Book Review

I have had the pleasure of reading several offerings by author Greg Hunt, and he certainly did not let me down with his latest western novel, Backtrail, published by Five Star and released last January. This is the fifth of Hunt’s novels featuring United States marshal, Ridge Parkman—a trail-wise, no-nonsense, manhunter.

In Backtrail, Parkman is on what might be his last assignment. Badly wounded in a shootout with a former marshal, Ridge is recuperating in a small Colorado mining camp. While there, he becomes acquainted with Hattie O’Shea, the red-headed owner of one of the eating establishments. She feeds him and nurses him back to health. Ridge starts to think that with his bad leg and a fine woman like Hattie by his side, it might be time to retire his badge and take up domestic life.

Then, another assignment comes his way; a desperate one and Ridge is the only one available to do anything about it. A friend and partner of Ridge’s is killed by Duff Joseph—an outlaw from Ridge’s past who has escaped capture too many times for Ridge’s strong sense of justice. The outlaw is running stolen army munitions to the Indians in Wyoming, and Ridge is the only one who can put a stop to him.

The ensuing chase through the Rocky Mountains in pursuit of Duff Joseph is exciting in its action, and breathtaking in its description of the mountains, valleys, meadows, and rivers that Parkman has to traverse. We are also introduced to a number of allies that Parkman meets along the way; a couple of colorful mountain men, a stoic Cheyenne squaw, and a young brave, eager to prove his worth as a warrior.

Greg Hunt writes in a style that flows easily from page to page. His prose is smooth with no inconstancies or ambiguities to trip you up. He has strong, engaging plots that pull you in right from the start and keep you flipping pages. His characters are well developed—which probably accounts for the popularity of Ridge Parkman.

I’m eagerly awaiting Hunt’s next book, and if it has Ridge Parkman in it, all the better.

Backtrail can be found at Amazon by clicking HERE.

And at Goodreads by clicking HERE.

Greg Hunt is a seasoned storyteller with over twenty Western, frontier, and historical novels to his credit. He has a background in journalism, editing, and freelance writing. He served as an intelligence officer and linguist during the Vietnam war. He hails from Missouri but currently lives in Tennessee with his wife, Vernice.

Visit his Facebook page at:

Greg Hunt –https://www.facebook.com/writergreghunt/