Review - Texas Kill of the Mountain Man - 5 star

Texas Kill of the Mountain Man, by William and J. A. Johnstone is another in the series of the Smoke Jensen stories.  For those who may not have read about Smoke, he was a gunfighter extraordinaire.  In his older years, he has left any of his wild ways behind and is now a respectable horse rancher, raising the best in Colorado.  He is happily married and running his ranch.

One of his oldest friends, a rancher down in Texas, wants to buy some of Smoke’s fine quarter horses –100 to be exact.  These do not come cheap, normally selling for well over $100 each when “normal” horses are only bringing $30-$40 dollars.  Smoke is giving his friend a break at $90.  Regardless a lot of money.

There are several backstories in this novel – including a rape and murder, a nefarious quickdraw gunfighter who used to be a college professor and took that sobriquet, Professor, and some plain old bad ne’er-do-wells!! These add to the suspense of the novel.

As you might  expect the Professor is drawn to the older Smoke to test his speed with the draw.  Of course, this showdown happens and although Professor and his gang were hellbent on criminal adventure, there is more to the aging Smoke and his hands than is immediately clear.

The story is like most of the ones involving Smoke, his wife and ranch – the end is ultimately good for the good guys.  In this way this is a typical western, but the parts of getting too the expected conclusion bring all the excitement that a reader would want.  Another enjoyable Smoke Jensen novel and well worth the reader’s time to read.