THE LEGEND OF JOHNNY COLT 3
STAKED PLAINS SLAUGHTER
By James Reasoner
DS Productions, September 2026
The railroad has finally reached the Texas Panhandle, but not everyone is happy about it – in fact, there are some very bad people willing to slaughter a lot of folks to keep the railroad from advancing.
Johnny Colt has faced down many killers before, but this mission might be his most dangerous – and last – assignment yet. When he crosses paths with a kill crazy gang led by the murdering devil Billy Six-Ears, his undercover mission turns into a violent and blood-soaked fight for his life. With deadly gunfire erupting from all sides, Johnny Colt must rely on all his courage and sharpshooting skills to escape with his head still intact and bring these outlaws to justice…the kind of justice that swings from the end of a rope.
What isn’t mentioned in the above blurb is that Johnny Colt’s uncle and boss, Captain Esau “Brimstone” Parker, plays as big a part in this tale as Johnny does. Whilst Colt works undercover, Parker doesn’t hide that he is a Texas Ranger. James Reasoner regularly switches between the two, often leaving them is dangerous situations when he does so. Amid explosions, sniping, gunplay and a kidnapping, they slowly begin to piece together just what is going on and who is behind it all.
Reasoner is a master at creating interesting characters, not least Colt and Parker, but also those they are trying to help or bring to justice. In this story other unforgettable characters are Billy Six-Ears, Horace L. Dandridge – the owner of the railroad that’s being targeted by unknown saboteurs – and his wife, the flirtatious Maribel, and the drunk, Boone McGraw. Some other townsfolk and railroad workers have strong roles too.
Everything builds to an exciting final showdown that concludes the Rangers assignment in a bloody exchange of gunfire. Yet that’s not the end of the story, there’s a final chapter, one that provides a moving and memorable finish to the tale.
The Johnny Colt books could be classed as traditional westerns; fast paced, full of action, with elements of mystery to add twists to their well thought out plots. Staked Plains Slaughter easily matches the quality of the first two, and is perhaps the best yet. Let’s hope it’s not too long before a fourth book is published.
