Ray Hogan (1908-1998) was born in Missouri but spent his life in New Mexico. His father was a Western marshal and lawman. He has written over 100 books. His work has been translated into 16 languages and filmed.
A good western. Starbuck goes to work for a big ranch and soon finds himself in a battle for control of a valley. He quickly realizes he is on the wrong side and decides to move on. The murder of a rancher leads him to staying on to help his widow and daughter. A quick read, this is aided by good plot twists. Recommended to western fans.