Spinoff Series Starts with a Bang
I’ve been enjoying Steve Hockensmith’s Holmes on the Range series since the beginning. Over the last few books, the series has taken a turn in premise and introduced some new supporting characters. Now, those supporting characters are getting a spin off series of their own with the Double-A Western Detective Agency. Despite the name, these are more good old fashioned Western adventures than true mysteries. And if that’s what you are in the mood for, you’ll be happy you picked up Hired Guns, the first.
These books feature former Army friends turned adventurers Oswin Diehl, Ira Hoop, and Eskaminzim. As I said, we have met them in a couple of the Holmes on the Range books, but if you jump in here, you’ll get the information you need to follow them and their relationships just fine. All you really need to know is that the three of them are working as hired guns for the new detective agency in 1894.
This book finds them heading to the Arizona Territory to help out a struggling copper mine. No, it’s not to help them with the mining. The conglomerate Consolidated American Mining Corporation has decided it wants to buy this particular mine, and they are doing all they can to convince the owners to sell. There’s just one major problem – the owners don’t want to sell. And our trio of heroes have been hired to help protect the mine. But against the overwhelming odds, can they do it?
As you can see, this is a straight forward book for a mystery reader. We know who the good guys and bad guys are. It’s just a matter of figuring out how to make sure the bad guys lose. There was a bit of a slow start, but things did pick up. I’ve got to say, I wasn’t sure how they were going to succeed for much of the book, which is just the way I love it. The further we go into the story, the more complicated things become. But I was cheering when I reached the end.
I will say the book was a little on the violent side for what I typically enjoy. It might be a tad more violent than what we’ve seen from the author before since the emphasis was on the action rather than the deduction. But this isn’t a reason to not read the book. Just keep that in mind as you read it.
The reality of racial relations in the 1890’s comes up a few times in passing. It is sad that things were ever this way in our country. But it is encouraging to think about the progress that has been made.
The characters get their moments to shine, which is good since they appear to be types more than characters when we first meet them. There is room for them to be fleshed out a bit more as the series goes along, but we have a good start here.
Author Steve Hockensmith has always included humor in his books, and that holds true again here. Despite the serious odds the characters are facing, I found myself chuckling and laughing several times as I read.
I read this book via audiobook. Chuck Galco does a good job as the narrator bringing the story to life.
As I said at the beginning, Hired Guns is a good Western action adventure novel. Pick up this book and watch the pages, and the bullets, fly.
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