Review--Outlaw Country--5 stars

One of the most famous characters in the William and J.A. Johnstone’s stories is Kirby “Smoke” Jensen.  This is the third book in the series, but it gives the backstory of Smoke’s life to this time.  He is on a ship heading to Paris with his second wife, Sally.  He becomes friends with a reporter who is not interested in news but human-interest stories.

He is enticed to tell his story from the beginning where his mother dies, and his father gets murdered.  A friendly mountain man named Preacher takes over the training of the young whippersnapper ensuring that he learns well all the skill needed by a person vowing revenge on the murderous gang who murdered his father. 

While under Preacher’s tutelage he meets and falls in love
the lovely Nicole who is left alive after a savage attach on her and her families wagon heading westward.  It is not an immediate love story btu they become enamored with each other and get married in a most unusual way. Preacher does a lot of away time rambling his beloved mountains.  Nicole and Smoke conceive a baby boy who they name Art after Preacher’s given name – Arthur. Preacher will be the grandpa to the baby. Tragedy befalls the new family.

Rather than go into more detail in the review, read the book to learn the sad story of the passing of Nicole and baby Art and what Stone does to avenge them.  It is a little gruesome but in the ways of the old West appropriate.

Smoke keeps the stories of his life coming to the reporter including his meeting and wedding Sally; their founding of the Sugarloaf ranch including how he becomes a renown purveyor of good horseflesh.  He becomes a founder of a town and owner of a railroad. As might be expected because of the legends of Smoke’s speed and accuracy with a pistol, there are numerous bad people who want to kill him.  Some just to gain more of a reputation with the gun and others to avoid his legendary temper for committing some nefarious deed to Smoke or the ones he loved. Smoke does not forget wrongs against him or his loved ones.

Smoke’s story here is one that puts all the various pieces together and is very entertaining and instructive in getting the story all in one place.  I definitely recommend this book.