A Killing in Kiowa

by Lewis B. Patten

Book by Patten, Lewis B.

Genres: Westerns

204 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1972

About the author

aka Lewis Ford, Len Leighton, Joseph Wayne (with Wayne D. Overholser)

Lewis Byford Patten was a prolific author of American Western Novels, born in Denver, Colorado. Often published under the names Lewis Ford, Len Leighto and, Joseph Wayne.

Reviews

[Roger Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Killing in Kiowa by Lewis B. Patten was first published in 1972 and won the Spur Award for best western novel published that year. It's a taut 144-page Signet paperback that covers twenty-four eventful hours in the life of Sheriff Matt Wyatt. It starts with four teenage boys trying to rape a prostitute as she's walking home from work at one in the morning and then beating to death a man who tries to stop them. The boys flee from the scene, and the intended rape victim yells for help. Before he dies, the man names two of his assailants to the doctor. The sheriff learns the two names and sets out to arrest the boys. Once they are in jail, he quickly learns the names of the other two from their accomplices and rounds them up as well, though bringing in the last one -- a rancher's boy -- proves to be difficult.

The novel almost felt more like a crime noir than a traditional western. As soon as the sheriff has the boys in custody, the rancher and the banker (another of the boys' fathers) begin to bribe and intimidate witnesses. When it looks like that might fail, the rancher gathers his hands to stage a jailbreak. The murder victim's brothers and friends, meanwhile, begin to threaten that justice will be done by any means necessary -- even if it means "stringing up" the boys. Sheriff Wyatt has to try to keep a lid on the pressure cooker even as the two sides get ready to go to war with each other.

The story is so tightly plotted that not a word is wasted. Every one of the sheriff's moves makes perfect sense, and still the situation becomes more and more volatile. Adding to the complications for Wyatt are the facts that one of the boys is the son of his deputy and the brother of his girlfriend. But he never wavers from trying to do his duty or to confront the violence that is relentlessly headed his way. The ending is fast and the resolution satisfying.

[Tim Deforest · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four teenagers get drunk and decide to rape a prostitute while she's walking from the saloon to her home. When a man hears her screams, he runs to help and ends up getting beaten to death.

The main character is the town sheriff, Matt Wyatt. The four boys are quickly identified, but complications ensue. One is the son of Wyatt's deputy. Another is the son of a powerful rancher, while a third is son of the banker. Wyatt rounds up the four boys, but trouble is brewing. There are threats and bribes directed against the town doctor (who heard a dying statement and ruled the death a murder) and the prostitute, with the goal of forcing them to change their testimony. Wyatt doesn't know if he can trust his deputy. Townspeople who want to make sure justice is done begin to talk of lynching. And if violence breaks out, it would mean people who know and used to respect one another will now be trying to kill one another.


The books expertly builds up the tension as Wyatt tries to do his duty and keep anyone else from dying. The book covers only about one day, which means events unfold rapidly and Wyatt seems to always be on the verge of losing control of the situation. This all leads to a satisfying conclusion.

[Jeff Dickison · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good western. Four boys in the process of raping a woman, stop a man from interfering by beating him to death. The fathers of two of the boys attempt to get them off by threatening the various witnesses. Marshall Matt Wyatt arrests the boys and keeps the fathers from trying to break them out of jail. Recommended to western fans.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very brutal book but I enjoyed it.