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Mountain Killer: A Mountain Man Western Adventure
A brand new mountain man adventure from Scott McCrea!
A killer bear is slaughtering the villagers of La Mort Sanglante, a mill town in the mountains of Oklahoma. Marshal Tom Mix—on his way to a conference of Texas Rangers—isn’t so sure. Is Big Claw real, or a mountain man riding the vengeance trail? And will Tom be able to identify the killer before he becomes the next victim?
Grab your copy today!
A killer bear is slaughtering the villagers of La Mort Sanglante, a mill town in the mountains of Oklahoma. Marshal Tom Mix—on his way to a conference of Texas Rangers—isn’t so sure. Is Big Claw real, or a mountain man riding the vengeance trail? And will Tom be able to identify the killer before he becomes the next victim?
Grab your copy today!
138 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 21, 2022
About the author
Scott McCrea
51 books9 followersI write adventure novels, thrillers and westerns. I am a Western Writers of America Spur Finalist for my novel, Tales of Tom Mix: The Wild West Christmas.
My books are founded on the notion that the world is full of adventure — you can find it everywhere and anywhere. I want you to enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy writing them.
I always wanted to be a writer. When I was in first grade I was already writing stories of vampires and monsters; by fifth grade I had graduated to spy heroes and assorted adventurers. Then came the westerns. I ended up becoming a professional writer of public relations materials, mostly for the medical industry. Let me tell you, nothing is more soul-crushing than writing about urge urinary incontinence when you want to be writing about dangerous men and even more dangerous adversaries.
I’ve written a few nonfiction books over the years, but my daydreams just got bigger and bigger. I wanted an imaginative landscape similar to all the craziness going-on inside my head, so I moved to fiction. I wrote many (many!) books until I finally had my first success with both the Tales of Tom Mix and Bradigan’s Mountain series.
My Jess Galleon Adventures are designed to generate the thrills I felt reading the great adventure stories of my boyhood.
I hope you enjoy my books and keep reading. You can always reach me through my Web site or on social media; I would love to hear from you.
# # #
My books are founded on the notion that the world is full of adventure — you can find it everywhere and anywhere. I want you to enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy writing them.
I always wanted to be a writer. When I was in first grade I was already writing stories of vampires and monsters; by fifth grade I had graduated to spy heroes and assorted adventurers. Then came the westerns. I ended up becoming a professional writer of public relations materials, mostly for the medical industry. Let me tell you, nothing is more soul-crushing than writing about urge urinary incontinence when you want to be writing about dangerous men and even more dangerous adversaries.
I’ve written a few nonfiction books over the years, but my daydreams just got bigger and bigger. I wanted an imaginative landscape similar to all the craziness going-on inside my head, so I moved to fiction. I wrote many (many!) books until I finally had my first success with both the Tales of Tom Mix and Bradigan’s Mountain series.
My Jess Galleon Adventures are designed to generate the thrills I felt reading the great adventure stories of my boyhood.
I hope you enjoy my books and keep reading. You can always reach me through my Web site or on social media; I would love to hear from you.
# # #
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 14, 2023
Mountain Killer is the first of five novels (so far) starring Tom Mix. It’s a good read. Scott McCrea’s prose is tight and smooth, and delivers a fair number of smiles. The plan for the series, the author has announced, is to ride with Tom on adventures set in different stages of his life.
In this one, Tom is thirty-one years old and serving as Marshal of Dewey, Oklahoma. (According the Wikipedia, the extent of my research, Mix did actually work as a night marshal for short time there.) He has also been featured as a sharp-shooter and trick rider in the Miller Brothers 101 Ranch Show, said to be the next best thing to Buffalo Bill’s Wild West.
Mix is described as the handsomest ugly man the sheriff of the small logging town of La Mort Sanglante (French for “Bloody Death”) has ever met, with “damnably clear, dark eyes under thick brows, a nose that too flat and mouth that was too wide. But his smile was wide-open and infectious, and the comma of black hair that fell over his left brow somehow illustrated his rough-and-tumble aspect.”
Mountain Killer is a no-nonsense murder mystery, with a bit of lead-slinging and fisticuffs added for spice. The sheriff and other locals take it for granted the killing was done by a grizzly bear—most likely a near-legendary giant beast known as Big Claw—but Tom has his doubts.
There’s a good-lookin’ female on hand, of course, and she and Tom quite naturally cotton to one another. But the focus is always on solving the mystery, and Tom is on it like a dog with a bone.
Author McCrae dishes up a number of great lines:
- The men in the bar leaned more closely, drinking in every word like it was served from a shot glass.
- Tom Mix wondered why anyone would bother telling Jonah Brunus to hush; he’d heard dead cats make more noise.
- His fist impacted on Cavanaugh’s jaw with the sound of a bat hitting a baseball.
- He held her tight and kissed her back. When he let her go, he was afraid that his mouth was smoking.
- The shotgun answered with a bouquet of buckshot, and Tom ducked.
-
Through it all, there are some nicely-wrought characters and sharply-done action scenes. Does Tom finally give the killer a healthy dose of justice? Does a grizzly do his business in the woods?
In this one, Tom is thirty-one years old and serving as Marshal of Dewey, Oklahoma. (According the Wikipedia, the extent of my research, Mix did actually work as a night marshal for short time there.) He has also been featured as a sharp-shooter and trick rider in the Miller Brothers 101 Ranch Show, said to be the next best thing to Buffalo Bill’s Wild West.
Mix is described as the handsomest ugly man the sheriff of the small logging town of La Mort Sanglante (French for “Bloody Death”) has ever met, with “damnably clear, dark eyes under thick brows, a nose that too flat and mouth that was too wide. But his smile was wide-open and infectious, and the comma of black hair that fell over his left brow somehow illustrated his rough-and-tumble aspect.”
Mountain Killer is a no-nonsense murder mystery, with a bit of lead-slinging and fisticuffs added for spice. The sheriff and other locals take it for granted the killing was done by a grizzly bear—most likely a near-legendary giant beast known as Big Claw—but Tom has his doubts.
There’s a good-lookin’ female on hand, of course, and she and Tom quite naturally cotton to one another. But the focus is always on solving the mystery, and Tom is on it like a dog with a bone.
Author McCrae dishes up a number of great lines:
- The men in the bar leaned more closely, drinking in every word like it was served from a shot glass.
- Tom Mix wondered why anyone would bother telling Jonah Brunus to hush; he’d heard dead cats make more noise.
- His fist impacted on Cavanaugh’s jaw with the sound of a bat hitting a baseball.
- He held her tight and kissed her back. When he let her go, he was afraid that his mouth was smoking.
- The shotgun answered with a bouquet of buckshot, and Tom ducked.
-
Through it all, there are some nicely-wrought characters and sharply-done action scenes. Does Tom finally give the killer a healthy dose of justice? Does a grizzly do his business in the woods?
April 1, 2023
MOUTAIN KILLER
This, the first in a series concerning the Tales of Tom Mix, takes place in 1911 when Mix was thirty-one and a marshal of Dewey. By this time he had already starred in films and was well known. ‘Sheriff Kohl liked the showman-Marshal well enough, but suspected there was more show than sand in Tom Mix’ (p1).
On his way to give a talk to some Texas Rangers, Tom’s passing through the small city of La Mort Sanglante which twenty-five years back had been a tent city but now was quite prosperous, virtually owned in its entirety by Mr Pierre Cavanagh. The previous night Mrs Evelyn Cavanagh was savaged by a bear, probably the notorious Big Claw, in her mansion’s library. Sheriff Kohl invites Mix to help out in an unofficial capacity.
The blurb tells us so it isn’t giving anything away to reveal that Mix suspects that the woman’s death was not caused by a bear but by a man.
How he arrives at this conclusion and his relationship with the various townsfolk keep the reader guessing. What seems likely is that some incidents over two decades ago are now casting fatal shadows over the township. The threat is decidedly real: while escorting Cavanagh’s pretty daughter Hillary they are shot at – whether that’s by a disgruntled film critic, an old enemy from Mix’s past, or a particularly talented bear remains to be seen.
It is clear that Mix has an eye for the ladies – not least the plucky Hillary – which is not surprising, perhaps, since he was married five times. During these events he was married to his third wife, Olive and nothing improper occurred.
Indeed, there are enough fascinating and amusing characters to enliven the story, not least the alcoholic Doc Gamble, the reclusive governor Suchet and his giant of an Indian butler-cum-bodyguard, Morgan.
There are also some amusing asides and observations to balance the grim killings in this engaging tale.
McCrea has created a likeable hero who clearly has the potential for many adventures.
This, the first in a series concerning the Tales of Tom Mix, takes place in 1911 when Mix was thirty-one and a marshal of Dewey. By this time he had already starred in films and was well known. ‘Sheriff Kohl liked the showman-Marshal well enough, but suspected there was more show than sand in Tom Mix’ (p1).
On his way to give a talk to some Texas Rangers, Tom’s passing through the small city of La Mort Sanglante which twenty-five years back had been a tent city but now was quite prosperous, virtually owned in its entirety by Mr Pierre Cavanagh. The previous night Mrs Evelyn Cavanagh was savaged by a bear, probably the notorious Big Claw, in her mansion’s library. Sheriff Kohl invites Mix to help out in an unofficial capacity.
The blurb tells us so it isn’t giving anything away to reveal that Mix suspects that the woman’s death was not caused by a bear but by a man.
How he arrives at this conclusion and his relationship with the various townsfolk keep the reader guessing. What seems likely is that some incidents over two decades ago are now casting fatal shadows over the township. The threat is decidedly real: while escorting Cavanagh’s pretty daughter Hillary they are shot at – whether that’s by a disgruntled film critic, an old enemy from Mix’s past, or a particularly talented bear remains to be seen.
It is clear that Mix has an eye for the ladies – not least the plucky Hillary – which is not surprising, perhaps, since he was married five times. During these events he was married to his third wife, Olive and nothing improper occurred.
Indeed, there are enough fascinating and amusing characters to enliven the story, not least the alcoholic Doc Gamble, the reclusive governor Suchet and his giant of an Indian butler-cum-bodyguard, Morgan.
There are also some amusing asides and observations to balance the grim killings in this engaging tale.
McCrea has created a likeable hero who clearly has the potential for many adventures.
December 27, 2023
Tom Mix was a cowboy, marshal, and of course a Western star of the silent screen, and this series follows fictional adventures in his life, much like the dime novels of a past era glorified actual people as props and characters in a totally non-biographical way.
This story sees the wife of a prominent business owner mauled to death by a bear...only the visiting Mix suspects something far more sinister. Soon he's dodging bullets, claws, and rescuing fair damsels from certain doom. Cliche? I don't care. I had too much fun reading it to worry about whether it trod upon fresh soil or a well-worn trail.
The whole novel is a fast-paced adventure filled with abundant action sequences, some of them surprisingly bloody. It has a small scope, a single town, but provides plenty of action and danger, from fistfights outside a burning cabin, a chase through darkened forest, and plenty of showdowns and double-crosses. I mean, c'mon, it's a pulp western, what else could you ask for?
It also has a cast of colorful side characters, albeit with one unfortunate Native American who is a walking stereotype from an old '30s B-Movie. I mean, c'mon, it's 2023, we can be comfortably retro without including eye-rolling Tonto-esque characters who belong in the dust bin of history. But aside from that one annoyance, the rest of the book was a breezy good read with an amiable take on Mix making for a charming and utterly enjoyable lead.
If you want a Western that's high on adventure and could be read in a couple sittings, I'd say Mountain Killer fits as perfectly as one of Tom's ten gallon hats.
This story sees the wife of a prominent business owner mauled to death by a bear...only the visiting Mix suspects something far more sinister. Soon he's dodging bullets, claws, and rescuing fair damsels from certain doom. Cliche? I don't care. I had too much fun reading it to worry about whether it trod upon fresh soil or a well-worn trail.
The whole novel is a fast-paced adventure filled with abundant action sequences, some of them surprisingly bloody. It has a small scope, a single town, but provides plenty of action and danger, from fistfights outside a burning cabin, a chase through darkened forest, and plenty of showdowns and double-crosses. I mean, c'mon, it's a pulp western, what else could you ask for?
It also has a cast of colorful side characters, albeit with one unfortunate Native American who is a walking stereotype from an old '30s B-Movie. I mean, c'mon, it's 2023, we can be comfortably retro without including eye-rolling Tonto-esque characters who belong in the dust bin of history. But aside from that one annoyance, the rest of the book was a breezy good read with an amiable take on Mix making for a charming and utterly enjoyable lead.
If you want a Western that's high on adventure and could be read in a couple sittings, I'd say Mountain Killer fits as perfectly as one of Tom's ten gallon hats.
July 31, 2025
I’ve been waiting all year to just sit back and enjoy a ripping yarn and this did not disappoint!
In all the good ways this reminded me of the western films I love, but it had several twists along the way that set it apart from standard western fare. Twists that felt well earned. They weren’t just there as cheap “gotcha” moments. Solid stuff.
I will say the gore surprised me, nothing uncomfortable, just very graphic at times. But here again it didn’t feel gratuitous, it served its purpose well.
I think the highest praise I can give any western writer is to say that it reminded me of my favorite western author Louis L’Amour at parts. Mainly the amount of trouble Tom Mix gets into. He just keeps getting torn up, but continues on, doing the right thing.
An awesome book. The world needs more stuff like this!
In all the good ways this reminded me of the western films I love, but it had several twists along the way that set it apart from standard western fare. Twists that felt well earned. They weren’t just there as cheap “gotcha” moments. Solid stuff.
I will say the gore surprised me, nothing uncomfortable, just very graphic at times. But here again it didn’t feel gratuitous, it served its purpose well.
I think the highest praise I can give any western writer is to say that it reminded me of my favorite western author Louis L’Amour at parts. Mainly the amount of trouble Tom Mix gets into. He just keeps getting torn up, but continues on, doing the right thing.
An awesome book. The world needs more stuff like this!
October 24, 2022
I read tons of books like this as a kid, usually about Roy Rogers or Gene Autry.
McCrea's Mountain Killer reminded me of those books and how much I loved them — and how much just plain fun reading can be. Looking forward to the next one!
McCrea's Mountain Killer reminded me of those books and how much I loved them — and how much just plain fun reading can be. Looking forward to the next one!
January 6, 2023
Tom Mix is a visiting marshal in Oklahoma when The wife of the town patriarch is horribly killed. At first glance, it seems like a grizzly bear did the deed, but Tom uncovers a much darker scenario.
Good stuff. I wonder if this B Movie Cowboy western stuff is starting to become its own niche.
Good stuff. I wonder if this B Movie Cowboy western stuff is starting to become its own niche.
February 22, 2025
I'm not typically a 'western' fan but gave Mountain Killer a try and came away very pleasantly surprised.
A quick, engaging read which kept me guessing (because I'm terrible in solving mysteries) until the end.
I look forward to the future adventures of Tom Mix!
A quick, engaging read which kept me guessing (because I'm terrible in solving mysteries) until the end.
I look forward to the future adventures of Tom Mix!
November 11, 2022
A gripping page-turning mystery full of surprises and colorful characters. "Mountain Killer" consistently keeps you engaged and guessing. It transcends the "Western novel" label.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews