The Broken Gun

by Louis L'Amour

Ninety years ago the Toomey brothers, along with twenty-five other men and four thousand head of cattle, vanished en route to Arizona. When writer and historian Dan Sheridan is invited to the missing brothers’ ranch by its current owner, he jumps at the chance. The visit fits right in with his plan to solve the century-old mystery—but it turns out that his host isn’t a fan of books, writers, or people who don’t mind their own business.

Soon Dan is living the dangers of the Old West firsthand—tracked through the savage wilderness by vicious killers straight out of the most violent pages of his stories. However, his enemies have made one serious Sheridan is no pencil-pushing greenhorn, and killing him won’t be as easy as they think.

Genres: Westerns, Fiction, Adventure, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Novels, Audiobook

192 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1966

About the author

Louis Dearborn L'Amour was an American novelist and short story writer. His books consisted primarily of Western novels, though he called his work "frontier stories". His most widely known Western fiction works include Last of the Breed, Hondo, Shalako, and the Sackett series. L'Amour also wrote historical fiction (The Walking Drum), science fiction (The Haunted Mesa), non-fiction (Frontier), and poetry and short-story collections. Many of his stories were made into films. His books remain popular and most have gone through multiple printings. At the time of his death, almost all of his 105 existing works (89 novels, 14 short-story collections, and two full-length works of nonfiction) were still in print, and he was "one of the world's most popular writers".

Reviews

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

"It was preposterous. This was not the nineteenth century, the day of the [cattle] rustler and gunfighter; this was the day of satellites and moon voyages. Yet here I was, trapped in a corner of western range country just as neatly as [the Toomey brothers] . . . " -- protagonist Dan Sheridan, on page 51

Well, it wasn't quite preposterous, but with The Broken Gun author L'Amour tries something just a little different - instead of his oft-used Gold Rush or post-Civil War setting on the U.S. wild west frontier, this story takes place squarely during its year of publication (1965). However, it is still a plain western tale at heart, just one with numerous mentions of swimming pools, television sets, and motorized vehicles. Main character Dan Sheridan, a L'Amour expy, is a renowned / respected writer conducting research for his next book in rural Arizona when he is 'invited' (politely and covertly kidnapped) to the home of local kingpin rancher Colin Wells. It seems that Sheridan will likely but innocently uncover some long-held secrets about land ownership, so Wells is determined to make him permanently disappear. However, Sheridan (while not quite Rambo or MacGyver clone) has 'a particular set of skills' that makes him a fair opponent to Wells' lineup of hired goons. It was not bad, but it felt like there was a rush to the resolution instead of savoring the suspense of the pursuit.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting take on a Western set in the 1960s. Sheridan a novelist is investigating the disappearance of the Toomey brothers ninety years ago. He is invited to the ranch where they disappeared. There he finds he is in trouble and hunted in the wildness to prevent him finding out a secret.

His hunters underestimate Dan Sheridan and he is no greenhorn as they thought. A great story and different from Louis’s other Westerns and instead set in modern times. Dan along with the pretty Belle and his old Korean army buddy Pio whose brothers have been murdered. Dan finds out the truth and battles the men who want him dead.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh Louis L'amour...I used to always make fun of people that read Louis L'amour, but now I very proudly admit that I belong to that club. They are just fun, pure and simple fun. The writing is quick and the stories perfectly western. I suppose it's not that surprising that I like Louis L'amour, growing up with John Wayne had me primed and ready to fall in love with western reading.


This book was a little different then the others I've read. I it was set in "present times" which, for L'amour, was the sixties. While it still has a western feel, I kind of missed the flat out cowboy business.

There is nothing distinguishing about the story, it is what is - a classic Louis L'amour. Short, fun, to the point and full of "rough-ridin." Good times.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

L'Amour dedicated this book to Alan Ladd and Ladd's best friend William Bendix. It was published a couple years after they both died, and I really felt while reading this that I could see and hear Alan Ladd as the main character. (Bendix was a little harder to pinpoint, mostly because I haven't studied him like I have Ladd. He actually would have worked well in multiple roles here.)

I know that when Alan Ladd starred in "Guns of the Timberland" (1960), which was based on one of L'Amour's books, the two of the became friends. Ladd owned a ranch, so I assume they found some common ground based on that, if nothing else. The official Louis L'Amour website has a very nice autographed picture that Ladd gave L'Amour. On it, he wrote: "To Louis -- Write another one --I am with you -- Alan." I think that, in a way, L'Amour honored that request by writing this book dedicated to Ladd.

All that made reading this book a very poignant experience, but it's such a thrilling book that I didn't have a lot of time for pensively staring into the middle distance every few pages the way I might have otherwise (Alan Ladd is second only to John Wayne in my personal pantheon of favorite actors). "The Broken Gun" is unlike any other L'Amour book I've ever read in one major way: it's set in the middle of the 20th century. In fact, it takes place in the late '60s, when it was written and published. And it almost feels like a hardboiled mystery, the kind that inspired the noir movies Alan Ladd rose to fame with.

[Brad Carr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first L’Amour novel I’ve ever read. I know, I’m starting to read them a little later in my life. I was pleasantly surprised that this was a mystery/thriller. I’m now hooked.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 5 out of 5]

A broken gun is found by a war veteran and writer. Inside is a note. When he investigates the letter, two ranchers try to kill him. Its all about land obtained over ninety years earlier and two missing brothers.

[Rebekah Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
I read this all in one day. It wasn’t intense like some books, but it was a book that kept you reading as there was a lot of danger and mystery that kept getting pieces put together like a puzzle. I love how Louis L’Amour creates such believable characters and paints such vivid word pictures. While this is a more modern western, it has the feeling of the old west with horses and guns and such. I enjoyed it.
There are some swear words used, but not many. This is not a Christian book.

[Steve Scott · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a great concept for a story. A writer of American western history sets out to solve a 95 year old mystery as to the disappearance of 4000 head of cattle and 27 cowboys. He discovers, though, that people are willing to kill to protect that secret from long ago.

It started out strong.

Sadly, it didn’t live up to its promise.

The action sequences were repetitive. The protagonist has a habit of getting captured repeatedly. The bad guys are surprisingly stupid and incompetent.

As with other L’Amour novels the hero climbs a cliff. He’s driven to the limits of endurance. He has an obligatory fistfight with a humongous bully. He saves the day, the girl, and her ranch.

The best novel L’Amour wrote broke away from the formulaic writing of his other works. I thought this would be another one to break the mold…

Nope.

[Brian Grouhel · Rating 5 out of 5]

What Else is there better to do than read an old favourite over again! I have maybe twenty out of my Louis L'Amour collection of just about everything he wrote that are my go to stories for all time. I also have about fourty others that I'll read just because. A great story and plot. Believable characters who know what they are talking about and what they are doing in the meantime. Every story is different but all so familiar! On To The Next!

[Art · Rating 4 out of 5]

One might always think of Louis L'Amour as just a cowboy/western writer. He shows that he is much more in the Broken Gun. My interest is is that area that He wrote about still desulit or has mordern society moved in.
Old stories still circulate and drive people to do crazy things.

[Robert Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. There’s a vast Louis L’Amour section in the used bookstore I frequent, and I decided it was time to read a few of his novels as I am familiar with some of his short Western stories. So, I picked a couple of 'em up that had vintage-painted covers that I enjoy.

The short novel starts just like a pulp detective novel and for the first third of the book, it reads more like that genre with a Western backdrop until we get to the ranch at the end of that first third. The central part of the novel occurs on that ranch and finds the protagonist, a judo-practicing Korean War veteran who spent his formative years cowpunching in Montana, in a situation that I think is a L’Amour strong point. The protagonist must survive the landscape, man against nature, all the while the bad guys serve as a ticking clock not only showing up to spur him along but also threatening his (somewhat contrived) love interest while he’s stuck on the face of a cliff. The last third becomes a Western-style action yarn with plenty of hiding, outsmarting, running, hiding, shooting, and fisticuffs. The denouement wraps up the central mystery which is not really ever in question just judging by the villains' actions.

It is a little formulaic when it comes to L’Amour’s oeuvre, at least the bits I’ve read, but the characters use their brains building up to and during the action, which I like. The last half of the final third of the novel does seem to drag a little while the hero and his war buddy are captive but overall, I would recommend this one. It’s a quick, easy read and delivers on the Western genre with a little detective fiction flavor at mostly the beginning and at the very end.

[E · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always hated Accelerated Reader when growing up. This was likely because my classes were always full of intelligent overachievers who took it way too seriously. Life's too short for that. But one year (perhaps seventh grade?), it was required. As an act of passive-aggression I decided to read nothing but Louis L'Amour stories (I think it was seventh grade because I can picture Joy Wasson rolling her eyes at me; but that surely happened way more than once). This is the one title from that year that has always stuck with me. It's actually a modern-day western, but it shares all the best qualities of those set in years of yore (well, there's no saloon, but there is drinking). The action flies by and is always enjoyable. Makes for great filler between meatier books. And best of all, no one made me take a quiz when I was finished.

[Chris Gager · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not the correct cover, but my paperback(in good shape) is from Bantam, but is a 1995 edition. This is an entertaining if unremarkable "modern" western with connections to the past. Plenty violent in both places. The setting is the rugged country north of Phoenix and west of the Verde river. The author's place names are spot on for the most part, though I couldn't find some of them in my Delorme Atlas for Arizona... On the whole the story deems like a quickie rush job done for the money(Louis L'Amour wrote a LOT of books and stories). Some obvious boo-boos were not edited out, such as... "he had been a runner-up for the All-America.." and "I'll not forget..."(archaic usage). The author hero states: "... I had never liked Jimbo..." even though he'd only just met him. Notes:

- The cover illustration(which I couldn't find) is awkward-looking.

- The villains are sort of cardboard nasty.

- 2.75* rounds up to a 3* rating.

[Daniel Badger · Rating 4 out of 5]

In typical classic LL style, this was a western through and through, however with a 'modern' flair and flavor. I like the idea of throwing a stone in bowling ball fashion to knock a baddie off his horse.

[Maddy Pickett · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️ This is not something id normally read but my grandfather in law recommended it to me and I actually ended up enjoying it! I could really picture the scenes in my head and will probably pick up another book by this author! I was pleasantly surprised.

[Angelique · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this --was written and published in the 1960's and takes place then. A story within a story.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great modern western about a long-ago land grab made right.

[Bob Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked the story, good plot, and great history written into the story.

[Shubes · Rating 4 out of 5]

First things first: I was perusing my collection of Louis L'Amour books (they've been in a storage box for years so I'm reading them all again "for the first time"), and when I snagged this title off the shelf and read the opening line of the second paragraph, I felt a teeny bit deceived and not overly happy. It was obvious by the statement, "Two police cars with flashing lights stood nearby..." that this was NOT your typical Louis L'Amour rough-and-tumble, lightning-fast-on-the-draw western novel, which was what I'd been in the mood for. Because of that, I almost put the book back on its shelf to replace it with a western, but since it's been so long since I'd read any of them, I decided to at least give it a shot.

It was well worth the time reading it. The overall story was pleasantly believable, the main character was .... mehhhh... maybe a wee bit too heroic for my particular taste, but at least he wasn't superman wearing a six-gun. Personally, I think Louis L'Amour would have been a terrific guy to sit down and have coffee with, and just listen to him share his own life experiences; I feel certain that much of the "history" behind his protagonists stem from Louis' own life, and maybe that's why I find some of his characters hard to relate to...Louis L'Amour had a very interesting life and nowadays its difficult to actually comprehend one man having such a wide and varying range of life experiences.

Meanwhile, back to the story...The story is well-told, believable, fun, and an overall easy read. The biggest complaint - seriously, the BIGGEST complaint! - that I have is simply that the book cover itself (the version that I read) was misleading. I was fully expecting another good Louis L'Amour, but instead, I got handed a good Louis L'Amour novel of a modern-day "cowboy" with a big heart. And of course, the hero always gets the girl...

[Calvan Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written in the 1960s, and taking place in the era in which it was written, this is not your typical L'Amour old western. I did not actually realize the setting when I started reading, so I thought it was a clever surprise!

Besides the slightly more modern timeframe, the book follows typical L'Amour prose. A reluctant hero with a lot more skills/know-how then he what initially seems finds himself in the middle of a fight that's not his own, and meets a captivating young lady with a spitfire personality, and uses wit and gumption to overcome insurmountable odds with the help of his Indian cohort.

Pretty much black and white.

But also, pretty much non-stop fun from cover to cover.

[Rob Smith, Jr. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I see a well illustrated old west themed cover to a Louis L'Amour book, the title 'The Broken Gun' and I plunge into a novel that instantly confuses me. It takes a few pages to realize when in time this novel falls. There is no mention of it. There is a mention of 90 years before...but, before what?

By the third page the Korean War is mentioned.

Involving stroytelling, time should be established in some way off the top if a story about different time periods is being unraveled. Instead L'Amour leaves the reader at drift trying to figure out what's going on.

Making the early part of the book worse is L'Amour's poor approach to literally illustrating an urban setting.

Once the novel goes out to ranch lands of sand and rock, L'Amour hits his stride in describing the setting. But, time gets away from him again. L'Amour clearly had trouble with writing about his present.

A number of things bother me about the writing of this book. One involved an over long chase near the end. Another was one sentence involving a character that vanishes. Though clearly not the intent, the line is more surreal than consistent with the rhythm of the story.

The story is shakey, at best, and the conclusion over obvious.

Bottom line: I don't recommend this book. 4 out of ten.

[Justin Pendrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Broken Gun is yet another satisfying western that has all the essential parts of an easy reader. This is a modern western which has a mystery surrounding a ranch in the middle of no mans land, and it bring this place to life. I would suggest this book to anyone who wants to read something quick, easy, and with an inevitable happy ending. This book was different to the last L'amour book I read because of the modernish setting and the romantic angle.

[Damián Ponce · Rating 3 out of 5]

En El arma rota nos encontramos una historia de tierras, ranchos y venganzas desde hace 90 años. Tenemos un protagonista escritor con dotes parecidas a las de Rambo y una conspiración en marcha. Sabía que L'Amour escribía de cuatreros y la frontera pero aquí tenemos una historia más actual que no pierde un ápice frente a una historia far west.
Es mi primera aproximación a este autor y ya tengo su mítico "Hondo" en la cola.

[Raymond Fleer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was good. There was a writer who was doing some research on the Toomey Brothers. He got invited out to the ranch of the Toomey Brothers. He got out there and there was trouble from the get go. They wanted to kill him because they did not want to lose their ranch. They tried everything to get rid of him and the girl of the other ranch to have more land.

[Rosalind · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite Louis L'Amour novels. I love the way he plants surprises for his characters and readers. I love how the men underestimate Sheridan and find him to be more of an opponent than they first suspect he is. Great read!

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is also one of L'Amour's modern westerns. There is a nice mystery here but overall I prefer his more traditional westerns.

[Monica Willyard Moen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes you really need to see the good guys win. The action in this book is fast-paced, tough, and smart. Yes, parts of it are probably beyond belief. It was fun anyway.

[Gary Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

33rd book read in 2016.

Number 360 out of 526 on my all time book list.

Review Pending:

[Ty Bedell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is set in modern time; I prefer his stories in the past.

[Connie Berger · Rating 5 out of 5]

From a day before cell phones and the internet.