Big Jake

by Richard Deming

Vintage paperback

Genres: Westerns

160 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 15, 1971

About the author

Richard Deming (1915-1983) was a solid and reliable pro whose crime-writing career extended from late 1940s pulps to early 1980s digests. He also wrote several volumes of popular non-fiction late in his life.

He is most likely to be remembered as one of the most prolific contributors to Manhunt and the early days of Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine and as a paperback original writer, sometimes of novels based on TV shows (Dragnet, The Mod Squad, and under the pseudonym Max Franklin, Starsky and Hutch). He was also a frequent ghost for the Ellery Queen team on paperback originals and for Brett Halliday on lead novelettes for Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine.

Reviews

[Beauregard Shagnasty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad. Now I know where Carpenter got Snake Plissken's gag where everyone he meets says, "I heard you were dead." i also liked his dog sidekick.

[D. E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

RD did not write very many westerns, but he wrote a very good one with John Wayne named Big Jake. His grandkids are kidnapped and his ex wife calls him to search for them. This was a very good read for the genre.....DEHS

[Ranette · Rating 4 out of 5]

A family torn apart when his grandson is kidnapped, Big Jake gets the chance to fix it.

[P.S. Winn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this story of the old west and a family led by Big Jake, although he is never at the ranch they own. When his grandson is kidnapped Jake is called on to come back and try to find the boy before he is killed. Great story

[Chris Haynes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book. I could envision the movie as I read every word. The writing is great and the book has lots of action!!

I recommend this book to anyone that loves westerns.