Review -- Preacher's Carnage - 5 stars

 In William and J. A. Johnstone’s’ book, Preacher’s Carnage, there is another installment of the mountain man book series.  This one is number 25 in the ongoing series about the individuals who helped forge the western landscape of a new and developing country. It is a delightful read.

This edition is full of the typical twists and turns that one might expect in a Johnstone written novel. Getting the Preacher riled up enough to follow through is pretty easy but goes well beyond the brutal attack on a wagon train moving along the Santa Fe Trail.  All that carnage is not enough but the intervention of a potential fiancé of one of the missing members of the train, who just happens to be a beautiful Spanish senorita, is the tipping point. Preacher is not normally a vengeful man ---but in this case he may be pushed too far.

There is a reward but that is far secondary to just doing the right thing  Sometimes doing the right things call for partnering with some marginal characters.  There are banditos, as well as Indios, who get involved as Preacher works to find out the truth about the missing gold on the train which was attacked as well as the disappearing bridegroom. Some erstwhile allies may be more two-faced than can be imagined.  Preacher must always be on alert for a double-cross to happen.

Danger seems to lurk around every bush and to be more prevalent that the spines on the local plants—just waiting to poke and cause pain.  In true Western spirit, the truth is discovered and those needing to be punished are caught. 

A novel that is fun to read and one that the pages seem to turn themselves and the next part of this fun Western adventure reveals itself.  A definite must read in the series of books from the Johnstone dynamo.