The Killing Claim

Edge #41

by George G. Gilman

Ridin' high through the Montana mountains, Edge comes across Barney Galton, a dying miner, and his vicious German shepherd. Galton strikes a bargain with Edge: for a proper burial and caring for the dog, the fortune in the old man’s mine will be his.

The old man dies and Edge is left with a canine who has a taste for human flesh. The trouble has just begun…looking for the gold, Edge finds out that a lot off people want a piece of Galton’s legendary fortune. Edge begins to wonder if he is digging for gold – or digging his own grave.

Genres: Westerns

182 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 1, 1982

About the author

A pseudonym used by Terry Harknett.

Edge (61 books as George G. Gilman)
Adam Steele (49 books as George G. Gilman)
Edge Meets Adam Steele (3 books as George G. Gilman)
The Undertaker (6 books as George G. Gilman)

Reviews

[Charles · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of the odder installments in the Edge series. Edge stumbles on a dying miner and his dog. If Edge agrees to bury the fellow and take care of his dog, the miner will give his claim to the loner. Edge doesn't care about the claim but he does bury the guy and then makes friends with the dog. In fact, he and the dog become inseparable and Edge clearly develops affection for the animal. Things go wrong toward the end, of course.

The first half of this book had the least action of any Edge book I've read. It wasn't exactly boring but it was very unusual for most of these books. It also showed a much softer Edge. I didn't mind that but it certainly seemed out of character.