Gun Wages by Alan David, a pseudonym for British author Donald S. Rowland (
ISFDB,
SFE) is his standalone historical western action adventure novel, this one starring a troubled man on a mission to clean up every town he can, whose friend calls him in to take care of a town taken over by an outlaw gang, even as old acquaintances from his past pop up to haunt him, free for a limited time courtesy of publisher Endeavour Press' Pioneering imprint.
This was originally published in 1980 by Robert Hale using the pseudonym Burt Kroll.
Currently free @
Amazon (available to Canadians & in the UK and pretty much everywhere else Amazon sells worldwide, since this is being done via their KDP Select exclusive-or-else program)
Description
Crick Bender’s father never agreed with guns.
Crick Bender’s father was a good man.
But everything changed when he was shot dead whilst holding an empty shotgun.
Crick had his revenge, but it wasn’t enough.
He’s on a mission to clean up any town that will pay him and this time that town is Juniper Creek – where Jake Riley and his gang have taken the place over.
With no Sheriff around, Juniper Creek is under Riley’s thumb, but when Frank Miller calls Crick in, Riley’s days are soon to be numbered.
Living under the alias Tom East, Crick sure picked a bad time to run into an old friend – let alone two of them.
Bullets soon see to Shotgun Joe, but it’s another ghost from the past, Adabelle, who might bring more trouble.
And then there’s Frank Miller’s daughter, Pearl.
Crick falls instantly for the beautiful Pearl, but are their worlds too far apart for them to ever come together?
Can Crick save the town, take down Jake Riley and get the girl?
It’s looking less likely by the day.