In Urraca Mesa Redemption by Daniel P. Douglas: A Supernatural Wild West Tale, Winslow Murphy, outlaw turned U.S. Marshal, is on the trail of a murderous gang that has brutally killed his brother Jacob. A twist is that Winslow was once a member of this gang, searching for one of two maps that mark the X of long-lost Mexican gold rumored to be buried on the infamous Urraca Mesa in northwest New Mexico. Legend has it that this place is the gateway to hell. Marshal Winslow’s former gang had broken into a house and mistakenly shot the family, leaving a young girl, Jacinta, who vows revenge in the quest for the map. Winslow, now guilt-filled, was there and longs for redemption. Not only that, his brother Jacob, a Pinkerton agent, was killed by the gang during a train heist, and now Winslow is hot for justice, using the haunted mesa as a meet-up point.

Usually when I write a review, I open the book, read a sentence or two, then jot down the title, the author, a quick style assessment, and then continue reading properly. However, for Mr. Douglas’s tale, I opened the book, and before realizing it, I was halfway through. Notes be damned, I couldn’t put it down. Mr. Douglas says he writes “pulse-pounding, edge-of-your-seat” books, so therein lay my problem. His use of present tense, short declarative action sentences, powerful verbs, and vivid western imagery had me hogtied. Rough, gritty, uninhibitedly violent, and a tad sentimental, Urraca Mesa Redemption: A Supernatural Wild West Tale by Daniel P. Douglas will be unsurpassed for readers of this genre. I suggest a hearty lunch before you open it; it’ll be a while before you put it down.

Urraca Mesa Redemption: A Supernatural Wild West Tale by the talented author Daniel P. Douglas is a western with supernatural elements. The book is set in a time where all a man needed to solve his problems was a quick draw and his trusty six-shooter. One particular man, our protagonist Winslow Murphy, a former outlaw turned state marshal, has had his hand nicknamed the “lightning bolt.” He earned that moniker thanks to his lightning-fast quick draw. Having left his life of crime behind, now what was once feared by the good is used to strike down evil. As a marshal, Winslow is seeking to rid the lands of outlaws, one bullet and bounty at a time. However, his normal routine is disrupted by news of his brother’s passing at the hands of his former gang. After paying his respects, he rides like the wind to pursue his prey and in pursuit of vengeance. Will his former gang escape the renowned lightning bolt? Or will Winslow have his revenge?

Urraca Mesa Redemption: A Supernatural Wild West Tale kept me immersed and vested in its tale from the first page until the last. The plot was very interesting and fun, plus the ending was also rather well written and satisfying. As for the pacing, well, it’s been quite some time since I read a book with such immaculate pacing. The speed at which this wonderful story unfolds is just perfect. It couldn’t get any better than this. The classic shootouts and stand-offs that we love westerns for are also present and well-choreographed. Picturing these action scenes unfold is a breeze thanks to that amazing choreography and Daniel P. Douglas’s descriptive writing style. Winslow Murphy serves as a great protagonist, and his favorite phrase to a bleeding outlaw that goes, “you don’t need a doctor, what you need is an undertaker,” never gets old. The other characters are also great and equally unique. Winslow’s former gang, in particular, was a diverse and very developed band of characters. In conclusion, this book is the best western I’ve read to date, and I’d definitely recommend you give this book a shot if you love westerns with a great story along with amazing and memorable characters.

The coolest adventure! metaphysical scaries and old-west be-waries!