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Mad River
Boyd Cohoon had served five years in prison for another man's crime. His next thing was to find who'd killed his father and brother.
Boyd Cohoon had come home. To live by the knife or die by the gun.
Boyd Cohoon had come home. To live by the knife or die by the gun.
- GenresWesterns
144 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1956
1 person is currently reading
34 people want to read
About the author
Donald Hamilton
104 books108 followersDonald Hamilton was a U.S. writer of novels, short stories, and non-fiction about the outdoors. His novels consist mostly of paperback originals, principally spy fiction but also crime fiction and Westerns such as The Big Country. He is best known for his long-running Matt Helm series (1960-1993), which chronicles the adventures of an undercover counter-agent/assassin working for a secret American government agency.
Hamilton began his writing career in 1946, fiction magazines like Collier's Weekly and The Saturday Evening Post. His first novel Date With Darkness was published in 1947; over the next forty-six years he published a total of thirty-eight novels. Most of his early novels whether suspense, spy, and western published between 1954 and 1960, were typical paperback originals of the era: fast-moving tales in paperbacks with lurid covers. Several classic western movies, The Big Country and The Violent Men, were adapted from two of his western novels.
The Matt Helm series, published by Gold Medal Books, which began with Death of a Citizen in 1960 and ran for 27 books, ending in 1993 with The Damagers, was more substantial.
Helm, a wartime agent in a secret agency that specialized in the assassination of Nazis, is drawn back into a post-war world of espionage and assassination after fifteen years as a civilian. He narrates his adventures in a brisk, matter-of-fact tone with an occasional undertone of deadpan humor. He describes gunfights, knife fights, torture, and (off-stage) sexual conquests with a carefully maintained professional detachment, like a pathologist dictating an autopsy report or a police officer describing an investigation. Over the course of the series, this detachment comes to define Helm's character. He is a professional doing a job; the job is killing people.
Hamilton was a skilled outdoorsman and hunter who wrote non-fiction articles for outdoor magazines and published a book-length collection of them. For several years he lived on his own yacht, then relocated to Sweden where he resided until his death in 2006.
Hamilton began his writing career in 1946, fiction magazines like Collier's Weekly and The Saturday Evening Post. His first novel Date With Darkness was published in 1947; over the next forty-six years he published a total of thirty-eight novels. Most of his early novels whether suspense, spy, and western published between 1954 and 1960, were typical paperback originals of the era: fast-moving tales in paperbacks with lurid covers. Several classic western movies, The Big Country and The Violent Men, were adapted from two of his western novels.
The Matt Helm series, published by Gold Medal Books, which began with Death of a Citizen in 1960 and ran for 27 books, ending in 1993 with The Damagers, was more substantial.
Helm, a wartime agent in a secret agency that specialized in the assassination of Nazis, is drawn back into a post-war world of espionage and assassination after fifteen years as a civilian. He narrates his adventures in a brisk, matter-of-fact tone with an occasional undertone of deadpan humor. He describes gunfights, knife fights, torture, and (off-stage) sexual conquests with a carefully maintained professional detachment, like a pathologist dictating an autopsy report or a police officer describing an investigation. Over the course of the series, this detachment comes to define Helm's character. He is a professional doing a job; the job is killing people.
Hamilton was a skilled outdoorsman and hunter who wrote non-fiction articles for outdoor magazines and published a book-length collection of them. For several years he lived on his own yacht, then relocated to Sweden where he resided until his death in 2006.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
May 5, 2024
Donald Hamilton wrote some great westerns, but this one wasn't quite up to his standard, I felt.
A hometown boy comes back to town after a stint in jail for a crime he didn't commit. The family he took the fall for isn't grateful, nor is his fiance, who is betrothed to a gambler. His father and his brothers have been murdered while he was inside as well. Newcomers have arrived, and roiled the town.
Instead of going on the vengeance trail, like everyone expects, he just goes on about his business. I suspect Hamilton was influenced by Destry Ride again, here. The problem with the book is that nobody really behaves rationally, and it seems stuck in it's era, of the 1950's.
On the other hand the violent climax is very well done, and different than we might expect. It's a pretty good western, but Hamilton wrote better ones.
A hometown boy comes back to town after a stint in jail for a crime he didn't commit. The family he took the fall for isn't grateful, nor is his fiance, who is betrothed to a gambler. His father and his brothers have been murdered while he was inside as well. Newcomers have arrived, and roiled the town.
