Wes Stone, son of The Gunfighter, has pursued his father's murderers, the Sandlin Gang, throughout the Sierra Nevadas. Yet in his quest for revenge, he has uncovered their nefarious plan to loot four United States mints. The odds are long and the stakes are high as Stone must hunt down and face a mercenary army guarding a mysterious train, which is already 700 miles ahead of him and headed straight for the Denver mint. Abridged.
Ralph Compton (April 11, 1934—September 16, 1998) was an American writer of western fiction.
A native of St. Clair County, Alabama, Compton began his writing career with a notable work, The Goodnight Trail, which was chosen as a finalist for the Western Writers of America "Medicine Pipe Bearer Award" bestowed upon the "Best Debut Novel". He was also the author of the Sundown Rider series and the Border Empire series. In the last decade of his life, he authored more than two dozen novels, some of which made it onto the USA Today bestseller list for fiction.
Ralph Compton died in Nashville, Tennessee at the age of 64. Since his passing, Signet Books has continued the author's legacy, releasing new novels, written by authors such as Joseph A. West and David Robbins, under Compton's byline.
Men fighting for the survival of the United States. Treasonous idea of overthrowing the government such as it was. The Secret Service had agents who hunted down counterfeiters and any other anti-government acts. This author hits all aspects and suspects who are guilty. He also writes about how the times were advancing and the west was going along with the trying to halt or catch these men before they escaped. Brothel owners, saloon owners were you could easily hire killers for a price. Life in the west came and went cheap. Slavery, human trafficking into Mexico, women and young girls kidnapped off the street by these people.
I rarely do not finish a book once I have started reading it, but I made an exception with this one. The book is part of a series and it cannot stand alone. There must have been 20 references to previous books in the first 30 pages. Also, the book is very poorly written. Just not interesting at all. I do not recommend this book.
I am not normally a western fan but a few writers seem to jump out and grab me. Ralph Compton writes a quick paced and very historically accurate book. Nice read with great characters. Very recommended