ROBERT B. PARKER’S BULL RIVER: A COLE AND HITCH NOVEL by Robert Knott / Z-View

Posted on by

ROBERT B. PARKER’S BULL RIVER: A COLE AND HITCH NOVEL by Robert Knott

First sentence…

We rode hard up the road to the governor’s mansion.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

US Marshall Virgil Cole and his Deputy Everette Hitch are tasked to escort “Captain” Alejandro Vasquez to San Cristobal.  Vasquez, a Mexican desperado, is accused of killing two men. Vasquez claims he’s innocent.  Virgil’s woman, Allie French is worried that they won’t be back in time to attend Appaloosa’s huge citywide celebration.

The trip to San Cristobal is uneventful .  Cole and Hitch transfer Vasquez to the local authorities.  Before Cole and Hitch head back, the local bank is robbed.  One of the robbers is Henry Strode, the bank’s President.  The sheriff asks Cole and Hitch to assist.  Fairly quickly Strode is found.  He’s lying badly beaten and unconscious in the middle of the road.  They take Strode into a house and leave him with a local deputy hoping he’ll regain consciousness.

Strode does come to.  He steals a gun and makes his escape.  Turns out Strode isn’t his real name.  He only assisted in robbing the bank because his brother had his wife and threatened to kill her.  Now Strode’s brother has the bank money, his wife and is headed to Mexico.  So is Strode.

Cole and Hitch prepare to head to Mexico to capture Strode, his brother and hopefully return with the bank’s cash.  Then they learn that Strode isn’t his real name!  “Captain” Alejandro Vasquez says that he knows the real identity of Strode and his brother.  Vasquez also says he knows where they’re heading.  If Cole and Hitch get him released from jail, Vasquez will show them the way.  Oh, and he’ll want Cole to put in a good word to the judge.  Cole says he’ll tell the judge the truth about whatever help Vasquez gives, but makes no other promise.

Vasquez may be lying and his plan may be to escape.  Cole decides to chance it.  Cole, Hitch and Vasquez head into Mexico looking for the desperados.  Little do they know that a worse problem is brewing in  Appaloosa.

+++++

Robert Knott was an excellent choice to continue Robert B. Parker’s Cole and Hitch series.  Each new yarn is an automatic pick-up.

Rating: