I’m expanding my reading beyond Westerns, but they are still my comfort food. Here are a few more I enjoyed:
- Brannigan’s Land–justice in the old West
- Disturbing the Peace--Deputy US Marshall Halstead must face a crew of outlaws led by a man he thought he’d killed
- Axle Bust Creek–a Civil War vet ends up in a lawless mining town to protected the claim of his uncle
- Settling his Hash–chuck wagon cook and gunslinger–what could be better
- Slaughter at Wolf Creek–this time it takes the saloon owner, town sheriff, and a renowned gunslinger to handle trouble at Buzzard’s Bluff
- Cruel Winter of the Mountain Man–another great Smoke Jensen story
- Old Cowboys Never Die–but they do get stupid, at least if Casey and Levi are an example
Brannigan’s Land
by William Johnston
4/5
William Johnston’s Brannigan’s Land (Pinnacle Books 2022), Book 1 in the series, Brannigan’s Land Western, starts out as a pretty typical excellent Western story. MacKenna Brannigan, daughter of a wealthy well-established rancher, falls for a seeming cad cowboy with the singular skill of being about to talk to horses–gain their trust. The two are engaged, but he leaves her to father a child by a neighboring rancher’s daughter. MacKenna wants to hate him, but her heart won’t cooperate. As she is still healing, he is accused of killing the father of that girl though he swears he didn’t. MacKenna believes him and begs her father (Ty Brannigan), a former lawman with an excellent reputation for truth and justice, to prove the boy’s innocence. Ty reluctantly agrees, but his efforts are complicated by two events. One, thugs are trying to kill him–why he doesn’t know–and two, a former girlfriend shows up in town to warn him he is in danger.
This story has all the pieces of a great western, but something I can’t quite put my finger on is missing. Drama? Charisma? Not sure. It is well written, but I found it too predictable. Nothing surprised me and I found myself hurrying through pages I should have savored. Maybe that’s my fault, because I’ve read too many westerns. Check out these lines:
“Way, way back . . . deep into a past he hadn’t thought about in years. A past he’d never thought he’d plumb again.”
Are they ordinary or great prose? If the latter, I should have given this 5/5 instead of 4/5.
Disturbing the Peace
by Terrence McCauley
In Terrence McCauley’s second of the Jeremiah Halstead Western series, Disturbing the Peace, (Pinnacle 2022), Deputy US Marshal Jeremiah Halstead is sent by US Marshall Aaron Mackey to the Territory of Montana on another almost-impossible job of keeping the peace in post-Civil War US. The outlaw Ed Zimmerman is a man Halstead thought he’d killed, wished he had because he is one of the smartest, most conniving outlaws he’s faced in his short career in law enforcement (Halstead is only 25ish). Zimmerman and his crew of about twelves lawless outlaws is robbing banks and using the money for a much bigger goal than just women and booze. Halstead has only his partner and a town sheriff to combat this group and he’s pretty sure that won’t be enough.
I know from reading Book 1 in this series, the Sheriff Aaron Mackey series, and several other of McCauley’s Westerns that this author has the exemplary ability to weave multiple plot lines together and never lose sight of the story goal. Have you ever read a book and wondered what Plot X has to do with Plot Y and how the heck do they matter to the main Plot Z? You won’t say that with the Jeremiah Halstead series. It is fully featured and believable. I’m rooting for Halstead no matter his mistakes or problems. The only hiccup was a rather unsatisfying ending (no spoilers). It left me angry, but I hope it will be resolved in the sequel. Darn.
Click for my review of McCauley’s Dark Sunrise, Get Out of Town.
Axle Bust Creek
by John Shirley
John Shirley’s Axle Bust Creek (Pinnacle Books 2022), Book 1 in the Cleve Trewe Westerns, takes place in Axle Bust Creek, a Nevada mining town with few amenities beyond bars, stables, and itinerant miners. There is no legitimate law though the locals and the miners set up vigilante justice courts to maintain some semblance of justice. It is here that former Union officer Cleve Trewe’s uncle was almost killed trying to defend his gold mine from claim jumpers. Cleve decides it is his familial duty to get the mine back for his Uncle. Cleve has the legal documents showing him as owner but the swindlers have done a good job of making his documents look questionable enough to muddy his claim. To complicate matters, the claim jumper is a weak man with a beautiful and brilliant sister who seems to know little about the illegalities of her brother. Cleve is falling for her and doesn’t want their fragile relationship to be destroyed.
