Rattler's Law, Volume One by James Reasoner

Lucas Flint is the new marshal of Abilene, Kansas, an experienced lawman but a man that had no plans to resume his career, much less in the notoriously wild town of Abilene. After all, to fill the shoes of the last marshal, Wild Bill Hickock would be no easy task. But his moniker of “Rattler” describes his lightning-fast draw, as fast as a rattlesnake and that reputation serves him well when facing down the bad guys.

This volume compiles the first eight novels in the series and each one of them is a joy to read. These are traditional westerns. If they were movies, they would be rated PG. Flint makes for a fine protagonist as the first novel sees him tame the town and subsequent tales depict situations where he must maintain the peace. Whether it's a circus that's come to town or a fiery visitor from the Women's Temperance Society looking to banish all whiskey, you can be sure Flint will find himself in the middle of it and having to use his fast draw to solve the problem. But he’s far from alone in his efforts, supported by major characters such as his loyal but rough-around-the-edges deputy Cully Markham, and a Scottish saloon proprietor named Angus MacQuarrie who can wield a mean shotgun. Other characters include the female town doctor, the school master, and Cully’s brother Joshua who also happens to be the town pastor. 

Each story stands on its own but it’s a joy to return to the setting each time and revisit these characters. In some ways it reminds me of a television show like Gunsmoke, albeit with longer movie-length episodes. Prolific author James Reasoner has described these novels as rewritten and expanded versions of some of his early Western novels.

Wonderful stuff all the way through. Happily, I already own Volume 2, consisting of eight more novels. Can’t wait to get back to them.