Rainbow Rider

236 pages hardcover

This collection of three novellas by the late Overholser proves again that he was a true master of the western genre. In The Leather Slappers, Rick Marvin and Pete Fargo work as enforcers for the Grant Company, forcing homesteaders off company land. Pete uses the money to buy fancy clothes, a finely tooled saddle, and time at the gambling tables. Rick, who is saving his money to buy a spread like the ones he's charged with clearing, empathizes with the displaced families. Their different worldviews ultimately bring them to a confrontation, but not before they both look deep inside. Overholser provides plenty of action while also establishing a clear context for the socioeconomic factors that drove the frontier west. The two other novellas included here, Rainbow Rider and The Fence, also examine the haves and have-nots and the consequences when true love enters the mix. All three tales first appeared in pulp magazines in the '40s and '50s. Overholser's writing is timeless and should not be missed by western fans. Wes Lukowsky
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