Donovan

by Elmer Kelton

Donovan was supposed to be dead. The town of Dry Fork, southern Texas, had buried him years before when Uncle Joe Vickers had fired off both barrels of a shotgun into the vicious outlaw's face as he was escaping from jail.

Now, Uncle Joe has been shot-in just the same way. And Judge Upshaw had found a noose hanging on his door. It looked as though Donovan was back-gunning for the people who had tracked him down and tried him.

Sheriff Webb Matlock, a stern, quiet man, had more than one reason to find Donovan; Matlock was in love with the woman he had believed to be Donovan's widow; moreover, there were rumors that his hotheaded younger brother Sandy might have joined up with Donovan's gang.

For his own peace of mind, and to protect the townspeople who had been threatened, Matlock decided to slip across the border, find Donovan in his Mexican hideout, and bring him back-or kill him.



At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Genres: Fiction, Westerns

176 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1961

About the author

Elmer Kelton (1926-2009) was award-winning author of more than forty novels, including The Time It Never Rained, Other Men’s Horses, Texas Standoff and Hard Trail to Follow. He grew up on a ranch near Crane, Texas, and earned a journalism degree from the University of Texas. His first novel, Hot Iron, was published in 1956. Among his awards have been seven Spurs from Western Writers of America and four Western Heritage awards from the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. His novel The Good Old Boys was made into a television film starring Tommy Lee Jones. In addition to his novels, Kelton worked as an agricultural journalist for 42 years. He served in the infantry in World War II. He died in 2009.

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

Reviews

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this western didn't cover any new territory, it was pretty good. The author obviously knows horses & the country, at least. There were a couple of fair mysteries to keep the tension up. A very solid western read.

[Howard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of Kelton's best, but it ain't bad.

[Jay Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story of a sheriff in a border town between Texas and Mexico. Ten years ago, Donovan, a notorious criminal, was killed in a jail breakout. He was shot in the face and the body was unrecognizable. The widow has settled down and is in love with the sheriff. Donovan has been sighted several times and the sheriff chased him to the border. Know the sheriff plans to go into Mexico in an attempt to bring him to justice. Not a bad book, just not a good one.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Donovan (1966) is another early but strong Elmer Kelton. Strictly formula, but he has a nice respect for people in general that is refreshing. No shortage of baddies, but no pat dismissal of moral ambiguities either. There are some nice surprises at the end of this one, as there were at the end of Texas Rifles (1960).

[Jeff Tankersley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Donovan, Elmer Kelton (western)
Jeff Book Review #274

A local Sheriff hears a crazy rumor that a supposedly-dead border-jumping outlaw named Donovan might not be dead. Clabe Donovan had made a lot of angry threats to the locals in charge when his death sentence was passed down, so Sheriff Webb Matlock needs to hunt him down and arrest him before he makes good on his threats. Webb has a younger brother who might be involved in the Donovan gang, and Webb himself has feelings for Donovan's widow, who is obviously a bit worked up by the thought that her dead outlaw husband might still be alive.

Verdict: I realize there's a lot going on in my synopsis above lol. 1961's "Donovan" is a good adventure, mystery, and western justice tale. The plot is a bit exposition-and-eyerolly at times, but it all comes to a good finish with a genuine twist, and is just classic Kelton.

Jeff's Rating: 3 / 5 (Good)
movie rating if made into a movie: PG

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Years ago, Clabe Donovan died in the street, a shotgun blast to the face rendering him unrecognizable. Now, years later, people claim they've seen him and threat are being made.. Is he back?

A decently written western with an interesting mystery. There were a couple of small problems for me. First, reference was made to a postmark. I don't know if they were in use at the time. Second, the sheriff rides out of town and takes a can of tomatoes and sardines as a snack. While this was an interesting and period choice-- when he did it a second time that just got a little old, as if the author was trying to work hard to insert period flavor.

Still, this is a good western and a real page turner. I like Kelton. He keeps it clean, yet deals with the reality of prostitution, etc.

[JD · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writer in this classic story about the west and struggles between the law and the outlaw. Kelton finds a way to get you wrapped up in the story of the lives of the characters, and touches your heart, in this case the Sheriff and his younger brother, the sheriff and the outlaw's widow and the somewhat surprising revelations at the end.
A good read.

[Meher Nagra]

Elmer Kelton’s life and work reflect an extraordinary commitment to authentic Western storytelling. His deep roots in Texas ranch life and long career as a journalist shine through in his novels, giving them realism, heart, and lasting impact. With numerous awards and timeless stories, Kelton stands as one of the most respected and influential voices in Western literature.

[Backoff51 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fine book by Elmer Kelton. Tells the story of a desperado who was killed and buried years ago but appears to have come back to life to terrorize a small south Texas community.

Worth your time.

[DocHolidavid · Rating 3 out of 5]

Elmer Kelton has written some exceptional western fiction. This is another good one.

[carl theaker · Rating 3 out of 5]

‘Donavan’ is my second Elmer Kelton, this one is solidly in the cowboy-western genre, whereas ’After the Bugles’ is more of the historic-fiction feel with the aftermath of the Texas Revolution being the backdrop.

‘Donavon’ rolls along with the white-hatted sheriff and the black sombreroed badder than bad guy, with the caught-in-between gentle, but capable, as western women are, wife of the bad guy, who could become wife of the sheriff.

A good read of the wild west of south Texas.

[Jrobertus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kelton is a 7-time winner of the Spur Award (whatever that is) so I thought I would give him a try. In this story a bad guy, Donovan, thought to be dead seems to be back alive and making trouble with the connivance of a big rancher in the area. Our hero, sheriff Webb Matlock, is on the job fighting crime and courting the bad man's ex wife. The writing is OK but the characters seem cartoonish and the whole thing reminded me of the old black and white Westerns I used to watch on TV as a kid.

[Jeff Dickison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good western as sheriff rides into Old Mexico to bring back a prisoner he thought had been dead for many years. Book has action and thoughtfully deals with various peoples fears of the thought to be dead man. Recommended!