A Trap for Sam Dodge by Harry Whittington

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A Trap for Sam Dodge (1961) by Harry Whittington


Harry Whittington, sometimes referred to as “King of the Pulps,” was an incredibly prolific writer, publishing over 200 novels, mostly in the crime, suspense, hardboiled, and noir fiction genres. Even though A Trap for Sam Dodge is a western, it still clearly adheres to the format of a classic whodunit mystery with an everyman wrongfully accused of a murder who must work alone to clear his name. 

In this case, the everyman is Sam Dodge who has returned to the town of Bent River to attend the funeral of its fast-gun sheriff, Miles Ringo, who was gunned down late at night in the streets. Sam had a contentious relationship with Ringo, having been his prior deputy before a falling out over a woman sends Sam on to a hardscrabble life as a rancher barely making ends meet. Upon his arrival back to town, everyone questions his motives. 

But Sam Dodge has come to flush out the murderer of his former friend and decides to set a trap. However, the trap of the book’s title ensnares Sam himself as he fakes a drunken scree at the local saloon where he brags about killing Ringo himself in an attempt to draw out the true killer. This plan fails spectacularly as Sam is framed for yet another murder and ends up in a gunfight where he is forced to gun down three members of the town’s criminal population. 

It all ends in a courtroom where a recovering drunk lawyer represents Sam as he fights for his life and to uncover the conspiracy that has befallen him. This is a short, fast read and although not action-packed, it is never boring and is written in a terse, clipped manner that immediately engages the reader.

Reviewed by Steve Carroll 

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