by
S.J. Bounds
THERE'S ALWAYS A PRICE TO PAY....
Valentine Smith is a lone rider, used to picking his own course and fighting his own battles.
He rides into the prairie cow-tow of Cross Trails as a stranger, unable to anticipate what will happen next.
Within twenty-four hours he is appointed the town's marshal, tasked with keeping the peace in a town ripped apart by rival factions between the north and the south.
This is a town that gets more than its fair share of trouble and violence.
But Smith doesn't let anyone get in his way when there's a job to be done.
Tension between Talbot and Duquesne, the men who rule each opposing faction is soon brought to breaking point - and Smith is the catalyst.
Matters are made ever more complicated when Smith starts to develop feelings for Claire Sherwood - the woman who Duquesne has vowed to make his wife.
And he's not a man who will give up what he wants without a fight.
With both Talbot and Duquense vying to exterminate each other, seize control and wipe out Smith in the process, can the lone rider wrestle back control and prevent any more innocent blood from being spilled?
One thing is for sure, all hell is about to break loose for the Cross Trails Marshal...
Justice will be done.......
THE AUTHOR
SJ Bounds was born in 1920 and lived in Kingston Upon Thames. He wrote over 40 novels and hundreds of short stories many published under pseudonyms or anonymously. He was best known for his work in the science fiction, horror and western genres.
MY THOUGHTS
I love these westerns where you can almost reach out and touch the characters. They are so realistic.I liked Valentine Smith. He was a man, a real man with a strong, but soft heart. He was gentle when need be and strong when need be. I loved how the ladies turned their heads and looked as he rode down the street. Valentine Smith was a dangerous man of sorts but he also believed on the side of the law. He became marshal, for $100 a month. That was a lot back then.Now there were two sides of town run by two different men. Valentine plans on serving the law rightly between both sides. He had the respect of most of the towns people and one lady especially. He held back from getting involved with one woman although he knew in his heart he wanted one special lady, a very pretty cowgirl. When she told him she loved him, he walks. He is being stubborn and thinks on it. He realizes later that he wants her.Then the unthinkable happens. One of the bosses of the town kidnap her. Now Valentine is ready for a fight. Lew Talbot has a beef with Valentine. Will Lew get the better of Valentine? Maybe Valentine will be planted on Boot Hill before he has a chance to bring justice to the town. Valentine should watch his back and very carefully.
The good ole westerns were a time when justice was served, usually by the gun, but that was the way of life. And there is always a woman. There simply has to be.
I received a copy of this book from Pioneering Press and voluntarily decided to review it.
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