Texas Iron

by Robert J. Randisi

"When Sam McCall got word his pa had died, something seemed suspicious. And even though he and his brothers hadn't been home in twenty years, they wanted the truth. But as soon as they got back to Texas, a posse of hired guns opened fire. Turns out the new owner of their old ranch didn't exactly cotton to having them around. Yet they're determined to find out what really happened to their pa--and make their hometown of Vengeance Creek live up to its name"--Publisher.

Genres: Westerns

278 pages, Paperback

First published January 29, 2008

About the author

Robert Joseph Randisi was a prolific American author, editor, and screenwriter, best known for his work in detective and Western fiction. He wrote over 650 books, including The Gunsmith series under the pen name J.R. Roberts, and edited more than 30 anthologies. A co-founder of Mystery Scene magazine, the American Crime Writers League, and Western Fictioneers, he also established The Private Eye Writers of America and created the Shamus Award. Randisi collaborated on novels with Eileen Davidson and Vince Van Patten, and created memorable characters such as Miles Jacoby, Joe Keough, and The Rat Pack. He received multiple lifetime achievement awards and the John Seigenthaler Humanitarian Award.

Reviews

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty sturdy oater that delivers what diverting entertainment you'd expect from a modern Western. Good pacing and I enjoyed interaction between the three brothers.

[Daniel Sorrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good western by a very reliable author. But boy did this book need an editor who wouldn’t let so many spelling and punctuation errors through. The secondary villain being named “Coffin” was a bit of a groaner. Also, it was a very curious decision by the writer to use the same last name for two different characters who are in different locations and have no relationship to one another. Regardless, it was an engaging story.

[kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story with interesting characters overloaded with spelling and punctuation errors. More than once I was thrown out of the story by a confusing misspelled word or sentence. I have no idea what an editor earns but surely it's a necessary investment for a professional writer.

[D. E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Western Novel About 3. Brothers Who Head for Home When Their Parents Are Murdered

RJR has penned a western about 3 brothers who leave home to become a gun fighter, a gambler and a jokester. They return home to Texas when their parents are murdered. They are murdered because the largest rancher discovered oil on their property. The crooked ranch owner had the town buffaloed and afraid of their own shadows. This I'd an excellent read for the genre.....ER

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three brothers go home to find out how their parents died and how the ranch ended up in some one else's hands. The dialogue between the brothers reads true and at times is a little comic relief. More than enough bad guys for any western. Lots of motives for the various characters that make sense.

[Terje Fokstuen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three brothers return to a small town in Texas, Vengeance Creek, to find out how and why their parents died. An enjoyable, and resolutely old fashioned western that at times reads like an underdeveloped screenplay.