The Last Days of Horse-Shy Halloran

by Bill Pronzini

First Edition bound in tan cloth. A fine copy in a VG+ dust jacket. The dust jacket has mild creasing at the lower right corner of the front panel.

Genres: Westerns

174 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Mystery Writers of America Awards "Grand Master" 2008
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1999) for Boobytrap
Edgar Awards Best Novel nominee (1998) for A Wasteland of Strangers
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1997) for Sentinels
Shamus Awards "The Eye" (Lifetime achievment award) 1987
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1982) for Hoodwink

Married to author Marcia Muller.

Pseudonyms:
Robert Hart Davis (collaboration with Jeffrey M. Wallmann)
Jack Foxx
William Jeffrey (collaboration with Jeffrey M. Wallmann)
Alex Saxon

Reviews

[Richard Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bill Pronzini is a master writer. Doesn't matter what it is that he has written, I'll read it and undoubtedly enjoy it. In this case, it's a light western with humorous elements. It's a fun story that I recommend to anyone who knows they can like a good western.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love a well-executed comedy western and this one does a pretty good job of filling the bill. Most of the lot centers around a grifter and thief with the nickname of "horse shy" and his partner. They plot a stagecoach robbery and hope that horses will not be the fly in the ointment that they have proved to be in times past. Of course the reader already has smelled the agony of defeat cooking in the presence of this equine jinx.

To further muck up the situation for Halloran a tri of deadly crooks is also after the same gold shipment. These notorious thugs have a reputation for drunkenness , violence, and even rape.

This novel shines when the author dwells on the inept outlaws and the clumsy lawman. However, it tries to be a straight western whenever the "hero" s the focus of the story. If the novel had kept its focus on the hapless outlaws it would have been stronger. The reader is left to wonder if the author started to write a serious western novel and decided to weave a bunch of comic bits in or if it was the othe way around.

Despite its uneven tone, the novel pulls off some great scenes and some comical moments that are western magic. Not since the Henry Winkler episode of "Dead Man's Gun" have I enjoyed western comedy like this. Imagine a wild west chaacter that genuinely hates horses.

The novel also boasts a few wonderful con man moments. When Halloran goes into his preacher act it is a memorable spiel and uproarious fun.