BLOOD ON THE WIRE

 

THE LEGEND OF JOHNNY COLT
BLOOD ON THE WIRE
By James Reasoner
DS Productions, 2026

The open range is dying, strangled by fences, greed, and men willing to kill to claim what was never theirs. Johnny Colt rides into the middle of that war carrying a reputation he didn’t ask for and a gun he knows how to use. He’s fast, dangerous, and determined to live by his own rules – but the West has other plans.

When rustlers, hired guns, and powerful interests clash over land and cattle, Johnny finds himself pulled into a brutal struggle where right and wrong blur as sharply as the wire cutting across the plains. Every fence post hammered into the ground brings more violence. Every ambush leaves another body in the dust. And the men behind it all believe intimidation and murder will clear the way for their empire.

They’ve underestimated Johnny Colt.

Blood on the Wire is the first book in a new series from one of the best western authors writing today; James Reasoner. 

In Johnny Colt, James has created an engaging character. Is he headed for a life of outlawry or will he stay on the side of the law? From the opening chapter it seems it could be the former as he is riding with a bunch of wire-cutters and cutting wire is against the law. There’s an ambush waiting to be sprung on Johnny and his companions from which Johnny only just manages to escape, finding himself the unwilling guest of a patrol of Texas Rangers led by his uncle. 

Johnny wants to track down the person responsible for the death of his friends and goes to work on a ranch owned by the man he believes ordered the ambush so he can find the proof he needs to bring down Atkinson. Things get complicated as Atkinson has a daughter that Johnny is attracted to. Johnny’s first meeting with Lydia being just one of the many memorable scenes within this book.

Pacing is excellent and it urges the reader to keep turning the pages. The book is packed with fascinating characters, gunplay, and twists waiting to spring surprises on Johnny Colt and the reader, which is why I’ve not revealed much about the plot as it would be difficult to do so without providing spoilers. 

Blood on the Wire proves to be a terrific introduction to this new series and it left me very eager to see what problems Johnny Colt will face in the second book. I can only hope it isn’t too long before it is released. On the strength of this book the Legend of Johnny Colt series deserves to have a long run.

American readers can get a copy here.

UK readers can get a copy here.

LATE FOR GETTYSBURG

 

LATE FOR GETTYSBURG
By Vance Tillman
Robert Hale, December 2013

Eugene Wyeth doesn’t seem to realize that the Civil War is over, and even his family can’t persuade him to surrender. With a price on his head, he assumes there is a bounty hunter around every corner. 

But, when his old comrade-in-arms, Rattlesnake Jack, is shot, Wyeth must risk exposure and ride into town to seek help. With the powerful Kirby Taylor and his gang of gunslingers determined to stand in Wyeth’s way, there is trouble looming, and Wyeth must examine all he has stood for and put his very identity to the test.

After the first attempt on Wyeth’s life the author hooked me well and truly with a mystery, that of a small black skull the would-be assassin carried. What is the meaning of this item? But, a few pages later the author explains all, which I found a shame, but it did allow Tillman the opportunity to switch to other characters to explain their motives and actions. 

As the title references a battle during the American Civil War it came as no surprise that there were a few mentions of combat and manoeuvres during that conflict. Events at Gettysburg being the reason behind the plot of this book. It was also interesting to read about the Ketchum hand grenade that one of the characters had in his possession and I looked forward to seeing it used. Unfortunately, I was let down as this never happened.

The story has a fast pace, building well to its final showdown. There’s plenty of gunplay along the way and a couple of robberies. The book includes a particularly tense scene depicting the escape of a young woman from her captor’s home. 

Overall, this was a readable story but not one that will make me hunt through my collection for the other Vance Tillman book I have yet to read. 

Late for Gettysburg was the third and last book Robert Hale Ltd put out under their Black Horse Westerns banner from the author named as Vance Tillman.