Booklist Review

The Pecos Kid, a one-time Confederate officer not yet ready to settle down, has appeared in many of Dan Cushman's stories since 1950. In this volume, Five Star brings together two classic Pecos Kid tales never before published in book form. In the first story, "Riders of Gunsmoke Rim," the Kid and his saddle partners--Spanish-Irish Hernandez Flannagan and the massive Big Jim Swing--find themselves caught up in a land war. The second story, "The Deadwood Drive," offers a memorable take on the classic western theme, the cattle drive. The action is hot and heavy in both stories, with fists and guns taking a heavy toll. As was often the case, each story also features a pretty girl whom the hero manages to leave behind. No surprises, but that won't bother genre stalwarts. --Budd Arthur