Max Hastings

 Sword

by

Max Hastings

On 6 June 1944 when the Allied armies landed on D-Day, the Second World War had already lasted almost five years. Yet many of the British and American troops who invaded Normandy were virgin soldiers, never before committed to battle. They quit England in summertime to face within hours a storm of machine-gun and mortar fire. They witnessed scenes, above all of sudden death, such as no exercise had prepared them for.

I’ve always had a soft spot for war non‑fiction, and Sword by Max Hastings is absolutely top shelf. Focusing on the D‑Day landings, it drops you straight into the gliders during the airborne assault on Pegasus Bridge, along with the follow‑up operations by the 6th Airborne Division.

From there, Hastings shifts to the beach landings, placing you shoulder‑to‑shoulder with the troops as they come ashore — including Lord Lovat’s Commandos. He also covers the ordeal of the DD tanks, some of which were swamped with their crews lost, while others managed to reach the beach only to be destroyed in the shallows.

What makes the book stand out is its focus on a single sector of the invasion. Most works fixate on Omaha Beach, so it’s refreshing — and frankly one of the reasons I bought it — to see such detailed attention on the British beach.

I’ve also got Hastings’ book on Operation Pedestal sitting on my shelf, covering the convoy that fought its way to Malta. And I’ve already got my eye on a few more of his titles that might end up here before long.

5/5.

Five Graves for Lassiter

 Five Graves for Lassiter

by

Jack Slade

(Peter Germano)

Lassiter planned to rob the Deadwood bank of a quarter of a million dollars. With the help of Pop Felton, an old codger who owed him his life, and Kathy O'Neil, a teller in the bank, there was no way he could fail.

But Pop Felton double-crossed them, Kathy was killed, and the Sallivan gang ended up with the money.

Now Lassiter was going to track down the Sallivan boys one by one. And Lassiter had five deep graves just ready waiting for them!

Even the best‑laid plans can fall apart. Lassiter learns that the hard way when his scheme is blown to hell, and the woman he intends to marry is gunned down by the Sallivan gang.

Branded a suspect in the crime, he rides out of Deadwood with revenge burning hotter than the noonday sun. But he’s not the only one on the trail. Behind him comes Kathy’s sister, Cindy—just as hungry for vengeance, and convinced that Lassiter is the man who deserves it.

Shadowing them both is Wells Fargo agent Sidney Blood, relentless as a wolf on a scent. He aims to drag the outlaws back in irons… or leave them in the ground.

Germano (writing as Slade) delivers a fast, hard‑hitting tale that’s as smooth to read as it is packed with action. I learned about the author’s identity from Rough Edges Blogspot and James Reasoner. I haven’t read many Lassiter novels—an early, dull entry put me off—but Five Graves is a different beast entirely.

It’s good enough to send me hunting for more of Germano’s Lassiter stories.

5/5.   

Kid Fury

 Kid Fury

by

Michael D. George

The remote settlement of War Smoke lies quiet - until the calm is shattered by a gunshot. Marshal Matt Fallen and his deputy Elmer spring into action to investigate. Then another shot rings out, and cowboy Billy Jackson's horse gallops into town, dragging its owner's corpse in the dust: one boot still caught in its stirrup, and one hand gripping a smoking gun. Meanwhile, the paths of hired killer Waco Walt Dando and gunfighter Kid Fury are set to converge on War Smoke...

Matt Fallen has his hands full in this fast‑paced western. A murder kicks things off, and before the dust can settle, two deadly gunmen ride into town. One is a hired killer, determined to make this the marshal’s final sundown. The other is barely more than a boy—Kid Fury—quick on the draw and burdened with a reputation he never wanted. Like it or not, he may be the only hope Matt Fallen has left. Black Horse Westerns don’t get the recognition they deserve. Sure, like any line, a few stories miss the mark, but crack one open and you’re almost guaranteed a fast, exciting ride. This book is no exception. Strong characters, intrigue, suspense, and enough action to keep the pages flying. I’ve read several of Michael D. George’s novels over the years, and this one delivers exactly what I’ve come to expect.

5/5. 

Massacre Creek

 Massacre Creek

by

Gordon D. Shirreffs

''Bloody Khuyper'' they called the captain who ruled the Union Army’s prisoner-of-war camp in the west. And no Johnny Reb hated the man more than Sabin Shay of Texas.

Then word came that Khuyper was to command an expedition against the hostile Indians. Sabin Shay saw his chance. He disavowed the Confederacy, swore allegiance to the Union and volunteered to fight Indians as a ''Galvanized Yankee.''

He did it knowing that Khuyper would make his life hell on the trail, knew that his name would come up for every suicide patrol. But he also knew that somewhere along the way he and Khuyper would stand over drawn guns - man to man!

I read the paperback edition of Massacre Creek, though it’s also available as an eBook from Wolfpack Publishing. The story moves fast and stays tense throughout. At its center is Sabin Shay, a former Confederate captain and the man his fellow Confederate soldiers rely on as they push deeper into Indian country.

But once you add two women, a vengeful officer, and the constant threat of the Indians, Shay finds himself facing more trouble than any one man should have to handle. And it just might be the death of him.

Great read. 5/5  

Buy here!

Luke and Dewey

Bullets, Biscuits, and Bloodshed

by

William W. Johnstone

&

J.A. Johnstone

Legendary bounty hunter Luke Jensen enlists the help of chuckwagon cook Dewey “Mac” McKenzie in a deadly manhunt—but ends up neck-deep in an even deadlier range war. . . .

