Review - Knockdown - 2 stars

Knockdown by William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone is a most unusual story for those used to reading westerns by the Johnstone duo.  This is a modern day setting of two rogue, erstwhile agents of the US.  The uncle Barry and nephew Jake are seemingly good men who are hell bent on making sure a terrorist attack does not take place. Obviously this is a good thing.

This would be fine but politics of the current day seep into the story on almost every page.  The story is exciting and if you can see through the intrigue is not terrible.  Many readers will probably have an issue of believing the spew of invective against those individuals  but those who more conservative will likely adore.

There are some nice side stories of friendship and patriotism as well as budding love that occur in the story of the uncle and nephew as they go vigilante.  This story spreads across the country form El Paso to New York City to Denver.  A very wealthy manipulator is involved as are a drug cartel, and the “alphabet agencies” of the federal government (CIA, FBI, HHS, etc.).  The conspiracy theories will certainly appeal to a certain group of readers.  For others, they are too farfetched to be taken seriously.

This book was provided in electronic format to me for an honest review by #NetGalley.

Review - Bury the Hatchet - 5 star

Bury the Hatchet by William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone is a continuation of the story started in North of Laramie of Buck Trammel and Adam Hagen.  Trammel has continued his job as sheriff and continues to have issues with Hagen’s father.  The real issue in this novel is the Pinkerton Agency has been hired to bring these two men in “dead or alive” and when a Pinkerton is after you there is much danger as Trammel knows being a former Pink himself.

There is the normal intrigue of   This book like the first is a gripping story of what might have happened in the small Western frontier town of Blackstone drug dealing, prostitution, and other political shenanigans to keep the reader entertained.

The friendship of Hagen and Trammel, which began in the first novel continues into this story although it gets strained on occasion as Hagen is a bit of ne’er-do-well.  But solving the dangerous situation not only of the Pinkertons but also a bounty a disgruntled man has also put on their heads is exciting.

While this book is the continuation of the Trammel story, it can be read as a stand alone but having read the first builds a much better vision of the characters involved in this story.  It is a book worth reading and because of the fast-paced action is a quick read.

This book was provided to me in an electronic format  for an honest review by #NetGalley.

Review: A Knife n the Heart - 4 star

The novel by William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone entitled A Knife in the Heart is somewhat different from the other Johnstone books that I’ve read and thoroughly enjoyed. Certainly, it is not bad but this one focuses on  Hank Fallon who has done a lot of things n his life including being an incarcerated prisoner. All of his experiences make him the man he is today.

In this book, he gives up being a U.S. Marshal in Wyoming to become the warden of Leavenworth prison… where a new facility is still under construction. The older facility is still there and has plenty of bad people. Because of his experiences in being an inmate, he seems to know all the tricks of the prisoners but is a compassionate man as well.  He sees the goodness in people and if they are willing to meet him half-way he is on their side.

Escapes, kidnappings, attempted murder and other not so pleasant activities including murder are part of the story as Fallon tries to bring a more modern approach to prisons.  Not everyone is liking this “new normal” there and do their best to thwart his actions.

On occasion, he is known to revert to his former lives including a stint as a Deputy Marshal in the Indian Territory and as a prisoner himself.  The key is not to make him mad, although he is slow to anger.

While different from other Johnstone books, it is still enjoyable and shows off a different writing genre.  I’d recommend it for those looking for something different from the good guys always wearing white hats.  This one may be more realistic that some others.  I enjoyed it.  In fairness, I need to say that I was given a pre-publication copy in return for an honest review by #NetGalley. As in any prepublication, there are a number of errors that proofing will catch before the actual publication and they are not too distracting.