Instead of going on the vengeance trail, like everyone expects, he just goes on about his business. I suspect Hamilton was influenced by Destry Ride again, here. The problem with the book is that nobody really behaves rationally, and it seems stuck in it's era, of the 1950's.
On the other hand the violent climax is very well done, and different than we might expect. It's a pretty good western, but Hamilton wrote better ones.
May 24, 2011
The town of Sombrero had changed a lot in the five years Boyd Cohoon had been away. Black's Ferry was gone, a bridge over Mad River built in it's place. Main Street was twice as long and the buildings were more gaudy than he remembered, people thronging the walks.
Boyd had served five years in Yuma for robbery. He didn't do it, of course, doing the time out of love for Claire Paradine, a young woman who'd promised to wait for him. What happened was that, out riding in a buggy with the young woman, they'd come across her brother lying beside his horse, a bullet in one leg, a mask on his face. Getting him aboard the buggy, Boyd had sent her away, riding the horse with the mask on, leading the posse away.
Caught, he'd been tried for robbing a stage. The other man in the robbery, son of a local rich man, Harry Westerman, had been killed by a drummer after he'd shot the driver and his father had promised vengeance on Cohoon as he was sent to prison.
While he was gone, Boyd's father had been shot in the back, his older brother shot to death at his front door later in the day, and Boyd's uncle believed the killer to be Westerman.
Now Boyd had come home.
He's got a Marshall looking for any excuse to arrest him, a younger man than Boyd, son of the ferryman, who'd been a victim of Boyd's brother's bullying when they were kids. There's a couple of gunmen who want to kill him, The whole town is waiting to see what he's going to do about his father and brother. The only one who didn't wait is Claire. She seems to be engaged to Westerman.
What we have here is a mystery. While Boyd has been away, a bandit known as the "General" has been working in the area with his gang. No one knows who he is, but it's guessed there's someone in town feeding him information about mine payrolls and such.
Another element is the young woman Boyd met on the stage in. With a past of her own, Nan Montoya is the new singer at one the less savory businesses in town. The pair of them get closer as they are the new pariahs in town.
A fine western by the author of the Matt Helm series.
Boyd had served five years in Yuma for robbery. He didn't do it, of course, doing the time out of love for Claire Paradine, a young woman who'd promised to wait for him. What happened was that, out riding in a buggy with the young woman, they'd come across her brother lying beside his horse, a bullet in one leg, a mask on his face. Getting him aboard the buggy, Boyd had sent her away, riding the horse with the mask on, leading the posse away.
Caught, he'd been tried for robbing a stage. The other man in the robbery, son of a local rich man, Harry Westerman, had been killed by a drummer after he'd shot the driver and his father had promised vengeance on Cohoon as he was sent to prison.
While he was gone, Boyd's father had been shot in the back, his older brother shot to death at his front door later in the day, and Boyd's uncle believed the killer to be Westerman.
Now Boyd had come home.
He's got a Marshall looking for any excuse to arrest him, a younger man than Boyd, son of the ferryman, who'd been a victim of Boyd's brother's bullying when they were kids. There's a couple of gunmen who want to kill him, The whole town is waiting to see what he's going to do about his father and brother. The only one who didn't wait is Claire. She seems to be engaged to Westerman.
What we have here is a mystery. While Boyd has been away, a bandit known as the "General" has been working in the area with his gang. No one knows who he is, but it's guessed there's someone in town feeding him information about mine payrolls and such.
Another element is the young woman Boyd met on the stage in. With a past of her own, Nan Montoya is the new singer at one the less savory businesses in town. The pair of them get closer as they are the new pariahs in town.
A fine western by the author of the Matt Helm series.
April 20, 2015
It had been ages since I last browsed the western paperback section at my local used bookstore. And yet, like a pregnant woman with a bizarre culinary craving, I suddenly felt a hankering that could neither be explained nor denied.
For the first time in years, I was dying to read an honest-to-God western--the kind of book that smells like stale cigarette smoke and can be bought by the carton-load at senior citizens' yard sales.
I recognized the name Donald Hamilton as belonging to the guy who created the character of Matt Helm and recently had one of his hardboiled crime novels reprinted by Hard Case. I was curious what he might do with a western, considering it wasn't the genre he was best known for.
