Sunday, March 12, 2017

Noteworthy Reads: BLOODY ARIZONA by Frank Leslie

This latest Yakima Henry adventure by Frank Leslie (who most everybody knows is ol' Mean Pete hisself, Peter Brandvold) is the first of a “quartet” of new short novels promised by the author. We haven't seen Yakima in a while and it surely is good to have the rowdy half-breed back in action.

And, as usual for a novel from Leslie/Brandvold, action is the key word. It starts right from the get-go with Yak getting tossed in jail for brawling and then having to blast his way free after the marshal who put him there is savagely gunned down and it falls to the half-breed to go after the killers and the widow they take as hostage.

Subsequently, before the bad guys are made to pay, there is lots more gunplay and some hot sex with a pair of competitive sisters Yakima keeps encountering. There are also some poignant scenes where Yakima reflects on how much he misses his late wife.

The real delight in this yarn, however, is the Rio Grande Kid – a crusty, quasi-loony old outlaw who is long past being a “kid”. At first against Yakima's will (but eventually with the half-breed's gratitude) he becomes a sidekick we hope we'll be seeing more of in future yarns.

Top notch, gun-blazing entertainment you don't want to miss!
Strongly recommended.

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