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.  

Louis L'Amour

Horse Heaven

by

Louis L'Amour

 (Collected Short Stories Volume 2)

When Jim Locklin discovers his brother George’s remains on the floor of a cave, he vows to uncover who killed him—and why. Was it one of the powerful ranchers in the territory? Or the woman George married on the very day he vanished? And how did the silver figure into it all? Jim intends to get answers, and before he’s through, he gets every last one.

I’ve read plenty of L’Amour’s full-length novels, but not many of his shorter pieces. This one was a standout. Tight, well-crafted, and packed with action for its length. A solid 5/5.

Some short stories just stand out. This is one of them. 

Redbelly Crossing

 Redbelly Crossing

by

Candice Fox

Blood is thicker than water. But too much leaves a trail . . .

Russell and Evan Powder are cops.

The brothers haven’t spoken for five years, since a violent confrontation tore their family apart.

Now they are both assigned to the murder of a young journalist, Chloe Lutz, in the small town of Redbelly Crossing (population 205).

It’s the last thing Russell wants. This is supposed to be the week he repairs things with his teenage daughter Bridie. Now he’s had to drag her on a murderous ride-along to the middle of snake-infested nowhere.

But a big case like this is just what Evan needs after a terrible mistake nearly tanked his career.

Then a dark discovery leaves Evan with only one way out; to bury the truth Russell is so determined to uncover ...

I always enjoy a good Aussie mystery or detective novel, and this one definitely delivered in many ways. The characters are strong, the writing is sharp, and it’s an easy book to sink into. Still, something held it back from being a great read for me. Maybe it was the alternating perspectives between the brothers while still staying in first person, or perhaps it was that the men in the family weren’t as likeable as I’d hoped.

That said, it was far from a bad book. I’m sure plenty of Candice Fox fans will absolutely love it. And it certainly hasn’t put me off — I’m diving into High Wire next.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC of this story.  

The Lonely Gun

The Lonely Gun

by

Gordon D. Shirreffs

Case Hardesty had to cross what the Conquistadors called the Devil's Highway on foot—or die. It was the highest, driest, meanest desert in northern Mexico. Hot on the trail behind him were the outlaws he'd taken for $20,000—and behind them the lawmen who had sworn death to the lot of them.

In one hand he held a Winchester, and in the other a salt sack stuffed with enough bills to buy a ranch in Sonora—if he made it. If he didn't, well, there was plenty of space for a grave out on the Devil’s Highway…

Hardesty’s fellow outlaws tried to gun him down, but they failed. He staggered off into the desert with nothing but his life, his guns, and their shares of the loot. Before long he was half-dead and wishing one of those bullets had found him. Only the survival tricks he’d picked up from the Indians kept him clinging to life.

That’s when he crossed paths with three travelers: two women and a man. One woman was the man’s wife, the other his mistress. Two of them were trouble. The third was the sister of the Conchos Kid, a gunslinger riding hard on their trail. Add a relentless posse to the mix, and Hardesty found himself fighting like hell just to stay breathing.

Another solid, fast-paced tale from Shirreffs, full of tension, shifting loyalties, and action that builds steadily toward a smoky, gun-blazing finale.

I read the paperback of this story but it is available here from Wolfpack Publishing as an eBook. 5/5.

  

 

Preacher & MacCallister

 Fort Buzzard

by

William W. Johnstone

&

J.A. Johnstone

They were innocent men, slaughtered in the Rockies. A party of land surveyors who met their grisly fate at the hands of the Crow Indians—or so it seems. Some folks think the story is a lie. And now it’s up to U.S. Army Lieutenant Ron Stanton to figure out what really happened up there in those desolate, blood soaked mountains. As his guides, Preacher and Jamie McCallister agree to retrace the footsteps of the doomed party—come hell or high water—but first they’ll have to pass through a particularly nasty piece of purgatory known as Fort Buzzard . . .

Fort Buzzard—officially Gullickson’s Fort—earned its nefarious nickname because of the human vultures it attracts. Namely the brutes and brawlers hired by Gullickson to protect his interests. When a nearby trading post is suddenly attacked—and two young women carried off by Indians—Preacher and McCallister smell a rat. The Crows swear they’re not responsible for the attack, the abduction, or the mountain party massacre. Preacher and McCallister believe them—but proving it won’t be easy. This road to justice only leads to more dead ends—and the biggest, bloodiest showdown in Rocky Mountain history . . .

Once again, Preacher and Jamie MacCallister ride straight into danger. This time they’re escorting a group of soldiers sent to uncover the truth behind the massacre of a survey team—supposedly at the hands of the Crow. But nothing about this mission is as simple as it first appears.

Trouble finds them early when they cross paths with a trader and his two daughters. Emma, fiery and stubborn, immediately clashes with Preacher—especially after he tosses her into the river. Her sister Jenny, couldn’t be more different.

Before long, the trading post is attacked, and the sisters are taken captive. Forced to split up, Preacher heads out to rescue the women, while MacCallister and Lieutenant Stanton push on to Gullickson’s Fort in search of answers about the murdered surveyors.

What follows is a double‑barreled burst of frontier action, with both men delivering justice the only way they know how.

The author once again delivers a top‑notch story. The pacing is tight, the writing flows effortlessly, and the characters—especially Emma—keep the pages turning. She may be headstrong and exasperating, but she’s unforgettable. Jenny provides a perfect contrast, adding balance to the cast.

If this truly is the final book in the series (as of 2024), it’s a strong finish. Still, I can’t help hoping there’s more to come. A great read. 5/5