The tattered copy of MAD RIVER that I picked up for $2 turned out to be one of the smartest buys I've ever made. This book is an absolute gem. Well-written and incredibly fun, it also has an absorbing plot and fascinating characters. Hamilton gives readers exactly what they want while somehow managing to avoid the obvious cowboy stereotypes and cliches. You may not be shocked by any of the plot twists, but neither will you be certain where exactly the story is headed. In 200 pages, this short novel accomplishes far more than most books twice its length. I came very close to rating it five stars, but it falls just short of being an unqualified masterpiece.
I recommend getting ahold of MAD RIVER, if at all possible. It's a crying shame that books this good are allowed to go out of print.
For the first time in years, I was dying to read an honest-to-God western--the kind of book that smells like stale cigarette smoke and can be bought by the carton-load at senior citizens' yard sales.
I recognized the name Donald Hamilton as belonging to the guy who created the character of Matt Helm and recently had one of his hardboiled crime novels reprinted by Hard Case. I was curious what he might do with a western, considering it wasn't the genre he was best known for.
The tattered copy of MAD RIVER that I picked up for $2 turned out to be one of the smartest buys I've ever made. This book is an absolute gem. Well-written and incredibly fun, it also has an absorbing plot and fascinating characters. Hamilton gives readers exactly what they want while somehow managing to avoid the obvious cowboy stereotypes and cliches. You may not be shocked by any of the plot twists, but neither will you be certain where exactly the story is headed. In 200 pages, this short novel accomplishes far more than most books twice its length. I came very close to rating it five stars, but it falls just short of being an unqualified masterpiece.
I recommend getting ahold of MAD RIVER, if at all possible. It's a crying shame that books this good are allowed to go out of print.
October 23, 2014
Excellent Western novel. Not 'Shane', but a solid, entertaining story. Horses travel reasonable distances! Not just a shoot-'em-up, but a western mystery with plenty of action. It's the quality I'd expect from Hamilton having read all of his Matt Helm series & many of his other spy/mysteries. This is the only Western I've read by him, though.
I have found some short stories (including the original serial release of this) & non-fiction works online (google 'Donald Hamilton stories' I think). He was quite a good writer on everything from which typewriter to buy to sailing to mysteries. I'm looking forward to finding more of his work.
I have found some short stories (including the original serial release of this) & non-fiction works online (google 'Donald Hamilton stories' I think). He was quite a good writer on everything from which typewriter to buy to sailing to mysteries. I'm looking forward to finding more of his work.
July 9, 2024
If you like Don Hamilton and the Matt Helm stories and you like westerns. Then you will really enjoy this.
June 19, 2017
WOW , a wonderful little book. The author could have easily stretched it out to double it length. A dozen surprises with very interesting complex characters. Did not want it to end. I think this was the first western for this author . He is well known for his spy novels. Will look for them even though that is not the type book I normally like.
August 8, 2012
The second western by the writer more known for his Matt Helm spy series. The story of a man wrongly imprisoned and returning home has been done before now, but this 1956 version predates a lot of them.
Western - Boyd served five years in Yuma Prison for another man’s crimes because of the love for a young woman, Claire Paradine. While he was in prison, Boyd’s father and his older brother had been killed. Now Boyd had come home.The whole town is waiting to see what he will do about the murder of his family. One who didn’t wait was Claire; she is engaged to Westerman who has told him to leave town or he’d kill him. Boyd met a young woman on the stage into town. Nan Montoya has a past of her own. All Boyd wants to do is rebuild his home. Oh, and find his family’s killer.
Western - Boyd served five years in Yuma Prison for another man’s crimes because of the love for a young woman, Claire Paradine. While he was in prison, Boyd’s father and his older brother had been killed. Now Boyd had come home.The whole town is waiting to see what he will do about the murder of his family. One who didn’t wait was Claire; she is engaged to Westerman who has told him to leave town or he’d kill him. Boyd met a young woman on the stage into town. Nan Montoya has a past of her own. All Boyd wants to do is rebuild his home. Oh, and find his family’s killer.
March 3, 2024
Boyd Cohoon is traveling home by stage, after a five-year stint in Yuma Federal Prison for a crime he did not commit. He strikes up a conversation with one of the other passengers, Nan Montoya. He talks about the land and the new bridge that spans Mad River, over which they travel. It put John Black’s ferry out of business. He walks Nan to the local brothel when they arrive in town.
