cover image Requiem for an Outlaw

Requiem for an Outlaw

Terrell L. Bowers. Avalon, $23.95 (192p) ISBN 978-0-8034-7400-0

As this western from Bowers (The Switchback Trail) begins, man-hunting Deputy U.S. Marshall Wes Gavin can't remember when he had a worse day. He finally catches up with notorious outlaw Latigo Dykes, the Gentleman Bandit, only to be dry-gulched by two killers and run into an attempted jailbreak, all the while worrying that the murderous Quinteen gang will show up seeking revenge for a recent hanging. And now, holed up in the Colorado town of Sunset, Wes has two pretty girls, Dee Johnson and Cleo Van Ness, fighting for his attention. They would be a nice distraction if not for Cleo's father, Ogden, a powerful cattle baron who isn't happy that his ne'er-do-well son Glen is in the town jail on charges of murdering a gambler. The town's part-time sheriff doesn't seem capable of standing up to the Van Ness family and its many henchmen, so Wes and Latigo strike a bargain to pool their combined law-keeping and law-breaking skills and keep a lid on the town for a few days. Having written numerous westerns before, Bowers packs this one with quick-draw fast action, feisty characters, and hilarious prairie romance, without ever taking himself too seriously. (June)