Six White Horses

 Six White Horses

by

James Robert Daniels

It’s the brutal aftermath of the Civil War. Texas Ranger Lieutenant James Quinn, a battle-scarred veteran, rides into a town he’s never seen before—badly wounded, alone, and dragging captured outlaw Cole Twist.

Quinn is saved by China Smallwood, a Quaker schoolteacher who stands against the town she calls home. While Quinn heals, the jailed, smooth-talking killer recasts himself as a folk hero, whipping the town into a frenzy against the Ranger—and China, who is determined to educate newly freed slaves. Meanwhile, Twist’s gang is still out there, along with the stolen cash Quinn is sworn to recover.

Now Quinn faces two suicidal choices: hunt the gang alone, or defend China single-handedly from a violent uprising.

Quinn rides into town half‑dead, dragging the outlaw Cole Twist behind him. He barely has time to register the calm, steady presence of China Smallwood before he slips from the saddle. As he fades, he hears a warning delivered in a quiet but unshakable voice: “Stay where thee are. Dismount, and I’ll kill thee.”

China may be a Quaker schoolteacher, but she’s no ordinary one. Something about her unsettles Quinn in all the best ways, and before long the hardened Texas Ranger finds himself falling for her—complicating his life far more than any bullet ever has.

Then the verdict comes down. Cole Twist walks free. And the moment he does, chaos erupts.

A gripping tale with sharp writing, plenty of action to keep the pages flying, and a cast of characters—good, bad, and everything in between—that you can’t help but enjoy.

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

George G. Gilman

Savage Dawn

Edge #26

 by

George G. Gilman

The half-breed Edge is about to settle down for his share of love and happiness in San Parral, about to ask the beautiful Isabella to marry him, when six brutal bounty hunters ride into town raising hell. Their prize captive is the woman of a hated bandit chief and their torture is their amusement. Hard on the bounty hunters' trail is a thirty-man band of thieves headed by the ruthless Gonzales, who wants his woman back alive. Once again, Edge has to throw love aside as he pits himself against two violent gangs, hell-bent on destroying each other. And anyone who gets in their way!

Edge is ready to settle down — until bounty hunters ride in with a brutalized captive who belongs to Gonzales, a notoriously sadistic Mexican bandit. Edge wants to stay out of it, but once Gonzales drags him into the conflict, he’s fighting for his life, his love, and the people of San Parral.

A classic Gilman western: sharp, violent, dark, and unapologetic. I read many of these years ago, but this one feels new to me, which is a bonus.

Not for readers who prefer their westerns tame.

5/5

Simon Scarrow

 Warlord of Britannia

by

Simon Scarrow

&

T.J. Andrews

AD 43, Britannia. A barbarian land . . .

Caratacus is warlord of his tribe. Only King Cunobelinus holds more power. The island's clans are constantly at war. Caratacus has relentlessly driven new alliances, but those are ready to crumble at any provocation. A situation King Verica, an implacable enemy, is keen to exploit, with the support of ever-ambitious Rome. And Rome has a spy in Cunobelinus's inner circle.

The elders believe their island is impregnable. Caratacus is powerful enough to ignore their mockery, as he calls on thousands of men to enlist, and prepare to defend their homeland. But even Caratacus cannot be certain that an army of warriors and ragtag bands of farmers can be turned into a disciplined fighting force that can defy the mighty military machine poised to invade.

Caratacus and his men are preparing for the most deadly battle of their lives. The future of their world is at stake.

An intriguing perspective on Caratacus, especially in the way he recounts his story to a Roman historian. It feels fresh and different, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. As with most books bearing Scarrow’s name, you know exactly what you’re in for: strong storytelling and a compelling read.

Norman A. Fox

 Roughshod

by

Norman A. Fox

Reb Kittredge rides into Sleeping Cat, Montana as hired muscle, paid to break a stubborn rancher, to squeeze the last honest man in the basin until he folds. It's dirty work. He's done it before.

Then a single cut of a deck of cards makes him the owner of the very ranch he was sent to destroy. Now the cattle boss who hired him wants him dead, the rancher's daughter is getting under his skin, and Kittredge finds himself fighting a war he started… on the wrong side.

But a man who's lived by the gun doesn't fold easy, and Reb Kittredge has never once backed down from a fight.

I really enjoyed this gritty tale. Kittredge makes for a strong, compelling lead, and Fox’s writing is  sharp. There’s plenty of action to keep the pages flying, with just enough romance woven in to soften the edges.

Sleeping Cat is anything but sleepy. Sent to take out rancher Dan Saxon, Kittredge instead ends up owning Saxon’s ranch after a risky cut‑card gamble. Naturally, this doesn’t sit well with the man who hired him.

Add in Rita, Saxon’s daughter, and the jealous Curly Mather, and things heat up fast.

Now I’m tempted to watch the movie adaptation to see how it stacks up.

This book is now available from Wolfpack Publishing. 

5/5.

Gordon D. Shirreffs

Fort Vengeance

by

Gordon D. Shirreffs

Get here!

Major Dan Fayes was sent on a mission to Fort Costain in Arizona to end the apache reign of terror. It was then that the Apaches struck swiftly, armed with new henry rifles.

Fort Costain becomes a kind of hell on earth, isolated in Apache territory and staffed by a complacent, undisciplined cavalry unit. Then Dan Fayes arrives. His mission is twofold: whip the garrison into a real fighting force and uncover who’s supplying the Apaches with brand‑new Henry rifles — a job complicated by the fact that someone is willing to kill to keep that secret buried.

The story delivers steady tension and plenty of action. Among a cast of strong personalities, the standout for me was Sergeant Major Mike Haley — a hard, uncompromising soldier whose loyalty lies entirely with the uniform he wears. When we first meet him, he’s deserted out of sheer disgust with the men around him. Fayes not only brings him back but earns his respect, ultimately promoting him from sergeant to sergeant major.

5/5

 

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.

Jack Slade

 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.