He walks towards the saloon only to be confronted by a man itching for a fight and later by Paul Westerman, whose son was killed in a stage robbery. Boyd was convicted of having killed him. He knows the new marshal, Willis Black. His brother used to prank young Willie. Black orders him to leave the territory.
He visits Claire Paladine, his former beau. Her father gives him $10,000 in gratitude for going to prison for a crime his son Francis committed. Boyd gives the money to Nan. Nan’s former fiancé’ Lawrence James, arrives and begs for her to return east. Their conversation afterwards about their individual motives is quite good. The next night James takes several shots at Boyd, grazing him once.
He learns his father and brother are dead, having been killed two years ago. There is a bandit named The General working the territory. He robs the bank on the same day as Boyd’s arrival. He also learns that Paul Westerman is using the Cohoon land to save time and money transporting his ore wagons.
Boyd has a slow fuse. He seems to take the position that he can endure while his enemies self-destruct. He learns that he did not really help the Paradine family by going to prison for Francis. It just created resentment in several members of the family.
He is attacked in an alleyway. His gun and knife are stolen. The next day the bank is robbed again, and a posse is formed to chase him down. He is chased down at the Mad River and his only chance is to run the rapids in Black’s derelict ferry.
This is a short dense story. Many of the characters are not what they seem. Many of the conversations with Nan are quite good.
He walks towards the saloon only to be confronted by a man itching for a fight and later by Paul Westerman, whose son was killed in a stage robbery. Boyd was convicted of having killed him. He knows the new marshal, Willis Black. His brother used to prank young Willie. Black orders him to leave the territory.
He visits Claire Paladine, his former beau. Her father gives him $10,000 in gratitude for going to prison for a crime his son Francis committed. Boyd gives the money to Nan. Nan’s former fiancé’ Lawrence James, arrives and begs for her to return east. Their conversation afterwards about their individual motives is quite good. The next night James takes several shots at Boyd, grazing him once.
He learns his father and brother are dead, having been killed two years ago. There is a bandit named The General working the territory. He robs the bank on the same day as Boyd’s arrival. He also learns that Paul Westerman is using the Cohoon land to save time and money transporting his ore wagons.
Boyd has a slow fuse. He seems to take the position that he can endure while his enemies self-destruct. He learns that he did not really help the Paradine family by going to prison for Francis. It just created resentment in several members of the family.
He is attacked in an alleyway. His gun and knife are stolen. The next day the bank is robbed again, and a posse is formed to chase him down. He is chased down at the Mad River and his only chance is to run the rapids in Black’s derelict ferry.
This is a short dense story. Many of the characters are not what they seem. Many of the conversations with Nan are quite good.
June 4, 2022
Hamilton is best known as the author of the Matt Helm spy series. He is also known for writing the great Western "The Big Country" which became a huge feature film back in the day. I read this one thirty years or so ago, but did not recall it at all. I was able to read this one with a fresh look.
Our hero arrives home from prison and we learn that he took the fall for another man, the brother of his girlfriend. We don't learn that immediately and this allows the author to drop crumbs of intrigue along the way. Hamilton is a master at describing cross and double-cross from his experience with the Matt Helm novels. In this case, it provides true depth to a western that has a number of the normal western clichés and it is a better novel for the intrigue.
Hamilton only specifies one brand name of a western weapon, a broken Henry rifle that belonged to the Hero's father. However, when he describes other weapons, without being specific in name, the reader familiar with old west weapons recognizes that the author is competent in his depiction-- since everyone did not carry the Colt known as the peacemaker.
Hamilton has constructed a decent western. Even the clichés click like clockwork. The intrigue, characterization (primarily of the hero) and realistic weapons increase the readability of the material. Hamilton keeps us guessing as to Boyd's next actions and they are never what we expect them to be.
The only real flaw I found was an over-the-top escape near the conclusion of the novel. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the novel and found it well worth my time.
Our hero arrives home from prison and we learn that he took the fall for another man, the brother of his girlfriend. We don't learn that immediately and this allows the author to drop crumbs of intrigue along the way. Hamilton is a master at describing cross and double-cross from his experience with the Matt Helm novels. In this case, it provides true depth to a western that has a number of the normal western clichés and it is a better novel for the intrigue.
Hamilton only specifies one brand name of a western weapon, a broken Henry rifle that belonged to the Hero's father. However, when he describes other weapons, without being specific in name, the reader familiar with old west weapons recognizes that the author is competent in his depiction-- since everyone did not carry the Colt known as the peacemaker.
