Off the Mangrove Coast

Louis L'Amour is an American legend, a master storyteller whose tales of action and heroic adventure echo his own intrepid exploits. Relentless suspense, breathtaking danger, riveting characters-these are the hallmarks of L'Amour's classic fiction. Off the Mangrove Coast collects for the first time in one volume nine of his extraordinary stories-some long out of print and unavailable anywhere else, some never before published. From the jungles of Borneo to the hidden canyons of the American West, from small-town fight clubs to a Parisian café at the end of World War II, these are tales of betrayal and revenge, courage and cowardice, glory and greed, as only Louis L'Amour can tell them. Here are vintage stories of men and women who dare what others will never attempt, who fight for justice and dreams when the odds are against them. A charismatic boxer with quick hands and a hair-trigger temper itches to fight all comers-but if he's ever going to get a shot at a championship, he will first have to fight the man who ruined his father. A beautiful movie star finds a dead man in her apartment and begs a former lover to clear her name, only to enmesh the tough private eye in a murder with ties to the mob. Here too, are tales of high adventure. A reluctant hero, hired to guide a diamond-hunting couple up a river ruled by headhunters and pirates, risks everything in pursuit of a legendary stone and the mysterious warlord who guards it. And in the title story, Off the Mangrove Coast, a young renegade who'd grown to manhood riding freights, prizefighting, and working mines sails the exotic South China Sea with a trio of dangerous men in search of treasure they figure to divide four ways. But when it's time to dive for the prize, can he trust any of them to guard his back? Combining electrifying action scenes, vivid historical detail, and characters who seem to leap off the page, these spectacular stories honor the legend of Louis L'Amour. A memorable addition to the author's already impressive catalogue of work, Off the Mangrove Coast celebrates L'Amour's unequalled genius, creative vision, and humanity. From the Hardcover edition.