Six-gun Prodigal by A A Glynn

I've been looking for a good old fashioned western where the men were men and romance didn't take over the story.  This one fit the bill perfectly!  Lew had a difference with his brothers after his father was killed and he took off.  He was herding cattle when he heard that his brothers had been killed, too.  He finished his work and planned on returning home to see what had happened and who had ordered it.  He had his suspicions.  Before he got out of the tavern, he had a young buck try to outshoot him.  When he kills him, he finds out he's the son of an important local man and everyone is accusing him of murder.  His crew defends him but to no avail.  He heads out of town fast...

Endeavor Press/Pioneering Press and Net Galley allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It has been published, so you can grab a copy now.

Lew stops to visit his only friendly neighbor left and gets the story about what all had happened.  They were bushwacked.  The largest landowner in the area claims they sold the ranch to him before their death.  Lew doesn't believe it, but he decides to keep his return secret.  It doesn't take long before his secret is out.

The Wyoming rancher that is taking over the valley is ruthless and mean.  He has power and money and he abuses both.  He's mining silver with Indians and Mexicans and he doesn't pay them much.  He stole that land, too.  There's not much to like about him.

Lew has a friend he doesn't know is his friend.  He met a gal at his ghost town he staying at and they are leaving each other alone so no one gets shot.  She has an ally, an Indian that knows how to use dynamite.  When she and her friends stand with him in a face off against the rancher and his hired guns, it could go either way.

The ending is ironic and appropriate.  And Lew finally notices she's an attractive girl.  I like those kind of stories!