Claim jumpers, lawless towns, bad guys taking advantage of good guys, boy falls for beautiful girl–lots of common plot lines. What makes this excellent–5/5–is the pacing, the Old West atmosphere, and the well-built characters readers can’t fail to like. A good read. I’ll definitely read the next in the series.
Settling His Hash
by William Johnstone et al
In Settling His Hash (Pinnacle Books 2022), fifth in the Chuckwagon Trail Westerns, Dewey ‘Mac’ Mackenzie has finished a job that took him to California where he’d always thought he wanted to settle. But after spending time there, he realizes it isn’t his dream home after all. Having finally been cleared of a murder he didn’t commit, he heads back to Texas, unsure what he’ll do next. He loves cooking for large groups so maybe he’ll run the chuck wagon for a ranch. He’s always been happy doing that. As he and his faithful horse make their way back to Texas, he stops to help a ranch crew who oddly is in need of a cook after theirs was fired for a lot of reasons, the least of which was poor cooking. Mac signs on to help them get home and is such a success, he entertains the idea of joining their brand when they reach their Texas home. As often happens to Mac, trouble finds him. In this case, it’s the ambush of a small rancher and his two daughters. The entire crew decides to help get them back on their feet after a series of setbacks. One of them is an ongoing rustling problem involving not just this rancher but a lot of the locals. Mac ends up in the middle of tracking down the thieves and finds he is falling for one of the daughters.
Yes. That is a lot of action, but if you’re familiar with the Mac Mackenzie series, you’ll expect no less than non-stop action, clever solutions, and Mac saving the day when it seems impossible. Highly recommended for Western genre fans.
Slaughter at Wolf Creek
by William Johnstone et al
William Johnstone’s Slaughter at Wolf Creek (Pinnacle Books 2022) is another excellent old west story by the master of that genre. Ben Savage, retired Texas Ranger and now owner of the local saloon in Buzzard’s Bluff, is one of my favorite of Johnstone’s well-established characters. He does help the town sheriff on occasion and this time, it’s when a band of outlaws try to rob the town bank. They are arrested by the Sheriff and Ben before they accomplish their goal, but turns out, they are only part of the gang. When the rest of the band comes to town to free their incarcerated members, the two lawmen need more help, which comes in the form of a retired gunslinger renowned for his skill.
Great story with lots of likeable characters. I will definitely read more of this series.
Cruel Winter of the Mountain Man
by William Johnstone et al
In William Johnstone’s latest Smoke Jensen book, Cruel Winter of the Mountain Man (Pinnacle Books 2022), Smoke gets a letter from an old friend asking him to come for a visit. Since this former town sheriff had never before asked that, Smoke went right away. He arrives to find his friend close to death from cancer, but surrounded by people who love and respect him. Smoke decides to stay as long as his friend needs him and ends up involved in the robbery of the towns bank by a scouting group of a dangerous, brutal band of owlhoots. Smoke and the current Marshall manage to stop the robbery but he is killed and Smoke agrees–at the insistence of his friend–to stay on as acting Marshall until the town can find a replacement. This puts him right in the middle of the second half of the bank robbery, by the notorious band of outlaws known as much for their brutality as success.
Smoke Jensen is one of Johnston’s stand out characters. He has a sordid history, starting barely on the legal side of the law, but now solidly one of the West’s outstanding citizens. The stories in this series are always engaging and page turners. This is not exception.
Old Cowboys Never Die
by William Johnstone et al
4/5
In William Johnstone’s Old Cowboys Never Die, Casey Tubbs and Levi Doolin didn’t plan to become outlaws in their later years. They finished a cattle drive like many before it in their cowboying career, but this time, the owner failed to pay them. Nothing fair about that so Casey and Levi decided to rob the train that carried their wages and take just what was owed them plus a little extra for their effort. They’re both tired of pushing cows so decided to partner up, find something new to do. That of course required supplies so they steal a pack horse. Money quickly becomes an issue so they figure robbing a bank solves that problem.
