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. 

DUEL IN PURGATORY

 

GUNN
Book 6 of 29
DUEL IN PURGATORY
By Jory Sherman
Cover art by Pino Daeni
Zebra Books, 1981

The stage is set for trouble when Gunn arrives in Colorado. He’s there to assist an old friend, Herb Oxley, but even Gunn’s helping hands are tied. The cattle owners are feuding over possession – and someone is tampering with the brands.

Before he gets a chance to intervene Gunn is nearly killed in an ambush by a lone sniper. He suspects that it’s an inside job, probably one of Oxley’s gang. That explains why Oxley’s beautiful young wife is being so flirtatious – or at least one the reasons why.

Gunn being ambushed is how this book begins. It’s one of the best parts of the story, tension filled, almost noir in its telling. It also sets up a mystery for Gunn to try and solve. Jory Sherman’s prose is a joy to read, at times poetic in its descriptions, hard hitting at times – one scene making me cringe, as I expect it will for most male readers. The book contains plenty of gunplay and one of the longest fistfights I’ve read for a long time. 

The violence is graphic and the many sex scenes explicit, the latter encounters taking up quite a few pages each. There are plenty of women eager to share their bed with Gunn but will they all get what they desire? I did think Mr. Sherman could have been a bit more imaginative when he described their eyes – most if not all have blue eyes. 

The plot isn’t overly complicated but it certainly kept me turning the pages, especially as I wanted to see if my suspicions on who was the mystery sniper was correct. Trouble is Jory Sherman is very good at pointing the finger at most of the book’s characters as being that person so I doubted myself a number of times and still got it wrong.

As the pages began to run out, I did begin to wonder if it would have a rushed ending, or would some of the plotlines spill over into the next book. Fear not though, Jory Sherman wrapped it all up well with some shocking revelations and brutality.  

Duel in Purgatory is another entertaining read in what, so far, has been a strong series. 

SUNDANCE

 

SUNDANCE
By Richard Telfair
A Gold Medal book from Fawcett, 1960
Reprinted by Frederick Muller Ltd., London, 1961

He’d been a gunfighter back in his wild, young years before he’d become half owner of the Hotel de Paree, before life had given him a second chance. Now things were quiet. He liked what he was doing – and he liked himself.

That was until the Broadhurst bunch hit town, wrecked his hotel and terrorized the town. What started as just a bunch of waddies looking for some fun erupted into something more dangerous.

It was only then that Sundance strapped on his gun....   

Hotel de Paree was a TV western series that ran for one season from 1959 to 1960. It starred Earl Holliman as Sundance. I have no idea if this book, Sundance by Richard Telfair, was an official tie-in novel or not as there’s no indication to the TV series anywhere on the cover or in the book. I’ve never seen the TV show, but from what I can gather it sticks faithfully to the TV series in some areas, changes some parts, and ignores others; for instance, there’s no reference to Sundance’s mirrored hat-band at all – a gimmick to make the show different to others westerns on TV at the time. Annette Deveraux is in the book but her sister/niece/daughter Monique doesn’t appear in the story and there is no mention of her either – I’m not sure of their relationship due to the internet naming her as all of these.

The story is straight-forward. Perhaps a little thin on plot, although it does contain a neat little twist during the cowboy’s raid on Georgetown to free their imprisoned ramrod. Gunplay erupts fairly frequently, but a lot of the time Sundance does everything he can to avoid having to use his gun. 

There’s a lot of tough talk and discussions between Sundance and Annette, the latter of which I felt held to story up at times. The author certainly came up with some engaging characters such as Marshal Bond – his belief in the law is impeccable, it’s just a shame others don’t hold it in such high regard. Then there’s the cowhand Cowl. The Texan, Tris Pony who Sundance has a tense confrontation with near the beginning of the story, and when they both walk away from this you just know they’ll have to face each other again. 

This book is worth considering if you’re looking for a quick easy fun read without a complicated storyline that plays out exactly as you’ll expect it to. 

Richard Telfair is a pseudonym used by Richard Jessup. 

