Former gunslinger turned barkeep gets framed for a murder and has to unholster his guns once more in Merle Constiner's agreeable Western Short-Trigger Man.
Constiner's sure-handed plotting, leavened by some surprisingly wry humor, made this an enjoyable read.
I have heard pulp writer Merle Constiner's name used in warm terms by fans but was only modestly impressed by the first novel of his I found (reviewed earlier). There were many similarities between the two novels, including a hard-headed protagonist with his own code of honor, a spitfire love interest, and an older, wiser man who helps out the hero. There is another Constiner on the flip side, so I will have to see if this trend continues. Constiner's personal story is interesting, so I keep looking for his work; and Short-Trigger Man I would recommend to fans.
This edition was again part of an Ace Double Western that I found for a quarter at a street fair. The pages were falling out as I read it, but I felt compelled to soldier on.
Showing posts with label Merle Constiner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Merle Constiner. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Monday, July 7, 2008
#29: Guns at Q Cross by Merle Constiner
A cattleman comes to town ahead of his herd, planning to sell to a prosperous Idaho rancher, and almost immediately draws the ire of every local resident, culminating in a shootout the first night. Our cattleman hero, with his own sometimes peculiar pride and code of honor, bulldogs along until he busts open a rustling gang, breaking its grip on the town.
Guns at Q Cross is the slender side of an Ace Western double that I picked up for a shiny quarter at a library book sale. I had never heard of author Merle Constiner, but a little googling led me to find out he was a well-regarded midwestern pulp writer (from the neighboring state of Ohio) who, late in the life, turned to westerns. This one featured some interesting writing and some stretches of slapdashery, which I suspect was from having to write at a pretty good clip for Ace. Overall a solid oater with some interesting Idaho locations.
On the other side is a longer western novel by Tom West, who some people suspect was actually Merle Constiner as well. I will flip it over and keep reading.
Guns at Q Cross is the slender side of an Ace Western double that I picked up for a shiny quarter at a library book sale. I had never heard of author Merle Constiner, but a little googling led me to find out he was a well-regarded midwestern pulp writer (from the neighboring state of Ohio) who, late in the life, turned to westerns. This one featured some interesting writing and some stretches of slapdashery, which I suspect was from having to write at a pretty good clip for Ace. Overall a solid oater with some interesting Idaho locations.
On the other side is a longer western novel by Tom West, who some people suspect was actually Merle Constiner as well. I will flip it over and keep reading.
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