Jack Laramie drives his horse-box home into Texas. His
welcome at a diner is far from warm and there are fireworks from the off.
As Jack dusts himself down, he encounters Mr Othmer. Othmer
is an old rancher who has seen it all. During the great depression, he learned
that it’s no fun being down at the bottom of the pile and this has taught him
to be humble and generous. He takes Jack on as a hired hand and the drifter
detective allows himself to settle down for a spell.
Dynamics change when Mr Othmer’s daughter is threatened and
protection money is demanded. In the small town where they live, there’s only
one hood big enough to do such a thing and this hood has previous history with
Mr Othmer. Jack decides to intervene in this personal battle and is soon sucked
into a vortex of family secrets and manipulation. He also finds himself in
trouble with a bunch of hard men with no moral scruples whatsoever.
Torn And Frayed (US) continues the series very nicely indeed. The
glimpses into American history are nicely woven into the thread and the spirit
of Cash Laramie is ever-present and always welcome.
Gritty, moody and atmospheric with bursts of action punctuating the tale. Here’s looking forward to book 8.
Thank you, Nigel. Glad you liked TORN AND FRAYED and very much appreciate you taking the time to review.
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