Title: The Horse Killer
Author: Joe Kilgore
Publisher: White Bird Publications
ISBN: 978-1633633148
Genre: Fiction/Mystery
Pages: 126
Reviewed by: Beth Adams
Pacific Book Review Star
Awarded to Books of Excellent Merit
Raven Comstock, a Texas Ranger, comes across the killing of a white horse, then another. These deaths became obvious to his law-enforcement instincts that the killings were not coincidental. As horse thievery is a crime enforced by the Texas Rangers, so are horse killings, as they both result in the same loss to the rightful property owner of the animals. Raven directs his efforts to find the person responsible for these horrific animal murders. The Horse Killerunfolds as author Joe Kilgore begins his revealing of facts amidst inquisitive speculation as he narrates the thinking of Raven Comstock.
The pace of the novella picks up when Raven comes across a bizarre scene of a white horse hung by its neck by a rope, strung from a tree like a criminal put to death. A combination of disgust, rage and sadness falls upon Raven as he tried to put together in his mind just who would do such a thing to an innocent, marvelous creature of God. More questions than answers begin to show the readers the thought pattern of the law-enforcement protagonist. Raven is shown to have a deep understanding of his responsibility caring for his horse, Red, which plays into the plot of the story.
Then as questions regarding the death of the white horses become answered, Raven, now on the trail following his suspect is focused on capturing the person who is the horse killer. At the climax of this page turner, all of the elements come to the surprise finale. Kilgore exemplifies his skill of storytelling in which he outsmarts and rewards even the most savoy reader at the end of this who-done-it mystery genre.
With vivid descriptions of the Texas plains and towns, along with its unique fauna, heat, dryness and hostile climate, Kilgore creates an ideal backdrop for the dusty, splintery and isolated encounters of his characters. It becomes obvious the crime-fighting Texas Rangers are so few against such vast jurisdictions it is nearly impossible to provide preemptive safety to citizens and are involved mostly in cleaning up after the crime. In The Horse Killer,Raven Comstock is portrayed as having the flawed characteristic not sizing up correctly what people look like prior to meeting them. Hence this becomes a liability in his performing his law enforcement activities, and an element in the ending of this story.
The Horse Killeris an ideal companion read for evening’s entertainment, as it is easily paged in one sitting. With just the right blend of dialogue, action, logical deductions and of course, the surprise ending, this is definitely a book to be enjoyed by all ages – and especially to modern day equestrians and animal lovers.
