Saturday, May 14, 2016

Torn and Frayed -- David Cranmer

Torn and Frayed is a novella in the "Drifter Detective" series.  David Cranmer is the originator of the series idea, but this installment (#7) is the first one he's written himself.  Jack Laramie is the drifter.  He drives around in an old DeSoto and pulls a horse trailer where he can sleep if he doesn't find a motel.  This story finds him near the little Texas town of Clyde (I've been there), where he goes to work for a rancher named Othmer.  Othmer has a daughter who's working for an old enemy, and she's not doing what Othmer thinks.  There's more, too, and the past that's never past shows up.  

As is often the case in this series, nobody get out of things clean.  There aren't any good guys or bad guys, just people who happen to be both.  This is a solid addition to an entertaining series.

There's also a bonus story, "Missing," narrated by Gideon Miles.  It features Jack Laramie's grandfather, Cash Laramie.  Both these men have their own series, and the story is a good introduction to them.

6 comments:

pattinase (abbott) said...

This is just a cool idea. I hope he collects all of them in one volume eventually.

Jeff Meyerson said...

I think I have some of them on the Kindle, among the 350 or so books.

Just checked. I have 1-2-3 by Garnett Elliott. I think I will get 4-5-6 (Wayne Dundee wrote 4, Elliott 5), as they are only 99 cents each.

Jeff Meyerson said...

Amazon tells me I already have #5 too.

Kevin R. Tipple said...

Read them all though I have not written my review on this one. Great book and a great series.

David Cranmer said...

Thank you, Bill. Means so much. So much in fact that I think I'll send you a kitten as a way of thanks.

Unknown said...

Uh, about that kitten . . . .