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The Circuit Rider #2
Killer's Draw
In the follow-up to The Circuit Rider, award-winning writer Dan Ames brings us back into the dusty, dangerous world of enigmatic itinerant preacher Mike Tower and his trusty right-hand woman, the hard-drinking, gun-slinging Bird Hitchcock.
Tower is sent to the Wyoming boomtown of Big River, where a young preacher has been viciously murdered, his crucified body left in a small valley known as Killer’s Draw. When Tower and Bird arrive in town, it quickly becomes obvious that no one wants to talk about the preacher—not about his life or his death. Tower is disturbed by the townspeople’s silence, and Bird’s no help—she disappeared into the nearest saloon as soon as they got off the train. Tower promptly finds himself in need of Bird’s quick reflexes as locals begin dying at an unnatural rate, and the circuit rider and his companion become the prime targets in the mysterious killer’s sights.
A fast-paced tale of two mismatched vigilantes with a taste for justice, Killer’s Draw is a booze-soaked, blood-splattered Wild West adventure.
Tower is sent to the Wyoming boomtown of Big River, where a young preacher has been viciously murdered, his crucified body left in a small valley known as Killer’s Draw. When Tower and Bird arrive in town, it quickly becomes obvious that no one wants to talk about the preacher—not about his life or his death. Tower is disturbed by the townspeople’s silence, and Bird’s no help—she disappeared into the nearest saloon as soon as they got off the train. Tower promptly finds himself in need of Bird’s quick reflexes as locals begin dying at an unnatural rate, and the circuit rider and his companion become the prime targets in the mysterious killer’s sights.
A fast-paced tale of two mismatched vigilantes with a taste for justice, Killer’s Draw is a booze-soaked, blood-splattered Wild West adventure.
- GenresWesterns
MP3 CD
First published July 30, 2013
47 people are currently reading
253 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
December 23, 2019
(NOTE: I'm stingy with stars. For me 2 stars means a good book or a B. 3 stars means a very good book or a B+. 4 stars means an outstanding book or an A {only about 5% of the books I read merit 4 stars}. 5 stars means an all time favorite or an A+ {Only one of 400 or 500 books rates this!).
This sequel was not as good as the first one but still fun.
This sequel was not as good as the first one but still fun.
December 31, 2016
finished this one this afternoon. good story.
July 21, 2017
Please more of Tower and Bird,especially now that she found out she has a sister
Love the characters,the story line is amazing. Please write a third book with these characters. I love Tower ,Bird, and now Paige.
Love the characters,the story line is amazing. Please write a third book with these characters. I love Tower ,Bird, and now Paige.
March 10, 2019
Love this series
If you like western and crime fiction, give these books a shot. Plenty of action and suspense. The only downfall to them is that there is an extra word thrown in in places but it is quite easy to read around. I'm hoping there is another book coming soon.
If you like western and crime fiction, give these books a shot. Plenty of action and suspense. The only downfall to them is that there is an extra word thrown in in places but it is quite easy to read around. I'm hoping there is another book coming soon.
November 19, 2020
Great book!
Bird is a interesting women and certainly not the typical western gal. The story moves along well and held my interest. Shady closed mouth no goods a aplenty. Hold on, you're going for a ride in the wild West.
Bird is a interesting women and certainly not the typical western gal. The story moves along well and held my interest. Shady closed mouth no goods a aplenty. Hold on, you're going for a ride in the wild West.
February 23, 2025
Absolutely fantastic, short and sweet. Action, great characters, especially Bird. One of a kind.
April 2, 2025
I am enjoying this unusual and gripping western series with very quirky and complex lead characters and very intriguing, twisty storylines. Looking forward now to Valley of the Dead.
March 14, 2025
For Tower and Bird life is often taking them into unexpected and often lethal directions.
When a young preacher has been killed in Big River, his body found in a valley called Killer's Draw, it is Tower and Bird who got to investigate this event.
If only that one death was all. Others soon followed and with Tower and Bird becoming likely targets as well.
Killer's Draw by Dan Ames and Dani Amore is quite the gritty Western full of deceitful and violent characters that make for a lot of teeth gnashing for both characters and this reader.
Enjoy.
When a young preacher has been killed in Big River, his body found in a valley called Killer's Draw, it is Tower and Bird who got to investigate this event.
If only that one death was all. Others soon followed and with Tower and Bird becoming likely targets as well.
Killer's Draw by Dan Ames and Dani Amore is quite the gritty Western full of deceitful and violent characters that make for a lot of teeth gnashing for both characters and this reader.
Enjoy.
January 29, 2014
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
I like westerns...always have...always will. One thing that has always drawn me to the western is the strong male lead. He has good work ethics, he knows how to treat people, he is fair, he is tough and he can shoot fast and straight. I've never read one where a woman fills that role and if you would have told me that it could have been well written, I would have doubted. I doubt no more. Bird Hitchcock is awesome. Bird and Tower make a perfect pair - each balancing the other out. The book have a very good storyline, there was great romantic tension between Bird and Tower and both leads are tough enough to carry the book by themselves but after you have seen them work together you cannot imagine it any other way. I am not sure what a Kindle Serial is but this one is worth looking into. I think this is the second in the series and I will be looking into this serial business to find out more. If you like westerns with a twist...this is it. It is progressive enough to draw new fans to the genre but will in no way offend us old school guys who followed Leonard, Brand, Compton or L'amour. Try it out and I'm sure you will agree.
