Burgade's Crossing

by Bill Pronzini

For more than three decades, award-winning author Bill Pronzini has been creating some of the finest writing of the West. Collected here, for the first time in paperback, are eight stories featuring one of his most interesting characters—John Frederick Quincannon, a U.S. Secret Service agent turned private detective. Quincannon's cases take him from the Mojave Desert to San Francisco's unsavory Barbary Coast. With the help of innumerable disguises—and his beautiful and clever partner, Sabina Carpenter—Quincannon takes on ruthless counterfeiters, legendary gamblers and notorious assassins. But with enemies at every turn, even the best sleuth may find himself in a deadly trap.

Genres: Mystery, Short Stories

226 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2003

About the author

Mystery Writers of America Awards "Grand Master" 2008
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1999) for Boobytrap
Edgar Awards Best Novel nominee (1998) for A Wasteland of Strangers
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1997) for Sentinels
Shamus Awards "The Eye" (Lifetime achievment award) 1987
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1982) for Hoodwink

Married to author Marcia Muller.

Pseudonyms:
Robert Hart Davis (collaboration with Jeffrey M. Wallmann)
Jack Foxx
William Jeffrey (collaboration with Jeffrey M. Wallmann)
Alex Saxon

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

These amusing short stories provided comic relief for me as refreshing breaks from a rather heavy Italian Renaissance book I was reading. I almost felt as though I was watching Saturday Westerns, a thing I did with my brothers (Hop-along Cassidy and his horse Topper). These particular "Westerns" are California adventures of a pair of investigators based in San Francisco, apparently called "fly cops" by those who tried to avoid them. Quincannon (great name, by the way) and Sabina had previous experience before forming their partnership, Quincannon a former U.S. Secret Service operative and Sabina had worked for Allan Pinkerton.
In the first offering Quincannon arrives at Burgade's Inn where he is greeted as a Johnny Reb.
'''I was born in Baltimore,' Quincannon admitted, 'but I've lived in California for fifteen years.'
'Once a Johnny Reb, always a Johnny Reb. Spot one of you a mile away. Only good Reb's a dead one, you ask me.'
'The Civil War has been over for thirty years, Mister Dana.'
'Tell that to my right eye. It's been pining for the left one for more'n thirty years. Damned Reb shot it out at Antietam.' He clumped out and banged the door behind him."
If this repartee appeals to you, you may also enjoy this short story collection as I did.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of western short stories featuring a private detective named John Quincannon. They have a bit of a Pinkerton vibe to them. All are relatively short and fairly slight mysteries but give Quincannon a chance to showcase his action skills. Although not overly funny, there's a humorous edge to them. Part of the running joke in this collection is how Quincannon is in love with his partner, Sabina Carpenter but cannot break through her resistance to any intimacy. The writing is very good.

[Jeff Tankersley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Burgade's Crossing, Bill Pronzini (mystery, western)
Jeff Book Review #209

"He stood shivering under the lean-to, his hand still resting on the butt of his revolver, alternately watching the river and the road down from the inn. It wasn't long before he heard the first shrill blast of the Yosemite's whistle; she was on schedule despite the foul weather. Less than a minute later her three tiers of blurred lights appeared, and at almost the same instant lamp glow spilled out through the front door of the inn and a slicker-clad figure emerged. Quincannon tensed, drawing back against the shelter wall."

A collection of detective author Bill Pronzini mystery-westerns that were originally published in the mid-90's, "Burgade's Crossing" has eight short stories featuring a private eye named John Quincannon. There's a definite Hammett PI influence here as Quincannon and his partner, a woman named Sabina Carpenter, work mysteries to thwart assassination attempts, catch outlaws on the run, return stolen jewelry, and prevent a gang war in San Francisco's Chinatown, among others.

Red Dead 2 players will feel like they are reading detective stories taking place in Saint-Denis and Annesburg.

Verdict: Pronzini's writing style is great. When he's at his best, you get atmospheric descriptions that place you in the protagonist's head in a way that few authors are able to do. Mystery readers, noir crime fans, and western fans would really like Burgade's Crossing.

Jeff's Rating: 4 / 5 (Very Good)
movie rating if made into a movie: PG-13

[D. E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

An RJR Western About An ex Secret Service Agent /Murder In The First

RJR has penned a book about a young westerner that becomes s Secret Service Agent who is assigned various missions across the United States and the remains open arras of the West. This ius an excellent read for the genre.....ER