You see where this is going. It gets really exciting when the law starts to chase them even though its hard to believe two old codgers are doing all this law breaking.
A fun story with nothing expected about it.
Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular Man vs. Nature saga, the Rowe-Delamagente thrillers, and the acclaimed Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy. She is also the author/editor of over a hundred books on integrating tech into education, adjunct professor of technology in education, blog webmaster, an Amazon Vine Voice, and a freelance journalist on tech ed topics. Look for her next prehistoric fiction, Natural Selection, Summer 2022
Would any of these titles be suitable for YA readers?
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They teach about people with good morals and ethics, respect for other groups (like Indians). Bad people usually lose–those who are evil and self-centered. And lots of gun play, killing because those were the times. I’ll let you decide!
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Good to know! Thank you for the synopses, Jacqui 🙂
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Mouth watering suggestions Jacqui. There are some earlier ones on Westerns I have saved up. Hoping I can get to at least a few of them 😦
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The three William Johnstone were my favorites. That isn’t always the case, but the nephew seems to have excelled in these.
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Hi Jacqui – I’d love to get off ‘my horse’ and just relax and read … one day that turn of events will come around … but in the meantime I’m always happy to know your suggestions – cheers Hilary
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I think that natural world could replace reading for me. There’s so much going on if you take time to notice.
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You have quite an expansion of your western, Jacqui! I thought the western world is in the past, therefore, the western books are about the past. I didn’t know there are modern western books. It’s interesting. Thank you for the book reviews, Jacqui! You’ve read so many of them! ❤
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There are modern westerns though they’re not my favorite. I couldn’t even suggest an author–Linda Broday maybe (loved her books). The era I love is post Civil War–pre turn of the century, when everything was happening at breakneck speed.
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My dad loved western movies and I remember going with him to see some.
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The Clint Eastwood spaghetti Westerns–so fun!
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Hubby loves that also. I watch western with him sometimes.
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That’s quite a collection, Jacqui!
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And I have about eight more coming up! And these are just the ones I review.
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Wow, I don’t usually read many Westerns, but your reviews are compelling Jacqui 😀 I think there are going to be some additions to my TBR XD Hahaha.
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They’re a different world. I’m all for escapism lately so they suit me well. No technology. Survival is based on what’s inside of you, not who can rescue you. Nice, innit?
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Thanks for sharing these reviews, Jacqui. You are obviously a William Johnstone fan. Love reading your thoughts on each book!
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The Uncle was quite a storyteller. The nephew is excellent, but with slight differences.
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Love how you’ve explored this genre, Jacqui – these look great.
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It fits well with my current writing. Such strong people back then!
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It seems westerns were a more popular genre years ago. I’m glad to see that so many people are still writing them.
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They have a niche following, but a large niche. Good authors in this genre are gobbled up.
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That last one sounds really good but for Kindle or Nook it isn’t available until October.😢
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That’s true, about availability. I get it through NetGalley. You might sign up there. They’re free if you qualify.
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Thanks. I’ll look into it.
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Great reviews of Westerns, Jacqui! My dad loves Zane Gray books and beyond! Westerns and cowboys have become uber popular with the TV series “Yellowstone.” Now that I live in “cowboy” country, I’ve come to appreciate the genre.
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I tried a Zane Gray book a long time ago. Can’t remember why I didn’t stick with it. I am looking forward to this season of Yellowstone (if I can figure out how to watch it!)
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I ended up buying the Yellowstone DVD seasons 1-3. I think it’s on TV for season 5? I missed season 4 so I can possibly buy in prime video, whatever.
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Thanks for sharing so many Western Jacqui, I enjoy them. Your reading speed is increasing each day! 😀
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Westerns tend to be shorter than other books. I just finished Brad Thor’s latest thriller. It was much longer than my usual Western, but I loved every page.
