Judgement Trail (Hale Publishing)

 Judgement Trail

by

Rob Hill

At the outbreak of Civil War, regiments stationed along the Oregon Trail are posted back East to fight for the Union. Hastily assembled militia units seize control of the trail forts and wagon trains are left vulnerable to exploitation and attack.

Halted with a broken axle, westbound pioneers Eve Maddison and Wesley Jackson encounter a mysterious frontiersman known simply as ‘Stranger’. They also run up against the vicious Viperine brothers, in charge of a local militia and plotting to extort money from the stranded pioneers.

Stranger insists that everyone is judged by their actions on the trail. His philosophy of courage and self-reliance inspires Eve and Wesley to make a stand against the Viperines – and face up to some difficult truths…

Eve Maddison and Wesley Jackson are pushing west with a wagon train when disaster strikes—a broken axle halts their journey. Wesley heads to Fort Dove in search of a replacement, but while he’s gone, a lone rider appears. He calls himself simply, Stranger.

At Fort Dove, the ruthless Viperines enforce a militia tax on all who pass. When Eve and Wesley refuse to bow, tensions flare. It’s only through the steel of the mysterious rider that they discover what it truly means to stand tall on the frontier. Yet both Eve and Wesley carry secrets of their own—secrets that could change everything.

I recently picked up a stack of Black Horse Westerns, and this was among the first I read. It’s a sharp, well-crafted tale with strong characters and twists you won’t see coming. Years ago, I wrote thirteen of these myself, and I can tell you—they’re always fast-paced, packed with action, and brimming with rugged heroes. A true pleasure to read.