Tom Spoon

by Frederic Bean

Struggling to build a new life for himself after serving time in prison, Tom Spoon is hired by a seemingly benevolent rancher, who, he later discovers, is more interested in Spoon's skill with firearms than his rehabilitation

158 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 1990

Reviews

[Peter McGinn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do not read very much in the way of genre fiction, because I find that mysteries, westerns (and romances) tend to have general stereotypical characters and actions that the readers of that genre come to expect. So the offerings in each genre seem very similar to me. Perhaps since I write books and plot stories myself, I just notice it more.

Having said that, "Tom Spoon" is the first western I have enjoyed in quite a while. There were times when the author used some of the stereotypical speech and actions of western novels, but overall I found the writing to be fresh and original, and the characters were interesting. Even a few minor characters were developed well for a short novel. If you like westerns, I don't think you will be disappointed, and if you are just trying out the genre, this is a good place to start. (You may have to go to a library as I have only found Large Print editions available.) I will certainly seek out more of this author's efforts.

[Gerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple Western, easy quick read. I like the simple, old style of writng Westerns. By old, I mean back when I was young and first starting reading pulp paperbacks in the 70s. I don't mean the classics, although I enjoy reading those as well.