Chumley's Gold

by Wayne D. Overholser

HARD BATTLESWayne D. Overholser has won legions of fans with a depth of characterization and a range of imagination in frontier fiction, and the two short novels featured in this amazing collection are prime examples of his talent. In Chumley's Gold, young Dan Larsen learns after his mother's death that his father was a bank robber, and may have stashed stolen loot on a ranch he once owned. The ranch can be had cheaply for back taxes—but nothing's that easy. The ranch has been claimed by Dutch Dorfman, who considers himself the law in those parts. And he aims to fight hard to keep it. High Valley is set in the Big Bear Mountains of the Colorado Rockies, where Joe Talbot works as ramrod for the Wagon Wheel spread. But life on the Wagon Wheel is getting rough. The owner died under suspicious circumstances, the owner's widow is prepared to sell out...and outlaws in the valley have just declared all-out war on the ranch.

312 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 1999

About the author

Wayne D. Overholser (born September 4, 1906 in Pomeroy, Washington; died August 27, 1996 in Boulder, Colorado) was an American Western writer.

Overholser won the 1953 First Spur Award for best novel for Lawman using the pseudonym Lee Leighton. In 1955 he won the 1954 (second) Spur Award for The Violent Land. He also used the pseudonyms John S. Daniels, Dan J. Stevens and Joseph Wayne.

Reviews

[Robert Hepple · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pair of Western novels from the veteran writer Wayne D Overholser (what a name!). The first, High Valley, is a slightly extended version of a novella that was first published in 1952. As a result, the story is focussed and fast-moving, though at the expense of character development. The second, from which the title of the book is derived, is a much later work. Being a little bit longer, there is scope for much better character development and this is utilised well with a number of characters. And yet, still short enough to retain that fast-moving focus that was such an attractive feature of the earlier work. Very enjoyable.

[D. E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A WDO. Double Western Adventure: (High Valley) & (Chumley's Gold)

WDO. has. penned a Double Western. The first is Chumley's Gold which is about a young man who discovers, after his father's death, that he was a thief, robbed and gunman who o had stashed his money on the ranch. He and his mother needed the money to keep the ranch. He begins a search for the gold. The second is High Valley and the foreman is in a quandary because the ranch is in trouble and the owner mysteriously died. The foreman is waiting for the interiors to determine e their course of activity. These two novels are excellent reads for the genre.....DEHS

[Kellyt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would give it a 3.49. Two good Westerns by Overholser. Not his best work but enjoyable quick reads. IMO some of his best are “The Violent Land”, “Lawman”, “Land of Promise”, and “Tough Hand”.