If you're into action and adventure and enjoy well-researched stories set in the Old West, you’re going to love Claire Whitcomb!Take a thrilling ride from the boom towns of Colorado filled with charlatans and unsung heroes, to the infamous shootout at the OK Corral in Tombstone, Arizona Territory. Hunt a notorious outlaw through the unforgiving Sonoran Desert, filled with renegade Apache, rattlesnakes, and rumors of gold.Meticulously researched, the books follow Claire Whitcomb as she crosses paths with some of history's most notable figures, including Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday. Find out what really happened during the 30-second shootout that echoed around the world and landed Tombstone on the map.Filled with interesting facts gleaned from deep research and interviews with experts on the era, the Claire Whitcomb Western Collection combines all the thrills and action you've come to expect from D.V.’s books with an exciting take on what really happened in the Old West.Download this exciting new adventure series readers are raving about!
"...an awesome read that will keep you on the edge of your seat." ~Linda Balicki"Author D.V. Berkom outdid herself." ~Sue Olexa"The book is constant action from start to finish." ~ Lonnie Huff"This is a great series, well researched, well written and easy to read." ~ Gill Powell"The series is an excellent read." ~ Lynda Custer"This book was fun to read!" ~ James, early reader"...an exceptional and highly captivating new series that I cannot recommend highly enough." ~ Kim, early reader"Another great book in the new D. V. Berkom Western series. The characters are so strong and the action so intense I felt I was actually present on a number of occasions." ~ Laurie Robertson
DV Berkom is the USA Today bestselling author of action-packed, riveting adventure and crime thrillers. Known for creating resilient, kick-ass female characters and page-turning plots, her love of the genre stems from a lifelong addiction to reading spy novels, action/adventure stories, and thrillers.
A restless soul and adventurer at heart, she spent years moving around the US and traveling to exotic locales before she wrote her first novel and was hooked. More than a dozen books later, she now makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, Mark, and several imaginary characters who like to tell her what to do. Her most recent books include the Claire Whitcomb Western Series: Retribution, Gunslinger, and Legend, and the latest in the Leine Basso thriller series: Final Encounter, Terminal Threat, Fatal Objective, A Plague of Traitors, and Shadow of the Jaguar. DV's currently hard at work on her next thriller.
For more information, visit her website at www.dvberkom.com. To be the first to hear about new releases and subscriber-only offers, go to: bit.ly/DVB_RL
Books by DV Berkom: The Kate Jones Thriller Series: Vol. 1 (books 1-3): Bad Spirits, Dead of Winter, Death Rites, Touring for Death Cruising for Death Yucatán Dead A One Way Ticket to Dead Vigilante Dead
The Leine Basso Thriller Series: A Killing Truth Serial Date Bad Traffick The Body Market Cargo The Last Deception Dark Return Absolution Dakota Burn Shadow of the Jaguar A Plague of Traitors Fatal Objective Terminal Threat Final Encounter
The Claire Whitcomb Western Series: Retribution Gunslinger Legend
'Retribution' is DV Berkom's first western-themed novel, and first in this brief series centered on protagonist Claire Whitcomb. In a literally fiery opening, Claire is left homeless with her entire family killed before her eyes. Set in and around Leadville, Colorado in 1880, the story tells how Claire seeks help, then seeks justice, then seeks retribution.
One of the strongest aspects of this series is that Claire is blended in with a number of historical characters that add authenticity and intrigue to her adventures. Some of the larger-than-life real people you meet here have already had stories, poetry, and opera (really!) written and performed to this date. At least one other was on a cusp in his life when Claire shows up in this tale.
In 'Gunslinger' we follow Claire as she leaves Leadville for Tombstone, Arizona Territory at the end of summer 1880 . She has spent the remainder of the summer polishing her gun (and bow-and-arrow and tomahawk and knife) fighting skills, ready to embark on the next stage of her life. She has an introductory letter to Wyatt Earp from her mentor, Leadville’s now-retired marshal, Mart Duggan, as she takes the newly connected railroad spur to Pueblo.
Along the way, Claire foils an attempted robbery of the train before they can safely traverse Royal Gorge. She takes on the role of security for a touring actress and her entourage and expects to ensure her safety on the way to Tombstone. Once arrived in the “town too tough to die,” Claire connects with the Earps and befriends Doc Holliday. She is further embroiled in the mystery of the attempts on the life of her thespian protectee and proves her worth as a true Gunslinger.
'Legend' opens in March 1881, and Claire has wintered in Tombstone without getting into too much trouble, but there are some clouds on her horizon, and not only late winter snow. Claire has taken on as a shotgun messenger with the local stage service and is on her way out the door for a day’s run when she is attacked by a woman who claims to be her friend Doc Holliday’s wife! “Big Nose Kate,” so called more because she has her nose in many enterprises, not always her own, has come hunting for Doc and found Claire. Disrupting things is Kate’s chief activity throughout this last volume of Claire’s story, but Claire’s challenges only begin here.
Further along, in ‘Legend,’ Claire will have to sort out her ambitions as gunslinger and friend to Holliday and the Earps. After a summer of heat, and the greatest fire in Tombstone’s short history, Claire is watching the developments leading up to – and following – the gunfight at the OK Corral.