I like westerns...always have...always will. One thing that has always drawn me to the western is the strong male lead. He has good work ethics, he knows how to treat people, he is fair, he is tough and he can shoot fast and straight. I've never read one where a woman fills that role and if you would have told me that it could have been well written, I would have doubted. I doubt no more. Bird Hitchcock is awesome. Bird and Tower make a perfect pair - each balancing the other out. The book have a very good storyline, there was great romantic tension between Bird and Tower and both leads are tough enough to carry the book by themselves but after you have seen them work together you cannot imagine it any other way. I am not sure what a Kindle Serial is but this one is worth looking into. I think this is the second in the series and I will be looking into this serial business to find out more. If you like westerns with a twist...this is it. It is progressive enough to draw new fans to the genre but will in no way offend us old school guys who followed Leonard, Brand, Compton or L'amour. Try it out and I'm sure you will agree.
February 20, 2014
I read this in one day so it's certainly easy to read and entertaining. The reason I didn't give it a higher rating is that it bothers me when a book falls short on details. Dani More frequently uses words wrong here and has historical inaccuracies. And the monumental coincidence that wraps up the book is just ridiculous. But that said, if you don't notice things like that---this is a fantastic book. If you do notice those sorts of details, then you might still enjoy the book, I did, but it might not be the best book to buy.
One thing that amused me at the start was that the book was dedicated to Elmore Leonard and then led off with a floridly written first chapter which is nothing like Leonard's writing at all. Fortunately Amore settled into a far more engaging voice for the rest of the book.
The two main characters, Mike Tower and Bird Hitchcock, are both engaging but Tower is far more realistic. Hitchcock is mostly a caricature due to her impossibly high consumption of alcohol, often drinking several bottles of whiskey a day, but despite that she's still likable though she was pushing the line with the fellow who was branding his cattle.
One thing that amused me at the start was that the book was dedicated to Elmore Leonard and then led off with a floridly written first chapter which is nothing like Leonard's writing at all. Fortunately Amore settled into a far more engaging voice for the rest of the book.
The two main characters, Mike Tower and Bird Hitchcock, are both engaging but Tower is far more realistic. Hitchcock is mostly a caricature due to her impossibly high consumption of alcohol, often drinking several bottles of whiskey a day, but despite that she's still likable though she was pushing the line with the fellow who was branding his cattle.
September 6, 2013
Louis Lamour was one of the first author where I read his entire cannon. He did keep writing books long after I stopped enjoying them.
There were other western writers I enjoyed such as Jonas Ward who may have written under other names and the greatest of them all, Elmore Leonard.
I don't consider McMurtry or Cormac to be western genre writers. They write novels that take place in a geographic place that is southwestern USA but the violate the genre in too many ways. (and they are great novelists.)
This series is too artificial. Almost like those made for TV movies with Tom Selleck.
But hey! I am reading the second installment and I knew what I was getting in to. I don't read books just because I have them. If it was all that awful I would read something else.
There were other western writers I enjoyed such as Jonas Ward who may have written under other names and the greatest of them all, Elmore Leonard.
I don't consider McMurtry or Cormac to be western genre writers. They write novels that take place in a geographic place that is southwestern USA but the violate the genre in too many ways. (and they are great novelists.)
This series is too artificial. Almost like those made for TV movies with Tom Selleck.
But hey! I am reading the second installment and I knew what I was getting in to. I don't read books just because I have them. If it was all that awful I would read something else.
February 8, 2014
* I received this book through the Goodreads Sweepstakes*
I am not a fan of Westerns. Why? I don't like violence and killing and don't particularly like to read about it either. That said, this was a good book with a fast pace that keep me turning the pages instead of putting the book down. Loved the heroes and the manner in which the author wrote about them made me want to get to know more about them (that oftentimes does NOT happen). Bird is an incredibly wonderful character who I wish the author had expanded on a little more. She is just the right amount of tough/vulnerable; a person you want to scoop up and help yet do it in such a way that you don't have a bullet put through your head. I think it will be interesting to see what happens between Bird and Frannie in the next book.
I am not a fan of Westerns. Why? I don't like violence and killing and don't particularly like to read about it either. That said, this was a good book with a fast pace that keep me turning the pages instead of putting the book down. Loved the heroes and the manner in which the author wrote about them made me want to get to know more about them (that oftentimes does NOT happen). Bird is an incredibly wonderful character who I wish the author had expanded on a little more. She is just the right amount of tough/vulnerable; a person you want to scoop up and help yet do it in such a way that you don't have a bullet put through your head. I think it will be interesting to see what happens between Bird and Frannie in the next book.