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Some of these books sound absolutely hilarious; a blend of the old west alongside some snappy humor! I particularly love the sounds of Settling His Hash, Old Cowboys Never Die, and Disturbing the Peace. 🙂
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Old Cowboys Never Die was pretty humorous–agreed!
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I actually have a hankerin’ for a Western. These sound fun, Jacqui!
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I like how you say that! 4, 5, or 6 would be your best bet.
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HI Jacqui, my goodness this is a lot of comfort food for one week – smile! I don’t think the prose for the first book is outstanding if that helps at all. An interesting selection of books.
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I’m reading a thriller right now–Brad Thor–and missing my Westerns! What is wrong with me??
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😂, I’m reading a romance with a bit of The picture of Dorian Gray on the side. What’s wrong with me? 😉
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Um, those would seem to argue against each other! I loved Picture of Dorian Gray. To this day, I imagine my picture in the attic.
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😂, I acquired it because of a comment you made.
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It’s a classic, one of the books that people allude to and lots of people nod their heads to.
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The all dound like great reads, Jacqui. The Cruel Winter caught my eye.
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These folks thought nothing of surviving dastardly winters. It’s what they did.
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I think you would have made a good cowgirl, back in the day.
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I would make sure I was a lot tougher than the current me, which wouldn’t be bad.
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You would be like Xhosa!
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In my dreams.
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I haven’t read any of these, but nice to see a comeback for this genre. Thanks for the suggestions.
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I am surprised how many TV shows and Netflix sort of dramas (like Yellowstone) are so popular these days. There’s something about the solid moral core that is appealing.
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It appears you’ve enjoyed a lot of fun reading with these books. I may have to get back into Westerns as I’m not sure when I am going to get out there again now my son has moved to the midwest 🙂
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Most Westerns are fast reads for me. Your son’s in the midwest–a lot to recommend that area.
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Howdy Jacqui I live in Lubbock, Texas where the West still exists. I walk into the local grocery store and see men in dirty work boots, heavy overalls or jeans, and big cowboy hats. There is a bandana around their neck too. Dirt blows everywhere here. Once a week I vacuum two cups from the floor. Westerns in books are romantic. The reality is farms are dry with no rain for at least a year. One of my friends whose family has six farms said they are raising cattle now instead of cotton because of the weather. We have the best beef you have ever tasted. Come to Texas and see the real cowboys. They tip their big brim hats and say, howdy ma’am.
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I already wanted to move there, Grace, and I promise to leave ‘California attitudes’ behind. That won’t be hard. I’m a misfit out here anyway!
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I haven’t thought to ask this. Do Westerns all take place in the past?
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The ones I read do. There are the modern Westerns, with the handsome tough cowboy who works with horses and cows. I read some of those but not many.
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Thank you for the additional information, Jacqui.
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I’m glad to see westerns making a comeback. I’ve bought quite a few of Johnstone’s books for my father-in-law.
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The older ones are the best. His nephew does a good-not-great job in his.
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Good to know.
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Great reviews, Jacqui. Thanks for sharing! Have a wonderful weekend 💕🙂
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Thanks, Harmony! You too!
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Old Cowboys Never Die by William W. Johnstone sounds like a fun read. I’ve earmarked the release date. Thanks, Jacqui!
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That was fun though less believable than most old Westerns. That’s probably why it lost a star!
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Good morning, dear Jacqui,
thanks for these reviews. They are always like a window into another world for us.
I have to admit that my father used to read Westerns. As I come from a highly intellectual family, I was ashamed that he didn’t read “good literature”. You changed my view about Westerns and my father, thank you very much.
We all wish you a wonderful weekend
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
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I had the same attitude before I read my first western. They are more about tough people doing what seems impossible rather than growing the cerebral mind so I suppose that appeals to the genre I write in. Thanks, Klasubernd.
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Yay! Thanks for sharing, Jacqui. I’ve passed this along to my father. He’s read many that you’ve suggested. xo
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I’m reading mountain men now. Does he like those?
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Yes! He discovered Robert Vaughan. I wonder if he learned about him through you!😍
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