Catch and Saddle

by L.P. Holmes

Death came cheap. A lot of men would have figured it a bargain to buy the deed to the Pinderlee spread for a single dollar. Clay Hanford knew better. He knew that the thousands of acres of lush grasslands in the Fandango Basin were a graveyard for anybody who got in the way of King Morgan and his killer clan. Old man Pinderlee had gotten out while the getting was good -- and Hanford was moving back in when the odds were bad.

222 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1959

Reviews

[Tim Deforest]

The plot is a pretty standard Western trope--small landowner takes on the greedy big-time rancher. But this one works because of the skill with which the author gives all the characters--major and supporting--well-rounded personalities. The novel also rather overtly and very effectively centers on who each person in the novel must make a conscience decision on whether to act in a moral manner or simply follow along with the man in power. It thus works as a strong morality play as well as a solid Western.