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Hill Smoke
Deputy Sheriff Grady Haskell risks his life to hunt for the deadly outlaw Frank Gentile in a lawless Western town
Paperback
First published February 7, 1959
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July 13, 2018
Hill Smoke is I believe the third western I’ve read by L.P. Holmes, and once again he hasn’t disappointed me. Holmes was not on the level of L’Amour, but his writing has a unique quality to it that I often enjoy. He focuses to a great extent on the nature of men in general...what defines a great man...what qualities a great man should possess. These moments throughout his novels are inspiring and cause me to think about myself, and where I fit into that definition.
In Hill Smoke, the protagonist, Grady Haskell, is a deputy from a neighboring town of Reservation—the setting of the story. Reservation is bereft of a lawman, due to its reputation as a safe haven for outlaws. Haskell is sent in to Reservation to look for two men—one, Breeden—a deputy who previously left for Reservation to hunt down a fugitive—and Frank Gentile, said fugitive who is wanted for murder and other various crimes. Haskell enters the town in disguise, hoping his anonymity will lead to answers to his questions, but all he finds is silence and suspicion. Before long, he’s ambushed and publicly assaulted. After this, Haskell puts on his badge, and unleashes his vengeance and fury against any outlaw who comes in his path. Haskell has the fury of a man whose pride has been hurt, yet the fairness of someone who cares about the welfare of others. He’s a kind, compassionate and fair man who protects the good while destroying the bad. Holmes is not known for his descriptive violence, so the fight scenes and gun fighting aren’t quite as satisfying as a Ralph Cotton book, for example, yet Haskell’s brutality against the outlaws is evident in his actions throughout the narrative, and I left each encounter satisfied with the result. Ultimately, the bad guys—Rutt, Vince, and Frank—meet with the justice they so richly deserve, and though he doesn’t emerge unscathed from the encounter, like most westerns, Haskell saves the town from evil, and evidently ends up getting the girl as well.
Holmes will continue to be a novelist whose books I seek refuge in whenever a good western is in order. They are rather short, move quickly, and provide just the two or three day escape I’m often looking for. Thus, though I only give this three stars, I recommend it to anyone who enjoys the western genre.
In Hill Smoke, the protagonist, Grady Haskell, is a deputy from a neighboring town of Reservation—the setting of the story. Reservation is bereft of a lawman, due to its reputation as a safe haven for outlaws. Haskell is sent in to Reservation to look for two men—one, Breeden—a deputy who previously left for Reservation to hunt down a fugitive—and Frank Gentile, said fugitive who is wanted for murder and other various crimes. Haskell enters the town in disguise, hoping his anonymity will lead to answers to his questions, but all he finds is silence and suspicion. Before long, he’s ambushed and publicly assaulted. After this, Haskell puts on his badge, and unleashes his vengeance and fury against any outlaw who comes in his path. Haskell has the fury of a man whose pride has been hurt, yet the fairness of someone who cares about the welfare of others. He’s a kind, compassionate and fair man who protects the good while destroying the bad. Holmes is not known for his descriptive violence, so the fight scenes and gun fighting aren’t quite as satisfying as a Ralph Cotton book, for example, yet Haskell’s brutality against the outlaws is evident in his actions throughout the narrative, and I left each encounter satisfied with the result. Ultimately, the bad guys—Rutt, Vince, and Frank—meet with the justice they so richly deserve, and though he doesn’t emerge unscathed from the encounter, like most westerns, Haskell saves the town from evil, and evidently ends up getting the girl as well.
Holmes will continue to be a novelist whose books I seek refuge in whenever a good western is in order. They are rather short, move quickly, and provide just the two or three day escape I’m often looking for. Thus, though I only give this three stars, I recommend it to anyone who enjoys the western genre.
Displaying 1 of 1 review