The Badge and Harry Cole by Clifton Adams

 A drop of sweat fell from the point of Grady’s chin and splashed silently to the stock of his rifle. I’m scared, he thought in silent wonder. It was not a new sensation; he had known it many times before but had always kept it in check. It was nothing to be ashamed of or worry about. Everybody got a little skittish before a fight—unless your name was Harry Cole.

A rock-solid novel.

It is formulaic and yet has a maturity that sets it head and shoulders above many a predictable oater.

Adams does not mind giving us long pauses between the action so we can live with characters outside of violence to feel them live and breathe, suffer disappointments, struggle with decisions, you know, the stuff of life.

Composed of many fine scenes—I am struck that James Garner in his prime would have done well by Harry Cole. Affable when he needs to be, stern when called for.

Human through and though.

Calls to mind the work of Frank O’Rourke, and that is fine praise indeed.

I repeat, a rock-solid novel.

A drop of sweat fell from the point of Grady’s chin and splashed silently to the stock of his rifle. I’m scared, he thought in silent wonder. It was not a new sensation; he had known it many times before but had always kept it in check. It was nothing to be ashamed of or worry about. Everybody got a little skittish before a fight—unless your name was Harry Cole.

A rock-solid novel.

It is formulaic and yet has a maturity that sets it head and shoulders above many a predictable oater.

Adams does not mind giving us long pauses between the action so we can live with characters outside of violence to feel them live and breathe, suffer disappointments, struggle with decisions, you know, the stuff of life.

Composed of many fine scenes—I am struck that James Garner in his prime would have done well by Harry Cole. Affable when he needs to be, stern when called for.

Human through and though.

Calls to mind the work of Frank O’Rourke, and that is fine praise indeed.

I repeat, a rock-solid novel.