Although it was announced as a February 23 release, Amazon started selling McKittrick Ransom, book 2 of my Cody Cavanaugh series of classic western novels, on 2/22/22. Perfect timing for book 2.
Here’s the description, courtesy of Wolfpack Publishing:
“A RANSOM THAT CAN ONLY BE PAID IN BLOOD – BOOK TWO IN JEFFREY J. MARIOTTE’S ACTION-FILLED WESTERN SERIES.
“Eleanor Bishop’s Empress Ranch is a sanctuary for women who need one. Susan McKittrick seems to be one of those women. But Susan disappears from the ranch, and Rip McKittrick, the father she ran away from, gets a ransom demand that he can’t afford to pay. Eleanor comes up with the money and asks Cody Cavanaugh and Freeman Douglas to deliver it to the kidnappers and retrieve Susan.
“Things rarely go as planned for Cody, and the ransom delivery is no different. Now, without the money or the young woman, Cody sets his sights on Rip McKittrick, who is spending money he didn’t have before to buy up businesses and hire gunmen to protect his newfound wealth and influence.
“Suddenly the most important man in town, McKittrick makes himself mayor and installs an outlaw as the town marshal. The town becomes a haven for outlaw gangs, and Cody and Freeman need to clean it up. But doing so won’t be easy or cheap-and this time, the payment will be in blood.”
There’s a strong mystery element in this one–who is Susan, how did she disappear from the ranch, and why? The interplay between Cody and Douglas, and between Cody and two hired gunslingers, is probably my favorite of the three books. Remember, these are books for people who love westerns, and for people who never knew they could love westerns, so please check them out!
You can find McKittrick Ransom anywhere books are sold online, or order it from any brick-and-mortar store. Here are some links:
- Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/McKittrick-Ransom-Classic-Jeffrey-Mariotte/dp/1639772359
- Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mckittrick-ransom-jeffrey-j-mariotte/1140837647
- Indiebound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781639772353
- Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/books/mckittrick-ransom-a-classic-western/9781639772353
In other news, this is getting closer:
I’ve seen Douglas Klauba‘s cover painting (though I can’t share it yet), and it’s a knockout! There’s also a frontispiece by Chris Gardner that I haven’t seen yet, but I’m anxiously awaiting it. Preorders will be live on the Edgar Rice Burroughs website in a few weeks–just go to the main page and look in the upper right corner for the place where it says “SIGN UP FOR BREAKING NEWS.” Put your email address in the box, hit the arrow, and you’ll know as soon as the book can be ordered. And look around while you’re there–Burroughs was a visionary, a brilliant creator who inspired generations of writers, artists, and filmmakers and continues to do so to this day. Plus, you can push a button and hear Tarzan’s yell. Don’t miss it!