Mixed into the action of the historical years of ’81-‘82, is the delivery of a murderer to Tucson, and running into a true band of Apache renegades, giving up one of her prized possessions in a contest of wills at the band’s challenge. The loss is somewhat softened by the find of a cache of gold that leaves Claire well-fixed for her future.
The saga winds back to Leadville, Colorado and finally on to Alaska. In 1888, the news follows from Kate of Doc Holliday’s passing in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Kate has been with Doc at the end.
Throughout this saga, Claire has developed as a complex character, and I felt 'Legend' was the most complex of the three novels. I was distinctly disappointed when I learned that this may be the end of the short series. I'm anxious to see if DV Berkom can stretch to keep Claire alive for us, too!
The ravages of how the lives of her loved ones taken for Claire in 1880 Leadville, Colorado. A move she didn’t want to take with three children. Husband had dream of the riches within the mines. To have all taken, now wanting revenge. Days now perfecting her skill and the handling of the gun and the knife. As she moves toward Tombstone, her skills become known as a true Gunslinger. The historical people and her life of a woman standing tall for revenge, and justice. The pages unfold of an different era, and of a woman’s courage beyond what is known at that time. It is rich with historical people. As an author it maybe her first western, she has done her reasesrch, and brought the characters alive for us. Well done.
Basically what you get is 3 Novellas that form a story. It does just jump right into action. For me, I could have used a little scene setting; before it took off. There’s a portion of one of the story’s about buried treasure that comes off as fantasy. Some of the non-historical characters are interesting. And it would have been nice to have more depth in the scene settings.
"Claire Whitcomb Western Collection: Retribution, Gunslinger, Legend" (2021,2022) contains three unique western novels featuring a female widow-turn-gunslinger. The inclusion of historical figures such as Doc Holiday, Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson adds a touch of dramatic flair to the stories. I enjoyed all three novels, the first two especially. The third one took a little too long to find its way. Kristi Alsip’s narration is excellent. Solidly recommended.
This was an OK western (including the OK corral shootout). The author did a great job at being historically accurate and entertaining, but the first two novellas and longer third almost-a-novel never quite got to the point where I cared about much more than the horse, Rose. I really like the idea of a dangerous woman gunslinger and the surprises she caused.
I always was a great fan of Doc Holliday so reading about the adventures of Claire Whitcomb, female gunslinger and trained by Doc was a real pleasure. Not many female gunslingers in westerns. A fresh breath in the genre.
Claire Whitcomb is a very well developed and interesting character. The way her story weaves through the historical west with interactions involving many historical characters is fascinating. I loved every page.
Well written book, captures ones imagination. Having visited several of the places talked about. Comparable to Louis Lamore . I will look for more from this writer in the future.
This is a boxed set of Western short novels. It is also a departure from the author's usual genre. I enjoyed thrillers by this author, so I decided to try the Western genre by them. I was not disappointed, as they are classic Westerns from a different perspective.
Good character development, fast paced action. Interesting how required skills were developed in lead character, rather than just appearing with no explanation.
etribution: D V Berkom hooked me from the opening pages and I know I am going to love Claire, as she is forced to grown and change, from a family woman who watched her entire family be murdered to a gun totin’ force to be reckoned with. Woo Hoo…Let’s get on with it. “Don’t let them win Claire.” It was Josiah’s voice in her head, as surely as if he”d spoken the words aloud. And she vowed then and there to do just that. I should have known that D V Berkom would pot a twist that I never anticipated. Even though Claire wanted to crawl into the grave with her family, that was not to be. The law enforcement was enough to piss me off, so I can only imagine how she would have felt. Typical treatment of a woman and I love that if they weren’t going to look for the slaughterers of her family, she would do it herself. Riveting, suspenseful.
Gunslinger: She had met some wonderful people in Leadville, who had come to her aid when she was her most desperate. She would use what she had learned to become a Gunslinger. Action from the getgo causes her to draw her rifle and we’re off with a bang. I am sooooo loving this woman. She is headed to Tombstone, boarding her horse Rose at the OK Corral and having dinner with Doc Holiday and Wyatt Earp. OOOOO what fun. She loves wearing men’s clothing, but cleans up real nice when the situation calls for it. The characters and situations D V creates are colorful, delightful, and badass. Her research shines through her words.
Legend: We move to the next phase of Claire’s life as she accumulates more friends and more experiences. I so love this gun totin’, card playing, do the right thing wild west woman. Claire grows, facing new people and new challenges, and does not act on impulse. Will she find a new love? With what she’s been through, I feel she’s deserves a new love, a fresh start, a new adventure.
Overall: WOW. Congratulations D V. You did a fabulous job breaking into the world of the wild west. I love all the historical elements…from going west, to homesteading, Indians, murderers and thieves, gun toting, gold busting adventure. I loved meeting some western legends and traveling to some famous towns. The descriptions of the characters and the details of the 1800s brings Claire’s world to life. Will there be more Claire adventures? I sure hope so.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Claire Whitcomb by D V Berkom.