Posse from Hell

by Clair Huffaker

Clair Huffaker was a legendary western screenwriter and author. His screenplays include The Comancheros, Hellfighters, and War Wagon starring John Wayne, along with Flaming Star, Seven Ways from Sundown, Rio Conchos, and Posse from Hell. Huffaker also wrote for TV western series such as Bonanza, The Rifleman, The Virginian, and Rawhide. Many of his movies were based on his bestselling books. Huffaker was a cowboy, a champion boxer, a part-time smuggler, and a writer for Time, Inc. in New York. He served in the Navy in World War II, studied in Europe, and eventually returned to the US where he began his career as a freelance writer. He wrote short stories, screenplays, and novels at his home in Los Angeles, which was a gathering place for actors, stuntmen, directors, and writers who could regularly be found there shooting pool, playing poker, and exchanging tall tales.

Genres: Westerns

125 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1958

About the author

Clair Huffaker was a U.S. author of westerns and other fiction, many of which were turned into films. His screenplays included such films as "Flaming Star" (1960), "The Commancheros" (1961), "Rio Conchos" (1964), and "The War Wagon" (1967). His TV scripts showed up on "The Virginian", "Lawman" and "Bonanza". Clair wrote screenplays for 3 Euro-westerns, "100 Rifles" (1969), "The Deserter" (1971), "Chino" (1973) and was thanked along with Sergio Corbucci in the 1995 film "Jonathan of the Bears" (1995).

He was married to Norma Lee Fink, a legendary attorney. Their daughter is Samantha C. Kirkeby, a prominent script supervisor who has worked on scores of big pictures including the “Pirates of the Caribbean” trilogy and “3000 miles to Graceland”.

Reviews

[Edwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't read many westerns, but when I do I wish that they could be as good as this one. After the town of Paradise is brutally robbed by a gang of fearsome outlaws young deputy Banner Cole and a ragtag and generally inept posse attempt to bring the outlaws to justice. Well paced and action packed the novel is a quick read. Mr. Huffaker is a fine writer with large catalog of novels and TV shows under his belt.

[Calvin Daniels · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only 120 pages but a highly entertaining western read. Characters you loathed, not all outlaws. Good guys you felt for when they died. Just excellent.

[Josh Hitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great western written by a master of the genre. Four escaped killers take over a town and kills the sheriff. The next day the deputy comes back in town, finds out what happened, and forms a possee. Well he tries, seems the town is a little yellow. He is left with seven men of various worth to go after killers.

Highly recommended. Huffaker was a master at taking a small group and having their personalities come through in a believable way.

[Regan MacArthur · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the movie just a little bit better but I don't feel bad about that because Huffaker adapted it for the screen himself. It's a great story. I'll say the movie's more upbeat and leave it at that.

[Richard Guerrero · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty good simple western read. Would not be top of my list but not bad.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is many years since I read a book by Huffaker but once I'd finished, this one, I realised that I shouldn't have left it so long.

A story which really tore at my heart in places.