this was a great western novel, I loved the setting and the characters. It really felt like I was reading a good western movie.

MASSACRE AT COW CREEK CROSSING by Charles G.West is a traditional western novel that includes the hero, his sidekick, & a damsel in distress, and although it follows a well worn path it is an enjoyable read with a lead character that is interesting and strong in his convictions, which suit him well for the challenge he faces throughout the story when going up against an outlaw gang with a feared leader, and since the assistance from his friend is limited, he is often on his own to provide protection for both the town and woman he’s committed to watch over.

Cole Bonner is the leading character in this novel, who along with his faithful sidekick Harley stumble upon a situation when they are out on a hunting trip to provide meat for a Crow tribe they are friends with who are in need of having an ample supply of food going into winter.

Returning with the venison for the tribe, they spot smoke near a river, and after separating from Harley Cole investigates the situation, only to find the remains of a wagon burned after an apparent ambush.
Finding a man dead from gunshot wounds, Cole determines that this was the work of white men based on the presence of shod hoof prints along with boot prints left behind.

Further investigation reveals a woman who’s being held captive, and unknowingly Cole finds himself up against a dangerous outlaw who is the brother of the man Cole bests to free the woman.

Several situations present themselves to both Cole and Carrie in the aftermath of their encounter that make it obvious that they are in danger as a result of the search for them by the gang.

Does Cole (and Harley) have what it takes to come out on top in spite of the greater number of men in the gang, and will Cole be able to learn what he needs to about Carrie’s past that makes her a target of the leader of the gang?

Action and storyline carry this one from start to finish making this a good choice for most western novel fans.

4 stars.

Massacre at Crow Creek Crossing is my first introduction to Charles G West's writing. I really liked it and hope to read more by then in the future.
Four and a half stars.

This one has a well-written plot as well as interesting characters and quite a few of them are three-dimensional. It also shows that the author has done some research on the period, to make things more realistic.

The book has a lot of action, which makes it a fast and fun read.

I'm a fan of westerns, whether open prairie or mountain majesty, the men and women who travelled and settled the western United States were all either running from something or running to something. In this story, our hero is both, he's running from his tragic past and running towards the rescue of innocents that remind him why he alone. Charles West has obviously done considerable research on the live and times, he keeps the stories realistic and vividly alive. I've read a few of his books and they are all consistently excellent examples of great western writing. I'm looking forward to the next installment in the life of Bonner.

In Charles West's Massacre at Crow Creek Crossing (Pinnacle 2019), Cole Bonner is a simple mountain man trying to escape a painful past by losing himself in the ethereal beauty of the Rockies. He is honest, hardworking, and pretty much does the right thing even when it’s hard to do. Which is how he ends up rescuing a woman who was killed by two outlaw brothers after they killed her husband. Bonner manages to kill one of the brothers but the other escapes. He teams up with a third brother and they make it their life’s goal to kill the man who killed their brother.

Mountain men are uniquely American. They’re rough people who lived a hard life in the mountains before the West was even close to settled, before any sort of organized law arrived. They are a part of history that’s gone but the type of people they were explains a lot about the maverick attitude of Americans. While I’m way too weak to do what they do I sure enjoy reading their stories.

--to be published on my blog, WordDreams 2/3/20