MYSTERY AT WINCHESTER HOUSE
(A Hollywood Cowboy Detectives Mystery)
By Darryle Purcell
A Buckskin Edition Western
163 pgs
This is the twentieth offering in this fanciful series starring many of the classic movie cowboy stars of the 30s and 40s. The primary characters featured throughout most of the adventures are Sean Curly Woods, public relations flack for Republic Pictures, Nick Danby a studio chauffeur and younger brother to Executive Producer Rick Danby and one-time cinema western hero, Hoot Gibson. The three often work as the studio’s trouble-shooters heading off whatever problems might arise to plague a particular production.
In this outing, the studio has rented the supposedly haunted Winchester Mansion in which to film their new Man of the Mist cliffhanger starring the once Singing Cowboy, actor Dick Foran. A few days before shooting is to begin, the Mr. Danby receives a threatening note warning of disaster should Republic go ahead with their filming at that locale. Undaunted, Danby sends his Hollywood Cowboy Detectives to oversee the production. Which is when Curly is contacted by a ghost from the future. In fact, it is the ghost of Dick Foran. Considering his past experiences, Curly takes this operation in stride though he has a bit of trouble accepting the fact that ghosts can travel through time.
Foran’s ghost not only adds his own warnings but tells Curly the recent Winchester hauntings have become infested with alien beings from another dimension. See what we mean by complicated. Curly does his best to keep his head above water, while vainly relating these facts to Nick and Hoot who are never far away from a fresh bottle of beer.
Purcell’s imagination is unique, to say the least, and in this caper, he pulls out all the stops. He even has a lovely young Dolores Cansino show up to add some exotic loveliness to the weird goings-on. Needless to say, but the time our three roustabouts get to the bottom of things, they are knee-deep not only in ghosts and monsters but also in a sinister Nazis plot to employ powerful occult forces to attack America. Did we say this one has it all, including the kitchen sink? “Mystery at Winchester House” is a madcap fun ride with a colorful cast and is chock full of non-stop action. Once again Purcell hits the bullseye square.