KICKED OUT WITH A COLD SHOVEL

 

BLOODY JOE MANNION
Book 6 of 9
KICKED OUT WITH A COLD SHOVEL
By Peter Brandvold
Wolfpack Publishing, February 2023

Town Marshal “Bloody” Joe Mannion is on the trail of some of the most vicious killers he’s ever faced. It’s up to Mannion to single-handedly retrieve the loot a gang stole from a train. He manages to take down the gang and secure the loot only to find himself facing yet another band of vicious killers who want to lay their own grubby hands on the cash. Bloody Joe, however, has other ideas…and this ain’t his first rodeo.

When the gang tracks Joe to the ranch of Sam and Ilsa McDowell, he finds himself on the run again, with both McDowell’s as well as the loot. The only thing harder than trying to hold onto the loot is getting Sam and Ilsa to safety – especially when a neighboring rancher sets his lusty sights on the girl…

This time Peter Brandvold sticks with Bloody Joe throughout the story. There aren’t any secondary plotlines involving Joe’s wife, daughter, deputies or anyone else back in Joe’s hometown, Del Norte, as has been the case in previous books. Yes, he does occasionally switch to other people so he can tell us what the outlaws, rancher or Sam and Ilsa are doing when they are separated from Joe. 

What the blurb above doesn’t tell you is that Sam is a youngster and his sister Ilsa is in her late teens. Part of the appeal of this novel is reading how their relationship with Bloody Joe develops. As you can imagine, it isn’t long before Sam begins to idolize Mannion, something Joe and Ilsa aren’t too keen on. As the three battle through various deadly situations their bond gets stronger and stronger.

There are some excellent set pieces that include many exchanges of gunfire and a dramatic escape from a trap. With the various groups of people hunting for the loot or Ilsa there isn’t a moment of peace for Bloody Joe as bullets fly thick and fast. Mannion also takes some punishment throughout this tale, this time around it’s mostly physical rather than mentally. 

Ilsa’s beauty also adds to the problems she and Mannion will have to deal with as it’s not just the rancher who sets his sights on her and the only way to protect her is with more gunplay. Unfortunately, Ilsa doesn’t escape from all this attention unscathed and this leads up to a memorable moment near the end of the tale. 

Peter Brandvold introduces some great characters in this story, be they outlaws or otherwise, such as the two who help Joe and Sam when they are in dire need. It isn’t only humans who are going to stick in your memory though. Sam and Ilsa have a pet dog, King, who travels alongside his owners and Mannion as they desperately try to reach the safety of Del Norte. 

Kicked Out with a Cold Shovel is another great entry in the Bloody Joe Mannion series and is one I’d recommended to all fans of western fiction. 

American readers can get a copy here

British readers can get a copy here

WESTERNS READ DURING 2025

It's that time again. Another year has passed so here's my list of the westerns I read during 2025. These range from short stories/novels found in the old pulp magazines right upto books published this year. Authors include Spur Award winners, old-hands, and first time writers. To read a review, just click on the entry number.  

