Shannon's Law

Clay Shannon is a straight-shooting, tough-talking deputy sheriff who's been charged with bringing order to rough-and-tumble Whiskey Creek, a mining town where robbery and murder run rampant. But with one lawman already killed, Shannon's job won't be easy. A crooked saloon owner and his hired gun have the townspeople so spooked it's almost impossible to gather evidence against them. If justice is to be served, Shannon must make a choice: stay within the law - or make his own. This is an easy to read book with a straight-forward plot. It reminded me of the days when the good-guys wore white hats and the bad-guys black. The author makes it very obvious on which side of the law his characters live. After the first page killing there's not much in the way of action until about eighty pages into the story but the author uses this time to flesh out Shannon and develop his plot whilst frustrating his lawman with the lack of evidence needed to take down the criminals. Once the gunfire begins it's almost non stop, the shotgun being used to devastating effect by both sides. If you're looking for an uncomplicated read that'll entertain you then this is a book worth picking up. Me? I'm looking forward to the next in the series.

A classic first-rate western cut from the same mould as those of Zane Gray and Louis L'Amour. This is the first of three books in a series ("Shannon's Way" and "Shannon: U.S. Marshal" follow). Clay Shannon is a straight talking, strait shooting deputy sheriff sent to the small mining town of Whiskey Creek to replace the previous deputy that was murdered. When he arrives, he finds that the town is run by saloon owner Ace Parker and his right hand man, Nick Slade. In their employ are a bunch of scum that will do almost anything. Murder and robbery are common and the miners and any townsmen that get in the way are the victims. Shannon doesn't have much in the way of help except an old man that helps mind the jail, another ex-lawman, Pedro Rodriguez that works in the freight office, and a woman, Kathy Winters, that runs one of the town restaurants. Shannon is determined to find proof of the killings and robberies so he can put Parker and his gang out of business. When Shannon starts nosing around, things turn ugly fast and a monumental showdown becomes inevitable.