Recently, while working on my review of the Adventures of Cash Laramie and Gideon Miles Volume II, I realized I had never read the first book of the series. I have no idea how that happened. It was clear that I needed to read the original book, Adventures of Cash Laramie and Gideon Miles and do so immediately.

After a short introduction by Chris F. Holm, it is on to stories starting with “The Wind Scorpion.” The plan had been to escort a prisoner by the name of Black Jack Larson to Cheyenne, Wyoming to stand trial for the murder of a circuit judge. Instead, the plan now is to somehow stay alive as Black Jack, with the help of two of his men, have beaten the heck out of Marshal Cash Laramie and left him to die while making good on their escape.

“Kid Eddie” features a young man being held in jail in Vermillion for various heinous crimes. It is about a year after events in “Wind Scorpion” and Cash is well aware that duplicity can come in many forms. Cash doesn’t want to go anywhere Vermillion but when Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Devon Penn tells him to bring “Kid Eddie” aka Eddie Morash back Cash saddles up and goes because he has a job to do.

“Miles To Go” unites Cash Laramie and his friend and fellow Marshal, Gideon Miles, in the hunt for Van Jones. Though it does not look that way as this complicated story begins with Miles hitting the trail alone. Both lawmen know that van Jones is heading for his hideout near the owl Creek Mountains. Once there he will have his gang backing him while Cash has to stay in town and testify in court regarding another matter.

People keep dying at the McAllister family plot. Cash Laramie and Gideon Miles are in Twin Falls trying to figure out what is going on in “The Bone Orchard Mystery.”

Child abuse didn’t just start in the last few decades despite what some of the media claims these days. It is the subject of the powerfully moving story “Melanie” where Cash Laramie intervenes to make things a bit better for the young girl.

“Under the Sun” with Sandra Seamans comes next where the window Delilah Murphy does not want the assistance of Cash Laramie and Gideon Miles. Her Uncle Charlie thought their help would be a good idea, but she has her reasons for not wanting their help. They don’t have time to press the issue as they are searching for a man known as “Brave Coyote.” They are not only ones looking for him as the father of a boy Brave Coyote killed is also on the hunt.

“The Outlaw Marshall” opens with a poker game. Cash Laramie is the subject, among others, as the men play cards. Because it soon becomes clear that at least one of the players is a card cheat one knows gunfire is sure to soon erupt.

A body is on a bank of a Louisiana bayou and the spilling blood is attracting an alligator looking to do what comes naturally. The man who is known to many as “The Lawyer” is fine with that as he wants a few more questions answered. He isn’t the only one with questions in this tale as Marshall Cash Laramie will soon be involved.

The eight western tales in the Adventures of Cash Laramie and Gideon Miles are all good ones. Cash and Gideon are bonded by friendship as well as the fact that neither one is accepted as he is by many people. That bond also extends to their code of justice which requires each one to do what is right as opposed what the law says in some cases. Each tale is more than just a story of men on horseback getting the bad guy or bad guys. Each tale is complicated with plenty of interesting characters, a mystery or two, and plenty of action to keep the reader turning the pages. Whether the Adventures of Cash Laramie and Gideon Miles is your first exposure to cash and Gideon or one you come to after many other books in the series, these reads are all good ones well worth your time.

Adventures Of Cash Laramie and Gideon Miles
Edward A. Grainger (David Cranmer)
Beat To A Pulp
http://www.beattoapulp.com
June 2011
ASIN# B005RTV86E
E-Book (also available in print)
144 Pages (Estimated)
$0.99

This is one of those cases where I am not sure if the author sent it to me or I bought it using funds in my Amazon associate account. Either is possible, but I suspect the author sent in my way for my use in an objective review.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2015 ( )

These short stories are raw and gritty. Each one is like a script for Gunsmoke that didn't need to be watered down for television. ( )

If you took a razor blade and ran it down a wet canvas half dripping with black ink, then smeared it into the white area, you’d get a good replica of the characters Edward Grainger draws out in Cash & Miles. The backdrop is late 1800’s. Times are harsh. A shot of whiskey doesn’t go far. Cash is the harbinger of the law, but he bears much more than this, he bears a conscience that is often at disagreement with the law. It’s this inner battle that carries the reader eagerly through the stories and wanting more. Miles holds my favorite shoot out scene in “Miles To Go.” He’s full of spunk, grit and is a sort of cornerstone to the series. There’s a bit of everything for everyone in the book: gunfights, love, humor, horror, friendship and grit. One of my favorite reads for this year. I highly recommend, especially for those who are fans of Stephen King’s Dark Tower books.
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Didn't like it. It is a collection of western clichés with poorly developed characters and (most of the times) very predictable outcomes.
On the plus side, I got this and its follow up (vol. II) for free at the Kindle store, so there was no harm :-P ( )

Volume 1 and 2 together might make a book of short sties or vignettes.

I am not certain what the 5 star review is about. The stories show promise but the dialog did not feel natural in many places and the narration tried too hard to hit the gritty western mark.

These stories have motivated me to go back and re-read some Louis L'Amour.

(I posted the same review for Volumes 1 and 2 as I consider them one work.) ( )