May 9, 2015
Love a good western themed story
Dan Ames' books never disappoint. They are fast paced, have some humor and seem plausible. The characters of Tower and Bird relationship is one of mutual respect, even though they are very different in personalities. This is a good old fashion murder mystery without unnecessary love scenes. The only disappointing thing about the story is the question of Bird's health. Maybe that will be addressed in the next circuit rider book. Will she quit drinking to save her own life or will her sister take her place. Hope I didn't give away the story.
Dan Ames' books never disappoint. They are fast paced, have some humor and seem plausible. The characters of Tower and Bird relationship is one of mutual respect, even though they are very different in personalities. This is a good old fashion murder mystery without unnecessary love scenes. The only disappointing thing about the story is the question of Bird's health. Maybe that will be addressed in the next circuit rider book. Will she quit drinking to save her own life or will her sister take her place. Hope I didn't give away the story.
March 26, 2019
Intriguing plot to go back to western days, with a sheriff, saloon, and riding horses. One doesn’t come across someone like Bird, she loves good whiskey, and packing a gun. Riding along with the preacher Tower, who she’d like to make a companion of a drinking buddy. Sent to find out why the preacher was not just murdered but tortured. The town people are hostile, more murder, even sheriff wants them out of town. They don’t have answers yet, and Bird, says it’s the finest beer she has had and wouldn’t say no to having more.
Amusing, dry humor, and enjoyable to read. As all the author and his versatile writing is always good to read.
Amusing, dry humor, and enjoyable to read. As all the author and his versatile writing is always good to read.
April 4, 2014
An easy read. A high school student would enjoy this. I timed myself, the chapters fly by in less than 2 minutes each. It's a good story, but lacks depth, description and the development of subplots. A drunk woman sidekick to a preacher with a past investigate a murder of a old west preacher. Devious under world activities twist together to draw the reader to the mildly surprising end. It's on the opposite end of the western literary spectrum from Zane Grey who over-describes scenes. I got the book from Goodreads to test it out and it was worth my time.
September 6, 2013
Another in the continuing (hopefully) adventures of Bird Hitchcock and Mike Tower. This time investigating the death of a fellow preacher, they come up against hidden enemies and both face death in grisly fashion. Well written by Dani Amore. I recommend this book highly for both western fans and Dani Amore fans.
May 28, 2014
This was a good read. I wasn't expecting it to be enjoyable and thought the subject matter would be quite tame. Instead the story was powerful enough to make a clean kill. It's an easy book, even though I'm sure it's meant to be a sequel to a book that I haven't read. It makes you care about its characters.
October 5, 2016
Last sentence surprised me
The book being a sequel to "The Circuit Rider" continues with it twists and turns. Not as good in my opinion but still ok. Disappointed I paid $3.99 for it but..... The shock was the last sentence in the book which totally caught me off guard. The is no other book to elaborate Bird's sisters remark. Disappointed.
The book being a sequel to "The Circuit Rider" continues with it twists and turns. Not as good in my opinion but still ok. Disappointed I paid $3.99 for it but..... The shock was the last sentence in the book which totally caught me off guard. The is no other book to elaborate Bird's sisters remark. Disappointed.
December 29, 2016
Well Written Western
A good yarn. Made me want to read the first book in this series to help fill in the backstories. A few holes here and there and with a large cast of characters better development would have been helpful. But it moves quickly and there is a lot of action. Rapport between the main characters is very good. If you like westerns you will enjoy this book.
A good yarn. Made me want to read the first book in this series to help fill in the backstories. A few holes here and there and with a large cast of characters better development would have been helpful. But it moves quickly and there is a lot of action. Rapport between the main characters is very good. If you like westerns you will enjoy this book.
October 2, 2013
Fast paced with plenty of characters that you have to carefully keep track off.
Getting worried for Bird's alcoholism that's beginning to show its negative effects.
Fairly happy ending, if you call a cliffhanger a happy one.
Getting worried for Bird's alcoholism that's beginning to show its negative effects.
Fairly happy ending, if you call a cliffhanger a happy one.
March 16, 2014
Really enjoyed this one. I like Dani's westerns. Looking forward to more Circuit Rider episodes!
February 12, 2014
Takes me back to how primitive the Old West could be! Dani Amore is an outstanding author and I adore the twists and turns and the end. You get to know the characters well.
December 23, 2014
Enjoyed reading
Started with the Circuit Rider and enjoyed. Continued with Killers Draw and the interesting characters. Easy but fun read. Will read Dan I Amore again.
Started with the Circuit Rider and enjoyed. Continued with Killers Draw and the interesting characters. Easy but fun read. Will read Dan I Amore again.
May 13, 2016
This book was not what I expected. It was slow in places, even though I liked the story line. I will have to read another by the author before deciding whether or not to continue with the series.
September 30, 2015
Quick action, twists, ....
Turns and excellent characterization. A good sequel for The Circuit Rider. If all of Dan Ames' books are this good, I'm a fan
Turns and excellent characterization. A good sequel for The Circuit Rider. If all of Dan Ames' books are this good, I'm a fan
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews