The Ridgerunner

by Ray Hogan

It had been a long time since John Locke had seen his foster brothers, Bert and Star Whitcomb. He smiled to himself as he rode toward the hold homestead. It would be good to see them again.

But as he rode into town a hard-faced marshal grabbed him and put him under arrest. The truth struck him like a thunderbolt. His brothers were wanted for murder. And John, as a member of the family, had become a suspect too. Outside he jail he heard the mutter of angry voices.

A lynch mob was gathering.

Genres: Westerns

127 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1960

About the author

Ray Hogan (1908-1998) was born in Missouri but spent his life in New Mexico.
His father was a Western marshal and lawman.
He has written over 100 books. His work has been translated into 16 languages and filmed.

Reviews

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great traditional western from Hogan.

[John Reis · Rating 3 out of 5]

John Locke is headed to the Walking W ranch in Wyoming to take the foreman’s job. He will pass the town of Three Forks, where he was raised by the Whitcomb’s after his parents died. He is arrested when he arrives. His stepbrothers, Starr and Bert, fell on hard times and have taken to robbing stagecoaches. He does not believe that tale.

Locke escapes the jail and pursues his stepbrothers to warn them of the posse that is chasing after them. Along the way, he learns the stage coach investigator is after the money for himself.

He catches up to Bert and then it is wild ride back to Three Forks to avoid the hangman’s noose.

I did not like Hogan's use of dead slang and ran into a clunky sentence or two. I did not understand the title, as it usually refers to people living in mountainous areas in the southeast US.

[Michael Morrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Generally well-written and involved story. Not exactly traditional, with several sub-plots involving several characters, some of whom seem to be something they're actually not.
Most of the characters seem believable, and not one is extraneous.
Author Hogan was very prolific, and he is well worth reading.

[Dope Ghost Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and sweet, a nice Western yarn with all types of cliches, but not once was it boring. Very entertaining!