Big Jake's Last Drive

Trail Drive #26

by Ralph Compton

Two old ranch hands lead one last trail drive but they can't escape death along the way in a brand new thrilling western in Ralph Compton's trail drive series.Big Jake Motley had been running the Big M spread in Texas for over 30 years. In that time, he's driven thousands of head of cattle to market in Kansas. Now, while both the Nineteenth century and the era of trail drive are coming to an end, Big Jake is determined to make one last drive to Kansas. The only thing is, he doesn't have the cowhands to move that much beef. He drafts his old friend, Chance McCandles, into service, and together, the two aging cowboys put together a crew.The trail to Kansas is fraught with dangers both natural and man made, but when Chance is killed by rustlers, Big Jake has one more task in before him, extract vengeance for his old friend.

Genres: Westerns

320 pages, Paperback

First published June 2, 2020

About the author

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.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/ralphc...

Reviews

[David Burnworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Big Jake once owned the big successful ranch named the Big M after his wife passed away things slowly started going downhill. Jake stays to himself loses all of his friends including his foreman and then has to sell the ranch. He decides to do one last drive and that is where this story actually starts. Though successful the drive has enough ups and downs including the death of one on his crew and a huge payback for it.

[Shortie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was one of his better books

[Ray Ratliff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book about revenge in the old west.

[Joe Farley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good old western that’s an easy read. Enjoyed Big Jakes character and western values.

[Leonard · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lo of fun to read about 2 old cowboys who decide to make the last cattle drive to Dodge City. There is always a bad guy and how they handle him is a fun read.