This is the cover of Matthew P. Mayo's new book which will be published on the 31st October 2008 by Robert Hale's Black Horse Western imprint.
This is his third western novel and I am looking forward to it.
His first book - 'WINTER'S WAR' - (published in 2007) left me very impressed. From the opening scenes of almost everyday family bliss that is shattered by an unnamed stranger I was drawn into Niall Winter's quest to save his wife. A quest that seems thwarted as a raging blizzard and deep snow cover any clues.
Into this mix are a couple of nomadic Basque gypsies that I found to be unusual as it seems that a lot of writers forget that these people existed.
For the gypsies and Niall Winter's this is a story about survival against the forces of nature as well as man.
In his second novel, published earlier this year, Matthew P Mayo adopts the first person style of narrative. 'WRONG TOWN' left me stunned and has to be ranked in my own personal top 10 of westerns that I have read. The hero, who goes by the name of Roamer, is a bit of an outcast. He looks as though his face should appear on 'Wanted' posters. In reality he is just a loner who survives on his own wits.
The opening chapter has Roamer fighting for his life against a grizzly bear - the read has an authentic feel to it as though the writer had lived through such an ordeal. If this wasn't enough and with Roamer trapped beneath the bear - he is robbed. And that is just the start of his problems for by the time he gets into town he is, promptly, arrested by the local lawman for murder.
This book reads like a movie and is gripping from start to finish.
Matthew P. Mayo also editted an anthology of western short stories by fellow Black Horse Western writers titled 'WHERE LEGENDS RIDE' (2007 - Express Westerns) which includes his own 'SNOWS OF MONTANA'. The anthology includes stories by Chuck Tyrell, Gillian F. Taylor,
Jack Giles, Duane Spurlock, Lance Howard, Ross Morton, Ian J Parnham, Derek Rutherford, Roy Carlton, Ben Bridges, Kit Churchill, P. McCormac and Lee Pierce.
You can visit Matt at www.matthewmayo.com
