The Legend of Caleb York by Mickey Spillane
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Collins has taken a screenplay written by the late, Spillane for John Wayne, but never produced. He has turned into a complete novel, more Zane Grey than Louis L'Amour in style. This is the first in a series of books that the author will be writing based on the same character.

The town of Trinidad, NM is under the control of outlaw turned sheriff Harry Gauge, who rules the area with his former gang now deputized. Seeking to expand his holdings to the ranches of the surrounding area, Gauge has bought our or forced out many of the smaller landowners. One major obstacle is George Cullen, a now blind ranch owner, and his beautiful daughter, Willa. Gauge will stop at nothing to get both the ranch and Willa.

Into this situation comes a sharply dressed stranger who quickly becomes the focus of Gauge's hate and Willa's infatuation. In typical Western fashion we're soon involved in gun play and high drama.

This is an old fashion western and Collins easily takes up in the tradition of the better Western writers. You can easily envision Wayne or a number of other classic Western heroes filling the role of the hero in this book. A quick read of under 200 pages.


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