Hamilton has constructed a decent western. Even the clichés click like clockwork. The intrigue, characterization (primarily of the hero) and realistic weapons increase the readability of the material. Hamilton keeps us guessing as to Boyd's next actions and they are never what we expect them to be.
The only real flaw I found was an over-the-top escape near the conclusion of the novel. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the novel and found it well worth my time.
November 30, 2023
If you are looking for an example of what the Western novel can be, this is an excellent choice. Hamilton provides his readers with excellent descriptions of the West when it comes to the landscape, communities on the edge of becoming either a boomtown or a ghost town, and the complicated people who inhabit them.
The author is sparse, almost miserly, in his words. This often puts readers off, but in the hands of a writer like Hamilton, it draws his readers into his world for an experience that will stay with them for awhile after they finish the novel. A fellow writer who also has this skill is Mickey Spillane. Just incredible!
Our protagonist (I don't think you can call him a hero) is Boyd Cohoon. He is returning home after serving five years for a crime committed by the brother of his sweetheart. While in jail, his remaining family was murdered and when he returns, the bottom falls out of the rest of his world. Add to this is the appearance of a masked villain, an Eastern songbird, and a whole host of other characters that keep this novel spinning right up to the last page.
The ending is satisfying, with the primary characters winding up where they belong. There are a couple of them that get an ending I did not see coming, which was a pleasant surprise. Hamilton worked hard to provide each character with a finale suited to them and I think any reader should be pleased with the results.
Highly recommended to fans of Donald Hamilton, Western novels, and anyone who enjoys a good read.
FIND IT! BUY IT! READ IT!
The author is sparse, almost miserly, in his words. This often puts readers off, but in the hands of a writer like Hamilton, it draws his readers into his world for an experience that will stay with them for awhile after they finish the novel. A fellow writer who also has this skill is Mickey Spillane. Just incredible!
Our protagonist (I don't think you can call him a hero) is Boyd Cohoon. He is returning home after serving five years for a crime committed by the brother of his sweetheart. While in jail, his remaining family was murdered and when he returns, the bottom falls out of the rest of his world. Add to this is the appearance of a masked villain, an Eastern songbird, and a whole host of other characters that keep this novel spinning right up to the last page.
The ending is satisfying, with the primary characters winding up where they belong. There are a couple of them that get an ending I did not see coming, which was a pleasant surprise. Hamilton worked hard to provide each character with a finale suited to them and I think any reader should be pleased with the results.
Highly recommended to fans of Donald Hamilton, Western novels, and anyone who enjoys a good read.
FIND IT! BUY IT! READ IT!
February 8, 2021
About as good of a western as can be written. Kept me guessing about a lot of things and the characters are all well drawn and thought out. When a Boyd Cohoon, who went to prison to protect someone else, comes back to his home town after 5 years he sees a lot of changes. Also he finds he has few if any friends or allies when it comes to getting the family ranch back up and running. Also he seems to be the person that is blamed for everything along with someone trying to kill him.
Ive enjoyed all of the Matt Helm books I've read so I knew Hamiliton could write but dang if he cant write westerns too. Highly recommended.
Ive enjoyed all of the Matt Helm books I've read so I knew Hamiliton could write but dang if he cant write westerns too. Highly recommended.
May 16, 2018
It turns out that the author of some great spy novels, the Matt Helm series (don't go by the movies) could write a pretty good western, too. Like his spy novels, this one will keep you guessing right up to the end.
February 9, 2018
I really liked this Hamilton western. Great read.
March 10, 2020
I had not read this work in a number of years. Hamilton is most famous for his Matt Helm series of spy thrillers, but he is a very competent Western author. It is amazing how much shorter paperbacks were in the '50's and '60's.
This book pretty much follows the pulp formula: get a hero, get him in trouble, get him out. It also has a couple of interesting twists. Our hero has spent five years in Yuma Prison for a crime he didn't commit, but to which he confessed for love of a girl. Now he's out, and we can't wait to see how the girl reacts after five years.
Entertaining, and a fast read.
This book pretty much follows the pulp formula: get a hero, get him in trouble, get him out. It also has a couple of interesting twists. Our hero has spent five years in Yuma Prison for a crime he didn't commit, but to which he confessed for love of a girl. Now he's out, and we can't wait to see how the girl reacts after five years.
Entertaining, and a fast read.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews