Quince Fremont, wanted for a crime he did not commit; Rachel Kincaid, en route to her family's ranch from Boston; and Damon Parker, a notorious gambler, find their fates tied to the journey of a single stagecoach that is carrying $100,000.
Robert Vaughan is an American writer. He has also written a series of contemporary and historical romance novels under several pseudonyms including "Paula Moore" and "Paula Fairman". His father served in the military and Robert followed him in the 1950s, entering army aviation. He served until the Vietnam War and won numerous medals including the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, the Air Medal with several oak-leaf clusters, the Meritorious Service Medal, and several other medals. His early books reflected his military background: the first novel was about the US Army along the DMZ in Korea, followed by a trilogy set in Vietnam. There are more than 9 million of his books in print under various names. He was inducted into the Writers’ Hall of Fame in 1998.
Quince Fremont begins "Runaway Stage" (2002) in a jail cell, being held for participating in a gang's bank robbery that he actually wasn't involved in. A number of other connected characters are travelling to Antelope Springs, Wyoming for various reasons on the eponymous stagecoach.
Verdict: A good western via the Compton-created Sundown Riders series, "Runaway Stage" has fun characters, smart twists and turns, a fun plot with well-written action sequences, and high personal stakes.
Jeff's Rating: 3 / 5 (Good) movie rating if made into a movie: PG-13
Robert Vaughan writes a good Western. Starts with the escape from prison by an innocent man. The next group is two women and a girl returning home on a train where they board a stage. The next is a Sheriff that is paid extra to protect a $100,000 being shipped on the stage by a banking clerk. The stage driver is an experienced man and the shotgun is a ex-con. The stage is pursued by the same gang that framed the innocent man. Action packed and good character development.