Cash Laramie Rides Again in "Manhunter's Mountain" by Wayne D. Dundee

I’ve enjoyed all of David Cranmer’s Cash Laramie stories, and I’m pleased to report that this entry by Wayne Dundee is a great read too.

When Cash goes after an escaped bank robber named Lobo Ames, he inadvertently causes the dying town of Silver Gulch to lose it’s only saloon and it’s last two whores. Understandably, the citizens are a might disgruntled. So when Cash sets out to haul Lobo back to civilization (with the two whores tagging along), a few of those citizens decide to ambush him.

To complicate matters, in rides Cole Bouchet, a bounty hunter who’s set his sites on Lobo, and doesn’t care how he gets him. Cash now has five men on his trail, three folks slowing him down, and a storm approaching fast. Yikes.

I took an instant liking to Wayne Dundee’s creation Cole Bouchet - who has the makings of a great anti-hero. He’s every bit as tough as Cash, and twice as ruthless. As the story plays out, Bouchet proves himself a bit too ruthless and depraved for a returning anti-hero role, but he’s a good indication of what Mr. Dundee is capable of, and I’d like to see a similar but more palatable character in his own series.

Meanwhile, I’ll be catching up on other adventures of Cash and his pal Gideon Miles from Mr. Cranmer’s growing posse of Edward A. Graingers.