'Longarm and the Molly Maguires': A Slice of 1970s Adult Westerns

LONGARM AND THE MOLLY MAGUIRES

Longarm, #10

by Tabor Evans

Jove, 1979

★★★★✰

IN 1880, COAL WAS KING. AND THE MINERS PAWNS.

It was going to be a long, hard strike.

Already—in Carboniferous, Colorado—the gunmen were squaring off: mine-company goons vs. the "Molly Maguires"—union terrorists whose real names were only whispered in the torch-lit dark.

Into this nerve-taut town rode Longarm, a government strikebreaker who didn't like his job one bit.

Until he met a coalman's wildcat daughter—and struck gold.

Let’s take a trip back to the 1970s, a time when Westerns were on the brink of fading away — a trend that sadly still seems to hold today. During this era, the wave of "Adult Westerns" began to hit the paperback racks. These novels stand apart from traditional Westerns, featuring more explicit scenes of sex and violence. One notable contributor to this genre was author Lou Cameron (1924-2010), who played a significant role in creating the Longarm series (1978-2015) for Jove Books under the pseudonym Tabor Evans. Lou wrote many of the early installments, while other authors who contributed to the series include Harry Whittington, Will C. Knott, Frank Roderus, Chet Cunningham, Jeffrey M. Wallmann, Gary McCarthy, James Reasoner, J. Lee Butts, Peter Brandvold, and Melvin Marshall.

No, this brings us to Longarm and the Molly Maguires, the tenth installment published in 1979, which I recently picked up at an antique flea market. Judging by the writing style, I suspect Lou Cameron is the author, though I can't say for sure. I’m not new to the series, having read a few of the earlier books over twenty years ago, so I knew what I was getting into. The main character is U.S. Deputy Marshal Custis Long, who operates out of Denver, Colorado. Nicknamed Longarm—a clever play on his surname and his role in the "long arm of the law"—the moniker also nods to his physical endowment.

From what I understand about history, the plot accurately reflects the dark realities of the mining community during the period of the Molly Maguires, an underground Irish immigrant group rebelling against organized labor and powerful industrial forces, which sometimes led to violence. Initially, Longarm is reluctant to get embroiled in the conflict and nearly considers walking away from his job. However, when he discovers that women and children have become victims of a brutal attack, he feels compelled to head to Carboniferous, Colorado, to resolve the tension between the Molly Maguires and the mining company. Upon arrival, he quickly realizes there’s more to the situation than meets the eye, and he must unravel a complex mystery to uncover the truth. 

I was captivated by the storyline from the beginning. The narrative is impressive for an Adult Western; its descriptions and dialect are far more nuanced than what one typically gets from this genre, which led me to believe Lou Cameron was the mastermind behind it. If my assumption is incorrect, I’d appreciate any corrections.

However, the story isn’t without its flaws. There’s a hayloft scene that I wish I could un-read, involving Longarm and a thirteen-year-old wild child, described as looking older than her age, and I suspect she appears on the cover alongside Longarm. While I won’t delve into the details of that scene, I’ll defend Longarm’s actions as he genuinely didn’t intend for things to escalate. Upon realizing her age, he expressed regret for what happened and made efforts throughout the story to help her. Though I still find that scene troubling, it does serve as a subplot that highlights Longarm’s compassionate side.

Had it not been for that uncomfortable moment, I would rate this book five out of five. I understand that it was written in 1979 and set in 1880, and there were different societal norms of the time, but it made for some awkward reading. Nonetheless, I appreciate the author’s intent to portray the struggles of the Irish immigrant miners. As for the writing, I particularly enjoyed the historical elements woven into the fictional narrative. The cover artwork also caught my eye — although I'm uncertain about the artist's identity, they did an excellent job with the fiery design.

Overall, Longarm and the Molly Maguires is a richly detailed, action-packed Western that includes a sprinkle of mystery. Despite that jarring scene, I recommend the book to everyone, including those who are new to the Longarm series.

⁓B.J. Burgess