Free (Kindle) The Gold Bonanza by John Russell Fearn [Prospector Kidnap Western]

[ATDrake]

The Gold Bonanza by the late prolific multi-genre British author John Russell Fearn (ISFDB, Wikipedia, SFE) is his vintage standalone western historical action adventure novel, this story set in Arizona and centred around an old prospector who finds a secret mine full of Aztec gold, which immediately makes him the target of ambitious types who kidnap him to reveal its location, while a saloon singer friend grown suspicious of his sudden disappearance tries to mount a rescue squad, free for a limited time courtesy of publisher Endeavour Press' Pioneering imprint.

This was originally published in 1950 by Scion under the title Aztec Gold, and was later reprinted by Robert Hale as part of their Black Horse Western line using the pseudonym Thornton Ayre.

Currently free @ Amazon (available to Canadians & in the UK and pretty much everywhere else worldwide that Amazon sells, since this is being done via their KDP Select exclusive or else imprint)

Description
A secret worth killing for…

Old prospector Dusty Morgan had never given up hope that one day, he’ll find his long-sought after gold bonanza.

So far, all the gold he’s got is a handful of dust from weeks of sifting rivers.

But whilst trekking through Arizona, near to the town of Hell’s Acre, his luck finally changes.

He quite literally falls into a genuine gold mine.

Dusty knows he can’t just tell anyone about his find, but he figures that Val Kent is probably the only person he can trust with his secret,

Miss Val Kent works her days as a singer at Hell’s Acre’s only saloon, The Last Frontier.

Having grown jaded and looking for a way out of town, when Dusty shows her a chunk of gold, she’s eager to know the mine’s whereabouts.

Drew Carson, owner of The Last Frontier, immediately suspects something’s up.

Managing to cause the old wanderer to reveal his secret, he kidnaps the old man in a desperate bid to keep him from talking.

What’s more – someone else saw Dusty and the gold.

Maninza, a rancher and Aztec Indian, wants to claim the gold she sees as her rightful ancestral property.

If she waits for the right moment, Maninza can swoop in and get Dusty to spill the beans on the gold mine before Carson and his gunhawks can.

Like Carson, all she has to do is be patient.

Meanwhile, suspecting that Carson has taken her old friend, Val ropes in the help of a homesteader, Rod Gayland and his foreman, the portly Bill Tandrill.

Fond of Val, Rod tries to keep her safe but even she can’t escape the bloody mess that ensues…

Can he and Bill find Dusty before its too late?

Full of action and twists and turns, The Gold Bonanza is a thrilling Western about the notions of loyalty, greed and love.

[ZodWallop]

Thanks for that!

I haven't seen it, but I bet the original paperback cover was leagues better than the current one.

[Dr. Drib]

Got it!

A big THANKS!