BLOOD, SWEAT & GOLD

One of the early books in the Raider and Doc series, published by Playboy Press. 

Don’t remember too much about this one, really, since I initially read it nearly 30 years ago.  I do recall, though, that it’s pretty randy and that it came (ahem) during the heyday of the so-called “Adult Western”.

I believe the late Alan Riefe wrote this one.  He created the series for Playboy and wrote the first several books.

FACE DOWN IN A COFFIN

Another “Adult Western” series, one which came on the heels of Playboy Press’s “Slocum” series. 

Raider (“just ‘Raider’”) and Doc Weatherbee work for the Pinkerton Detective Agency and are sent on “Wild, Wild West” type of adventures all over the country (and once to England, as well). 

The late Alan Riefe created this series and told me once that he’d intentionally set it up to feature over-the-top, larger-than-life plot scenarios.  It’s true; the first 20 or  books in the series - in addition to having the best cover art – were outrageous comedies of sorts. 

Sometimes the shoot’em up action in the stories are put in “time out” so that either Raider or Doc can enjoy a dalliance or two with some obliging feminine company. 

The J. D. Hardin books lasted for a good, long run until it was decided to have Doc retire to make way for Raider to have his own series.  It was called, oddly enough, “Raider” and went on for 42 books; it concluded with the fitting title, “End of The Trail”. 

And just when you thought you’d seen the last of Raider (and especially Doc), they both show up in a giant LONGARM novel called “The Golden Eagle Shootout”. 

If you can find FACE DOWN IN A COFFIN, or any of the other early ones, you’ll probably enjoy them.  That is, if you don’t mind bawdy entertainment.