North Chase
by Gary McCarthy
Bantam Books 1982
Cover price $1.95
I tracked this book down on Ebay and got it for a little over £2 including postage from the USA. A bargain then - I'd read several reviews on the excellent Western fiction Review blog of other books featuring the character of the Derby Man. And I liked the sound of them so much I had to check them out. The oddness of the character appealed- an overweight, dime novel writer and his misadventures in the old west. Something of a departure from the usual square jawed, blue eyed drifter, I'm sure you'll agree.
I'm glad I did and will most certainly be looking for other books in the series.
North Chase starts off with Darby Buckingham, celebrated novelist and trouble shooter for the railroad, being presented with a golden key to the city of Reno. When he is giving his speech, all pomposity and false modesty, he is rudely interrupted several times by a loud mouthed youth with shocking read hair - "What was especially intriguing was his clothing - it was similar to Darby's except that it was a peculiar shade of green. His eyebrows were finely etched for such a strong jaw line and his moustache was as red as his hair, though much thinner than Darby's, like the man himself. Darby recognised the fist-busted nose of a man who had failed to duck."
It turns out the man is Darby's cousin - One Conner B. O'grady and soon both men are up to their respective necks in trouble. Neither of them can shoot a jot but the younger man does buy a pair of expensive gunfighter guns but he is no good with them and several times almost shoots himself. The scene where he gets some shooting practise from the gunsmith is a particular highlight in a book full of set pieces and thrilling comic adventures.
This book is great fun. There is a villain who is part Ernst Blofeld and part Two Face from Batman - a mad, disfigured man who is prone to give evil speeches and order evil deeds carried out. It also transpires in great pulp tradition that The Derby Man is responsible for this criminal genius's facial disfigurements when he blew him up in a previous adventure. How this evil twisted demented but funny guy escaped certain death I will not reveal.
To sum up the book is a wild west romp with some romance, a little proto-kung fu and a lot of heart. Great stuff.
3 comments:
Great review Gary, most of the Derby Man books should be fairly easy to find, it's those last two hardbacks that maybe more difficult.
Let me know if you'd like to include a review like this one on Friday's Forgotten Books. I do that feature every week and am on the lookout for reviews of books not so easily remembered.
Megan has two other books with terrific covers. Die a Little just came out in the UK. The Song is You is the other. Thanks for visiting me. Patti
Indeed I would - email me on garydobbs@hotmail.co.uk and we'll sort it out.
I'll order die a little at once and post a review in time.
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