Louis L’Amour pens a contemporary mystery-thriller, albeit still in a western setting, with The Broken Gun, as an author interested in what happened to two brothers who had brought a herd of cattle west and then disappeared finds himself the target of those who know what happened and themselves have something to hide. Though he finds an ally or two, he still must pit his resourcefulness against people who seem to possess all the power needed to cause his death and make it appear accidental. An engaging plot that could have been tightened a bit but was a fun ride nonetheless. Recommended as a change of pace for fans of the author.

Note: The Broken Gun was turned into the Bob Hope movie Cancel My Reservation, as discussed previously here on the blog.