Roy Rogers and the Ghost of Mystery Rancho

by Walker A. Tompkins, Andrew Benson (Illustrator)

This novel was published in 1950 and features the then very popular celebrity cowboy, Roy Rogers, in a western mystery involving a haunted ranch house and ghosts.

250 pages, Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 1950

Reviews

[Clay Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good western adventure story.

[Randy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Roy Rogers adventure from 1950 by Whitman. What it is is a regular western, as opposed to what Roy did onscreen. No singing. No automobiles.

Roy comes to Tomahawk Basin with his friend, Texas Ranger Captain John Whetlaw in response to a plea for help from Buck Conroy. His ranch was under attack by somebody posing as a ghost to frighten the superstitious. The Box D had suddenly become Mystery Rancho. The man seem in daylight is dressed in black with a mask and a skeleton is painted on it. It even glows in the dark.

Their arrival is a trap and Whetlaw is shot with a booby trap. As the old man dies, Roy promises to figure out who this outlaw is and what his plans are.

Which he proceeds to do despite murder attempts and frame jobs,

I liked this one even though I figured out early the identity of the ghost.

[Greg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading this book to see how writing in the 1950s differs from today’s adventure stories. A few pages in and I was hooked. Styles have changed. There were sayings and items that only cowboys would understand and some that folks from the 1950s would relate to but I found that intriguing.

Tompkins did a great job setting up roadblocks for Roy to break through. They’d appear impossible yet he was able to move past and shake off what others would find terrifying. The fast pace went from one tense moment to the next and I couldn’t put the book down finishing it in a day and a half. All in all an easy read and a fun escape for city folk like me.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this addition to my Whitman collection. But then how can you not like Roy Rogers. He has a few hair raising escapes from certain death to once again uncover the bad guys and save the ranch. I had the Ghost figured out pretty quickly because of course it was the one person that it couldn't possibly be.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book when I was in elementary school from their library. I did a fair amount of reading while young and found this in the library and the ghost in the title intrigued me. I really don't remember much more about it but am certain I enjoyed it. I also read a number of biographies of the original founders and presidents that were in a series but don't recall who the publisher was. The early '60s are long gone these days.