Once Upon a Dead Man

by Peter Brandvold

Book Overview

Old Marshal Boomhauer's been murdered-and the town of Lone Pine has something to hide. Sheriff Ben Stillman isn't going home until he's served up some justice-whether it's by the rules or not.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0425188965
• ISBN13: 9780425188965
• Release Date: February 2003
• Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group
• Length: 197 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 4.4" x 6.9"

Customer Reviews

I hope you boys have settled up with your maker, 'cause you're gonna see him soon."

Wow! what a barnburner of a western adventure. In this novel Peter Brandvold reaches into his basketful of writing talents and astute understanding of the Old West;and comes up with story that holds you in his grasp from the opening page right up to the end. How's this for a line to finish a great tale? "Stillman turned in his saddle and headed for home." One of the things that really impresses me about Peter's novels, is his skill in coming up with a line written like an artist paints with his brush. This is the kind of thing you'll find scattered throughout his novels; "Then he stopped,dropped to his knees,and fell face-forward in a sage clump--deader than a hangman's soul." or, "Well,Stillman," the Lone Pine marshal said caustically , "What the hell's all the shooting about?" "Ask him,"Stillman said,jerking a thumb at the dead man. "Corey walked around Stillman and looked down. "Hell's bells. you sure snuffed his candle." And how about this? "That's for when you tried to drygulch me the other night Nick, "Stillman said. "And for the hoorawing party you directed me to the other day. When you want to dance again,let me know. You try backshooting me again, you yellow slime, I'll blow your worthless head off." He started away, and stopped, turning back. "And when you hang, it'll be for Charlie." The star of this novel is Ben Stillman,Sheriff of Hill County,Montana Territory ; but that doesn't prevent him from leaving his jurisdiction in search of the killer or killers of one of his fellow lawmen; with the iron willed determination to bring them to justice. Peter gives us everything a western reader wants,the pursuit, ambushes,main street shoot-outs,saloon fights,trapped in a cave,murder of a band of Gypsies,and the ever tempting of those gals of the Old West. Here is where this yarn has a very different slant;Stillman is a married man." Married to a woman he loved more than life itself." A great ,action-packed story that would delight any reader of sagas of the Old West.When you pick up one of Brandvort's westerns,you better hold on tight; 'cause he's gonna take you on a wild ride.

A Man to Reckon With

Peter Brandvold puts familiar plots in his lively Westerns, but adds his own signature in a unique and endearing way. The scheming town banker and dominating rancher with their host of enforcers stacked against homesteaders and gypsies provides a familiar western theme. But Brandvold has a special knack for making his story come alive. This, his latest, paints a colorful picture of his protagonist lawman Ben Stillman. You can depend on Brandvold to etch an indelible image of the lawman in realistic (meaning very human) terms. As Stillman gets caught in a deadly battle in Lone Pine, something he didn't ask for but never backs away from, you see the lawman's limits along with his sterling character. Author Brandvold brings out parts of the real west (thunder mugs, for example) along with the very human Stillman (struggling with love and devotion to his wife Fay when faced with unexpected temptation from Nell). Through it all shines a fast-paced, well-structured, more than traditional Western that would make Louis L'Amour proud. That's now become standard fare for Peter Brandvold.