Ricochet by Alan David
It’s been two weeks since Chet Manning, chief troubleshooter for South and West Railroad, faced down Glory Harpe and her gang.
S & W Railroad has one month to go before they will finish laying track to Apache Pass. They are on schedule to beat their main competition, Western Pacific Railroad. Western Pacific has played down and dirty, killing and robbing to stop S & W from beating them in opening a gateway to the southwest.
Chet Manning has managed to outgun all of the killers that Western Pacific has sent his way and now he’s ready to tie up loose ends and relax a little. But things aren’t going to be that easy for Chet. First he has three hired guns try to ambush him in a gun trap. Chet is also troubled by a possible infiltrator with his camp, and one of his enemies has been busted from jail. On top of this, he has ongoing interest in two women and he thinks he’s in love, a complication he just doesn’t need.
Chet may keep walking away from ambushes, but his luck is going to run out one day. He has tried to play it straight in his work for S & W, but it just might be time for a bloody showdown with Western Pacific.
I read the two other Chet Manning books before this one, Troubleshooter and Die Hard. I don’t know why these books aren’t billed as a series. I have read all three and found them quite enjoyable. I do have to say that once again, I find myself not caring for the way the women are used, abused and thrown out like the trash in this book. It seems that the old west was a man’s world and women didn’t count for much. This violence towards women really puts a shadow on the story for me. If it been just one book it might have been fine, but it seems to be a recurring theme in this series. If not for that one thing, I would have given this series a higher rating. If this isn’t something you feel strongly about then I would say read on and enjoy an adventure told in the traditional style of the old west with gunfights, train robbery, outlaws and one man trying to stop them all!
I want to thank the publisher (Endeavor Press) for providing me with the ARC through Netgalley for an honest review.
Book Haunt 
Hate to see a decent series ruined by one negative element in the writing, but I’m assuming that negative element is a major one here. Great review though.
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It WAS a good series but the mistreatment of women was a recurring and tiring theme in all 3 books. I guess this is his take on outlaws and gunslingers interaction with women.
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@Kellyn Roth Somehow I went to reply to your comment and lost it.. I wanted to say that I’m not sure if this is a common theme in western books. I would like to read more so I hope not! I’m glad I could capture your interest though:) Thanks for reading!
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