1. Gunsmoke 1: Gunsmoke by Gary McCarthy
2. Hell Bound for Spindriff by Dale Graham
3. Hawke 1: Ride with the Devil by Robert Vaughan
4. Hodge by Matt Chisholm
5. Western Novels and Short Stories Vo. 1, No. 5
6. Bloody Joe Mannion 5: All My Sins Remembered by Peter Brandvold
7. Slocum Buried Alive (424) by Jake Logan
8. Badge for Braddock by Kirk Hamilton
9. Six Graves to Sunrise by Brett McKinley
10. Gallows Ghost by Barry Cord
11. Exciting Western – October 1953
12. Abilene 11: The Hellion by Justin Ladd
13. Bannister 2: The Savage Hills by D.B. Newton
14. Bad Night at the Crazy Bull by John Dyson
15. The Badge 16: Cannon’s Grave by Bill Reno
16. Preacher’s Law 3: The Gavel & The Gun by Dean L. McElwain
17. A Notch with No Name by Walt Beaumont
18. Famous Stories of the Wild West by Leonard Gribble
19. .44 by H.A. DeRosso
20. Slash and Pecos 2: A Good Day for a Massacre by William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone
21. Unwanted: Dead or Alive by Gene Shelton
22. Head Hunter 1: Arizona Hellcat by E.J. Hunter
23. Raider 13: The Madman’s Blade by J.D. Hardin
24. Hodge 2: Hang a Man High by Matt Chisholm
25. Western Story – March 1949
26. Bull’s Eye Stage Coach by Billy Hall
27. Longarm and Senorita Revenge (415) by Tabor Evans
28. Fort Misery 2: These Men Chose Hell by William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone
29. Hannigan 5: Hell Pass by Lance Howard
30. The Jury on Smoky Hill by Jack Curtis
31. Outlaw Destiny by Clifton Adams
32. Vengeance Trail by Bill Brooks
33. Follow the Lonesome Trail: A Western Anthology complied by Allison Tebo
34. Klaw by W.L. Fieldhouse
35. Thrilling Western – Summer 1950
36. Luke Jensen, Bounty Hunter 2: Dead Shot by William W. Johnstone with J.A. Johnstone
37. Sheriff of Big Hat by Barry Cord
38. Hodge 3: The Law of Ben Hodge by Matt Chisholm
39. The Killers from Yellow Rock by Jeff Pintabona
40. Rails into Hell by Robert Vaughan and Brent Towns
41. The Badge 17: The Vulture by Bill Reno
42. The Lonesome Death of Joe Savage by C.J. Sommers
43. Western Adventure – February 1957
44. Tragg’s Choice by Clifton Adams
45. Bloody Joe Mannion 6: Kicked Out with a Cold Shovel by Peter Brandvold

TRAGG'S CHOICE

 

TRAGG’S CHOICE
By Clifton Adams
Tandem, 1975
First published in 1969
Spur Award Winner for Best Western Novel, 1969

For ten years, Owen Tragg lived on his reputation as a hero – exploited by a slick showman who dressed him up in fringed and beaded buckskin and billed him as ‘the man who killed Jody Barker’.

When the act finally folded, Tragg was relieved. But before he could head for El Paso to apply for a deputy’s job, he had some unpleasant business to take care of at Boser’s Creek. There, Jody Barker’s widow waited for him; and there, by a twist of fate that had sent a half-starved sodbuster on a killing spree, Tragg the man was forced to separate himself from Tragg the legend.

He was all that stood between two people and death.

There are four lead characters in this suspense filled book. They all meet on a stagecoach journey. The author fleshes them out superbly, filling in their backgrounds and their dreams for the future. Guilt and greed drive most of them. Each takes centre stage at different points in the book. The titular character is kept mostly in the background for the first half of the story.

I found it fascinating to watch how Morrasey, a down on his luck sodbuster, desperate for something more in his life, becomes a merciless killer. The story begins with him watching a man die, which is right up there with the best opening scenes to a book I’ve ever read. Gripping indeed.

Jessie Ross is the girl who is intent on turning in her dying outlaw boyfriend for the bounty on him. Then there’s Callahan, a bounty hunter who is eager to get part of that reward, and soon has the opportunity to add to that money when he’s hired to kill one of the other three.

Tragg really doesn’t want to get involved with any of them, but fate has other plans and he finds himself wearing a deputy’s star and is sent out to bring in Morrasey. This supposedly simple task is complicated by the involvement of a revenge hungry lynch mob.

Clifton Adams brings all his characters together for a nail-biting final confrontation from which I began to think none of them would survive. The book has a noir feel at times which adds a hard edge to the storyline. 

This is a book that should satisfy all readers of westerns as Clifton Adams proves once again why his work is held in such high regard. The fact that it won a Spur Award should be enough to recommend it to those who’ve yet to read it without my encouragement. Tragg’s Choice really is a terrific western read. 

Note of interest. Tragg’s Choice was first published in Great Britain in 1970 under the title of Dude Sheriff by Robert Hale & Company.