Review: Another hit
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 5, 2013
The prolific Van Holt strikes again. 'Dead Man's Trail' is as good as any of his patent hard-boiled Westerns, but includes a few unique twists and turns. As ever when reading Van Holt's books, I was instantly transported to the Old West and enchanted by the valour and grit of his hero. What I especially like is that these stories aren't Manichean; all of the characters are believable and morally flawed. Since "Dead Man's Trail" is a fairly short book, I'd recommend it for a weekend's light reading.The hero is Tom Bannon, a wronged man of twenty-seven years. Tom didn't know his taciturn older brother Troy very well, but since Troy was murdered in cowardly fashion by four hired hands, it falls to his only living relative to make sure that justice is served. Tom follows his dead brother's trail, seeking answers and revenge on the mercenaries and their paymaster. The mystery of the murderer's motive drives the plot steadily on towards its poignant finale.