TALES OF TOM MIX – MOUNTAIN KILLER
By Scott McCrea
DS Productions
130 pgs
Tom Mix (Thomas Hezikiah Mix; January 6, 1880 – October 12, 1940) was an American film actor and the star of many early Western films between 1909 and 1935. He appeared in 291 films, all but nine of which were silent films. He was Hollywood’s first Western star and helped define the genre as it emerged in the early days of the cinema.
Writer Scott McCrae has created a new western adventure series starring the famous Hollywood cowboy star. In the first, “Mountain Killer,” Tom is traveling through Big Claw Oklahoma when he learns that a prominent citizen of the community has been savagely killed by a monstrous grizzly. Beast is named like the town, Big Claw. Wanting to aid the local Sheriff, Tom investigates the scene of the tragedy and immediately begins to detect elements that do not gel with what is being presented as the cause of death.
His misgivings fail to deter the husband of the slain woman, who offers up a huge reward for anyone who hunts down the grizzly and kills it. As the townsfolk start gathering a hunting party, Tom takes on the sad duty of welcoming home the daughter of the victim and having to inform her of her mother’s death. While proceeding to escort the young lady home, they are shot at by an unknown figure and barely escape being murdered. The shooter manages to get away, leaving the fabled marshal with a convoluted mystery on his hands.
Did a rampaging bear kill the richest woman in town and who is it that wants Tom Mix dead? Writer McCrea does a really nice job of portraying Mix and his larger-than-life persona. For those of us old enough to know of those early cinema cowboy heroes, this series is most welcome. “Mountain Killer
