THE ADVENTURES OF JOHNNY VERMILLION

LOREN D. ESTLEMAN
2006

Loren D Estleman is perhaps as well-known for his hardboiled crime fiction as his westerns, since he’s won numerous awards for both genres. Which he writes best, I cannot say, although if the gushing praise plastered all over his books is anything to go by, the man could turn The Bible into an eminently readable tale about charming con-men and tough gunslingers. Or explode*.

In Johnny Vermillion, we’re introduced to the titular character as he brings his theatrical troupe, The Prairie Rose Repertory Company, to the town of Tannery. Unbeknownst to the locals, however, Vermillion is a debonair thief, who’s hit upon the novel idea of using the troupe as a front for committing robberies. Aided by an English major and his stern wife, a playwright, and the stunningly beautiful Miss Clay, Johnny pulls off quick-change cons during a play’s performance, thereby offering the perfect alibi and cover, as no-one in the audience ever suspects or notices that an actor has vanished.

Into this mix comes an agent of the famous Pinkerton Detective Agency, and the Ace-in-the-Hole Gang – a dastardly bunch of outlaws, all with their own unique personality quirks. The detective and the outlaws seem to be the only people who’ve figured out the truth behind Vermillion’s troupe, and as the story progresses, the three factions slowly converge upon each other…

If you’re looking for a rip-roaring, gunfights-and-saloon-brawls western, this isn’t it. THE ADVENTURES OF JOHNNY VERMILLION, despite being about a gang of theatrical crooks, doesn’t have a lot of action in it. It fits, perhaps more accurately, into the niche of ‘comedy-drama’, as Estleman utilises a mixture of historical facts and the sort of humour that tends to give a little wink to the reader.

Thankfully, Estleman isn’t as arch as, say, Kim Newman, but his style does border on the smug. I can’t really pinpoint how or why, but it might have something to do with his preponderance of describing everything as if you’re watching a movie. It’s amusing, and quite clever to start off with, as we’re introduced to famous names and places from history in a version of the Old West “that should have been, but never quite was.” Unfortunately, after several chapters of ‘wink wink’ writing, the clever-clever use of familiar names and real individuals begins to grate. Yeah alright, we get the idea now; stop selling us a screenplay and get on with the actual story.

Vermillion himself feels underutilised, in that he’s clearly a cunning and intelligent individual, but you can’t help but wonder if his talents are actually being wasted. In this respect, THE ADVENTURES OF JOHNNY VERMILLION feels more like an origin story than anything else. Are we seeing the genesis of a legendary Wild West criminal or just a moderately interesting con-man who had his shot at infamy than disappeared into the annals of history? The ending, maddeningly, suggests both these things.

THE ADVENTURES OF JOHNNY VERMILLION doesn’t quite live up to its own cleverness, but still proves an occasionally amusing read, and, providing you’re not after an action-packed western, is a decent way to pass the time.

*What we have here is a true pofessional, a writer of a sort increasingly rare...a craftsman so given to his work as to spontaeously combust to genius - The Boston Globe [I know it doesn't mean literally, although that would be quite something to see]