Dewey “Mac” McKenzie doesn’t have much of an appetite for bounty hunting. Before he was a cook, Mac had a price on his head—and bounty hunters on his tail. Nowadays, he’d much rather be stewing beef over an open fire than opening fire on another man. Then he met Luke Jensen, bounty hunter extraordinaire. As a favor to his new friend, Mac agrees to join Luke on the trail of a wanted fugitive. A trail that leads them deep into Oregon timber country—and smack dab in the middle of a brewing war . . .The trouble starts in a saloon, a knuckle-busting brawl between the loggers from Pine Knob and some cowboys from a nearby ranch. When the ruckus turns bloody, Luke and Mac join the fray. Funny thing is, Luke takes the side of the ranchers while Mac teams up with the loggers. Which works out in their favor. By splitting up, they can now search for the fugitive in both groups at the same time. Mac steps in as the loggers’ new cook, while Luke joins the cowboys at the Triangle 7 Ranch, where this feud first ignited—and is getting hotter by the day. For Luke and Mac, that means stepping out of the frying pan—and into the gunfire.

Luke and Dewey return for another high‑stakes adventure—only this time, the fight is for their very lives.

While tracking a wanted fugitive into Oregon’s deep timber country, the pair stumble straight into a brewing war that’s about to explode. On one side stand the cowhands; on the other, the loggers. The hatred between them runs hot, fueled by a wedding that never quite made it to the “I do.”

But when bruising fistfights suddenly escalate into deadly gunfire, Luke and Mac realize something doesn’t add up. There’s more at play here than a simple feud—and a hidden third party may be pulling the strings. The only question is: who?

What follows is a fast‑moving, action‑packed western filled with everything fans crave—heroes and villains, brawls and shootouts, and a steady undercurrent of suspense.

Once I got into it, the pages practically turned themselves. The cliffhanger chapter endings made it almost impossible to stop reading.

This is another series that I'd like to see continue. 5/5.

Thanks to Net Galley and Kensington for an ARC of this story. 

Macro and Cato

 The Eagle in the Sand

Eagles #7

by

Simon Scarrow

Judaea in AD 46. Roman centurions Cato and Macro have been posted to Judaea for a 'hearts and minds' operation. The Empire needs to win over the locals after some of their religious figures have started revolts - and since the Romans crucified the last charismatic Judaean leader, the natives' rebellions have become bolder.

Not only are these small villages causing trouble, but there are also thousands of Parthians eager to fight Rome. With the threat of suicide attacks and even all-out war, Cato and Macro have their peace-keeping work cut out...

Sent east to Judea on the orders of Narcissus, the imperial secretary, Macro and Cato arrive at Fort Bushir expecting a straightforward handover of command. Instead, Macro finds himself stalled, waiting for confirmation of his appointment while the current prefect refuses to relinquish control. In the meantime, Centurion Postumus and Prefect Scrota continue their lucrative racket, extorting “protection” money from passing trade caravans — and that’s only the surface of the corruption.

Tensions in the region are rising. The local tribes are being stirred to rebellion by the charismatic agitator Bannus, and beyond the frontier the Parthians watch closely, poised for an opportunity to strike.

When Fort Bushir is suddenly besieged by a vastly superior force, all hope seems lost. With no reinforcements and no way out, Macro and Cato fall back on the one thing they can always rely on: their ability to fight against impossible odds.

Scarrow delivers another gripping adventure featuring his iconic duo, blending history, intrigue, action, and sharp storytelling into a tale that keeps the pages turning right to the final chapter. A solid 5/5.

Shotgun Johnny

 Shadow of a Dead Man

Shotgun Johnny #2

by

William W Johnstone

&

J.A. Johnstone

HE WHO LIVES BY THE GUN . . .

Shotgun Johnny Greenway thought he’d hit rock bottom when he lost his wife and son, hung up his badge, and hit the bottle. But a pretty young woman gave him a second chance. Offered him a job riding shotgun for the Reverend’s Temptation Gold Mine. Gave him a reason to live. But even she can’t save him when the Starrett gang tries to rob the gold—and Johnny kills their leader . . .

. . . DIES BY THE GUN

When the dust clears, Shotgun Johnny is wanted for murder. The dead man’s father has powerful friends, including a town marshal who’s Johnny’s personal enemy. One wants the gold. The other wants the girl. Both want Johnny dead. With a $1000 bounty on his head—and half the county trying to kill him—Johnny’s got to prove his innocence. Not in a court of law. In a trial by shotgun . . .

When Johnny Greenway gets jumped for the gold bullion he’s hauling, the whole job explodes into chaos. By the time the dust settles, every outlaw is dead…except one, their leader, Rance Starrett, falls to a stray round fired by his own man — but his father refuses to believe it. Blinded by grief and rage, Garth Starrett swears he’ll spill Johnny’s blood in payment.

At the same time, Garth’s wife is plotting a vengeance of her own — something slow, cruel, and soaked in red. But Johnny Greenway isn’t the kind of man who goes down easy. Anyone hungry for the bounty on his head is about to learn exactly why folks call him Shotgun Johnny.

A cracking read from start to finish. The scenes hit hard, the action never lets up, and the story keeps you wondering just how much more punishment Johnny can take. This is the second Shotgun Johnny novel I’ve torn through, with one left. If the first two are anything to go by, calling it quits after three might’ve been a mistake — this series has plenty of fire left.

5/5.