The Civil War over, the South defeated, Confederate scout Drew Rennie leaves Kentucky for the small frontier town of Tubacca, Arizona, in search of the father who he has never seen and thought was dead. Hunt Rennie, known as Don Cazar, runs a thriving ranch, despite the attentions of Apaches, bandidos, an interfering army captain, and a wild, killer Pinto.Drew rides in on his horse Shiloh, deciding to conceal his identity from his father until he gets to know him. But he hadn't reckoned on the old man having an adopted son, a young hothead named Johnny Shannon. Fortunately, an old friend he also thought dead turns up to lend a hand.This is a sequel to 'Ride Proud, Rebel!', a quietly impressive Western wrapped up in a Civil War story from a time when there couldn't have been many female writers in either genre. The fighting finished, 'Rebel Spurs' is all Western, authentic, gritty and well written, though not quite as good as its predecessor.The characters and likeable and courageous, but not in an infallible or idealised way, like those in many Westerns written by men who ought to know better so often are.Norton once again shows a keen ear for the dialect of the southern states (e.g. "I'd walk soft near him for a while, or you'll have about as much chance as hens amblin' into a coyote powwow"), as well as with the pidgen english of the Mexican characters. The climax was a little disappointing, but all in all the Drew Rennie story was rounded out in fine style.
