Longarm in Paradise

This is the December 2002 Episode in the Longarm series;and an exellent Western Yarn. In the beginning ,I started to have some doubts about the author who starts off with having Longarm living in a hotel in Denwer owned by Oliver Maples ;when he lived in a roomong house run by a strict old lady. The he had him smoking a cigar,when he was usually working on a cheroot;but getting past that, the author has given us a great very "Longarm" with all his strengths and weaknesses. He starts out with the goal of helping an old friend and then his boss Billy Vail adds another task of checking up on another Deputy U.S.Marshal who Vail has some serious doubts about. There are some great characters encountered along the way. None less than Lilly Black who is restless with life on her brother Wade's Ranch and tries to get Curtis to get out of the Law business and become her mate.She is so determined she convinces him to let her come with him in search of Long's friend's son. Little does she know what a rough time is in store ;but in spite of it all she has assets a plenty and makes herself a valuable companion. Overall,a well written episode,a western novel through and through;with all kinds of action and excitement ,characters and enviroments.We get everything from deserts,towns,saloons,mines,river rafting,gunfights and some great fights. And how's this for western writing? "Do you know if there's a judge in these parts?" "There isn't one.Mr Boone is the justice of the peace and he sometimes holds court.The last time I was here,his jury sentenced two men to hang,but since they were real big and everyone was afraid that their weight would break the livery barn's rafters,they decided to shoot the prisoners instead." Longarm could hardly believe what he'd just heard. "They put'em in front of a firing squad?" "That's right".Tyler replied."But everyone chosen to shoot the guilty was dead drunk,and they sure made a mess of those two fellas. "What crime did the pair commit to earn the right to get riddled by a drunken mob?" "They stole a pair of Mayor Boone's best horses and rode them nearly to death to reach Tucson with money they'd robbed."