Review: "Lynching in Mixville" by L. J. Washburn

 

“Lynching in Mixville” by L. J. Washburn Carroll & Graf, 1997   “Lynching in Mixville”—which was originally published in Lethal Ladies, edited by Barbara Collins & Robert J. Randisi (1996)—is a terrific historical mystery set in early-Hollywood. Lucas Hallam, along with a bunch of other Old West cowboys, is making a living as a stunt rider and extra for silent film star, Tom Mix. Mix was the most popular of all the silver screen cowboys and he was never shy of enlivening his biography with exaggeration and even a few lies. While on lunch break during filming, Mix is regaling a pretty young reporter with the tale of how he led the posse that captured, and hanged, the famous Ghost River Gang. His tale is interrupted by an aging cowpoke, Hank Daniels, that had been with the posse that had apprehended the gang—and he was adamant Mix hadn’t been there at all: “I’m callin’ you a damn liar, Mix! I don’t care how big a star you are, boy!” Mix takes offense and tells Hallam to get Daniels off the set. Hallam agrees, but before Daniels gets clear of Mixville he winds dangling from the end of a rope. Tom Mix is the only suspect in the lynching, but Hallam, who earlier in life had been a sheriff, a Texas Ranger, and even a Pinkerton detective, had different ideas about the murder. “Lynching in Mixville” is a strong mystery with a vivid setting. The reader can smell the dust and horses, feel the sweet California sun on their faces. The prose is muscular with a western lilt and the solution is surprising and fun. Best of all, Hallam is the kind of hero it’s fun to ride with, which makes “Lynching in Mixville” a straight-up winner.

Lucas Hallam appeared in three novels—Wild Night (1987), Dead Stick (1988), and Dog Heavies (1990)—which have be released as a bundle on Kindle by Rough Edges Press. The recent Hallam, collects six Lucas Hallam shorts, but it doesn’t appear to include “Lynching at Mixville.”   Click here to look at the Lucas Hallam Kindle bundle on Amazon and here for Hallam.