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Danny Duggin #2
The Shadow of a Noose
In this Ralph Compton western, the Strange twins find themselves in double trouble...
Young Jed and Tim Strange lost their father to an outlaw's bullet, and now their mother has succumbed to a fatal illness. Unable to farm their land due to a lack of funds, the twins set out to find their sister—who left home to avenge their father's death over a year ago.
Farm life hasn't prepared the twins for the rough-and-tumble cow towns west of Missouri. And before they even begin their search, they're accused of a murder they didn't commit. Just barely escaping a posse's rope, the twins are on the run—wounded, hounded by the law, and desperately seeking the true killers...
More Than Six Million Ralph Compton Books In Print!
Young Jed and Tim Strange lost their father to an outlaw's bullet, and now their mother has succumbed to a fatal illness. Unable to farm their land due to a lack of funds, the twins set out to find their sister—who left home to avenge their father's death over a year ago.
Farm life hasn't prepared the twins for the rough-and-tumble cow towns west of Missouri. And before they even begin their search, they're accused of a murder they didn't commit. Just barely escaping a posse's rope, the twins are on the run—wounded, hounded by the law, and desperately seeking the true killers...
More Than Six Million Ralph Compton Books In Print!
- GenresWesterns
310 pages, Paperback
Published September 6, 2011
30 people are currently reading
142 people want to read
About the author
Ralph Compton
247 books84 followersRalph 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...
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...
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
November 3, 2024
Just finished this one. I reviewed the first in this series (Death rides a chestnut mare) a while ago. This one picks up pretty much just after the first one ended. However, it was written by someone else. Not that the first book was any big shakes in a literary sense, I would call it a for fun read, this one did have a slightly different feel to it. I'm reminded of my first draft novels for NaNoWriMo, where the goal is to put the story down without going back and doing rewrites (at least during that month, the Mo in the name). This plot had that kind of feel to it, as if the writer was moving the characters along without working to any kind of outline. Not that there's anything wrong with that sort of writing, it's just an observation based on the feeling I got while reading this.
That being said, I did like this book and already have the third one in my to-read stack. If you like fun stories, particularly westerns, where you can pick up and put down a book at any spot, this is one of those kinds of books. A decent read in between serious tomes.
That being said, I did like this book and already have the third one in my to-read stack. If you like fun stories, particularly westerns, where you can pick up and put down a book at any spot, this is one of those kinds of books. A decent read in between serious tomes.
June 30, 2023
Excellent book! Lots of things happened that I hoped, but the ending...... dang it!
April 18, 2020
It was the late author Bill Crider, with his 'Outrage at Blanco' novel that made me love revenge stories so much and in away revenge stories for me will always be a tribute to him.
Basically a re-read, plucked out of my library, have always liked Ralph Compton's writing, his Danny Duggin series probably is my favorite, he has a tough as nails teenage girl who disguises herself as a boy, never misses a beat with or mixes up the narrative with her, as she goes on the vengeance trail seeking revenge on a list of outlaw's who hung her father and she promised on her daddy's grave, she would get everyone of them.
For me "The Shadow of a Noose", the 2nd book in the Danny Duggin series, was a bittersweet read as Ralph Compton had passed away in 1998, his estate with his publisher Signet part of Penguin Books continued his series, he had many outlines, notes for titles in all his series, along with some new series or standalone novels, his novels continued to be printed, as a Ralph Compton Novel, the authors varied and where given writer credit. (Let me mention here that they stopped in 2016 but have been brought them back by Berkley part of Penguin in 2020 with new titles and also they have been re-releasing Compton penned books for a year or longer now.)
"The Shadow of a Noose" was one of the first novels, that was started by Compton, finished by Ralph Cotton, more importantly you can't tell that two writers wrote parts of this one and Cotton is another favorite author of mine. I thought it was realistic, believable, they put you in the pages, your riding along with Danny Duggin on the vengeance trail.
With this one, her twin brothers play a bigger role in the storyline, they re-unite, but this one you'll want to read, it's not a standalone read, so you'll want to read, "Death Rides a Chestnut Mare" first and would recommend Ralph Compton especially during these Covid-19 times to get lost in.
Forget your worries! What's better than a good verse evil themed book, even better a vengeance trail themed read and who knows you might find yourself a fan of one of the smallest yet the loyalest genre in reading. Being the Western genre.
Basically a re-read, plucked out of my library, have always liked Ralph Compton's writing, his Danny Duggin series probably is my favorite, he has a tough as nails teenage girl who disguises herself as a boy, never misses a beat with or mixes up the narrative with her, as she goes on the vengeance trail seeking revenge on a list of outlaw's who hung her father and she promised on her daddy's grave, she would get everyone of them.
For me "The Shadow of a Noose", the 2nd book in the Danny Duggin series, was a bittersweet read as Ralph Compton had passed away in 1998, his estate with his publisher Signet part of Penguin Books continued his series, he had many outlines, notes for titles in all his series, along with some new series or standalone novels, his novels continued to be printed, as a Ralph Compton Novel, the authors varied and where given writer credit. (Let me mention here that they stopped in 2016 but have been brought them back by Berkley part of Penguin in 2020 with new titles and also they have been re-releasing Compton penned books for a year or longer now.)
"The Shadow of a Noose" was one of the first novels, that was started by Compton, finished by Ralph Cotton, more importantly you can't tell that two writers wrote parts of this one and Cotton is another favorite author of mine. I thought it was realistic, believable, they put you in the pages, your riding along with Danny Duggin on the vengeance trail.
With this one, her twin brothers play a bigger role in the storyline, they re-unite, but this one you'll want to read, it's not a standalone read, so you'll want to read, "Death Rides a Chestnut Mare" first and would recommend Ralph Compton especially during these Covid-19 times to get lost in.
Forget your worries! What's better than a good verse evil themed book, even better a vengeance trail themed read and who knows you might find yourself a fan of one of the smallest yet the loyalest genre in reading. Being the Western genre.
July 5, 2008
so why would I read the sequal of a book I rated only one star? good question. The unbelievable journey of the heroine continues. I discovered the book is a trilogy, so I have also ordered the third in the series. If you are looking for a good western pick up Louis LaAmour or Elmer Kelton. Don't even't think about Ralph Compton. The last two books in this series were written by Ralph Cotton as Compton passed away.
May 4, 2024
Picking up on the trail set by their older sister who starred in "Death Rides a Chestnut Mare" (my review #211), Jed and Tim Strange's mother has passed away and they set off to tell Danielle/Danny about her passing and also seek their own revenge now that they are older and able to seek justice for their father's murder in the prior book. Danielle is still posing as a man so that she can work among men (whatever) and hunt down more of her father's killers.
There are a lot of moving pieces as the twins are wrongly accused of murder before they defend themselves against some outlaws who might be the ones being chased by their sister, falsehoods and hearsay travel lightening-quick across telegraph lines, and one of the killers she is hunting is holding a "Quick and the Dead" style (spoiler removed) in his gang's camp.
Verdict: An easy weekend western with some interesting characters.
Jeff's Rating: 2 / 5 (Okay)
movie rating if made into a movie: PG-13
There are a lot of moving pieces as the twins are wrongly accused of murder before they defend themselves against some outlaws who might be the ones being chased by their sister, falsehoods and hearsay travel lightening-quick across telegraph lines, and one of the killers she is hunting is holding a "Quick and the Dead" style (spoiler removed) in his gang's camp.
Verdict: An easy weekend western with some interesting characters.
Jeff's Rating: 2 / 5 (Okay)
movie rating if made into a movie: PG-13
May 4, 2021
2nd story of the series. Jed and Tim are off to find their sister Danielle, who is on a “mission” to kill all the men who killed her father. However she goes by the name Danny Duggin. She must be kind of manly or her brother is very skinny since she does meet up with her brothers but doesn’t say who she is and gives one of her brothers one of her extra pants. Must have the same waist and inseam.
Jed isn’t one of the sharpest tools in the shed compared to his twin brother.
Overall a pretty good story, looking forward to reading the next in the series, if the local library has it.
Jed isn’t one of the sharpest tools in the shed compared to his twin brother.
Overall a pretty good story, looking forward to reading the next in the series, if the local library has it.
February 5, 2021
Although the book took a while to really get a head of steam going, once that happened, I couldn't put it down. Whereas the first book felt repititious, this book built tension to a satisfying climax, even as it paved the way for the concluding volume. I'm looking forward to that book with much more anticipation than I had for this one.
January 7, 2022
I really enjoyed this novel. I enjoyed the brother's being introduced. The only aspect that I didn't enjoy was the one person hanging themself. While the context of it makes sense, it was super depressing and I wish another avenue would have been taken. This novel definitely is not written recently.
July 31, 2023
Liked the book easy read Lots of gun fights and action
February 8, 2025
Great book! Kept my attention the whole read!
September 16, 2025
Too much angst, and stressful to read, unlike the first book. Realised later that this is not the same author, despite the misleading cover.
August 2, 2012
I read the 1st book and I'm the kinda person that if a sequel comes out I GOTTA read it :P
It was a good continuation of the plot but the longer the story goes on the more cliches you run into. I liked it!
It was a good continuation of the plot but the longer the story goes on the more cliches you run into. I liked it!
January 20, 2016
As the continuation from the first book. It is still a good series. However, it kind of slips down, because the hard kept secret of Danny Duggin is making it obvious. Specially from one who is reckless, to me made no sense.
February 21, 2011
Not as good as the first one in my opinion but still a good book.
July 23, 2012
Of course this book was interesting to read as all of his works. I have found very few of his books which were not well written..
February 16, 2013
A very interesting book. The first 20 pages did not interest me much, but then after that the book really caught me.
February 19, 2013
It was ok.. I am a much bigger fan of the first one
December 6, 2022
Action packed
August 28, 2013
Danny is more of a real character in this one but still ... Had such high hopes.
Read
March 7, 2018The writing isn’t super-amazing, but as a child I loved reading about a woman walking in to a mans world and owning ALL OF THEM.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews