settles you among characters you'll miss when the last page is turned. A great read.