The Living, the Dying and the Dead

Edge #29

by George G. Gilman

In Denver, Edge is hired to protect a rich old gentleman heading east with a coffin containing his mysterious Oriental wife.On the way, Chinese assassins and hired guns threaten to kidnap the body of the “princess” … and kill whoever gets in their way.Many deaths later, Edge discovers the true identity of the Oriental woman and her worth … in gold!

Genres: Westerns

1 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1978

About the author

A pseudonym used by Terry Harknett.

Edge (61 books as George G. Gilman)
Adam Steele (49 books as George G. Gilman)
Edge Meets Adam Steele (3 books as George G. Gilman)
The Undertaker (6 books as George G. Gilman)

Reviews

[Bill Riggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Things don’t go as planned for Edge when he is hired to escort a coffin to New York for a rich, old gentleman, but then they never do seem to work out well for the loner known only as Edge. They usually tend to end in gunfire, slashing and bloodshed - this is no different. Fueled by deceit and betrayal the journey to New York tests Edge’s survival skills like never before and leaving a bloody trail across the American frontier.

[Edwin · Rating 2 out of 5]

The 29th entry in the ultra-violent Edge series finds the sullen anti-hero hired to guard the casket of a rich gentleman’s wife, which of course turns out to be far more complicated than it seems. Edge’s psycho-assholery and brutality are on fine display here as he shoots a guy in the back, blows off a woman’s head, then shoots off her husband’s testicles after being insulted. Edge does have some sympathy for the rich guy who hired him since he still pines for his own murdered wife, Beth, giving Edge a small touch of humanity. I’m mostly fond of mindless action and gore as long as the story is compelling, so I liked the book okay in general, although a little more character development across the board would have helped. It’s hard to get invested in a story if the only characters are unsympathetic or caricatures.

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of my favorite titles in the Edge Series. Sounds very Spaghetti Western. I enjoy the books in this series. Although I wouldn't rate them as my favorite westerns, they are always consistent and hold my attention. This one might have been a tad anti-climactic but the last line brought a grin. Bloody and gory as advertised.