Synopsis

In Colorado Territory, Smoke Jensen is trying to live at peace with the big, beautiful world around him. Then a tinhorn named Puddle enters his valley—and unleashes a hellstorm of a range war.

Malcolm Theodore Puddle is a 21-year shipping clerk—from way back East. What is he doing out here? The Mountain Man's former neighbor, Humbolt Puddle, has died and left his crumbling 600-acre ranch to his only living heir, just as a greedy and ruthless cattle baron is circling the Humbolt ranch like a ravenous vulture. Poor, unsuspecting Puddle is walking into a death trap. Smoke is the not the pitying kind. But any enemy of Smoke's neighbor is his enemy, too: kill-crazy hired gunmen are threatening the whole valley and good men are dying. Puddle may not be much, but he's all Smoke has—as a take-no-prisoners mountain man and a timid tinhorn make for an army of two...in one hell of a fight.

About William W. Johnstone

William W. Johnstone is the #1 bestselling western writer in America, and the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of hundreds of books, with over fifty million copies sold. Born in southern Missouri, he was raised with strong moral and family values by his minister father, and tutored by his schoolteacher mother. He left school at fifteen to work in a carnival and then as a deputy sheriff before serving in the army. He went on to become known as "the greatest western writer of the twenty-first century."


Reviews

Goodreads review by Barbara Lee Wood on July 19, 2019

THE DAYS OF HIS CALAMITY Ah, a French solder Pierre Mouchette who has gone AWOL, besides stealing half million dollars from th French Army, he murdered Sgt. Anyone Dubois who had accompanied with the money. Pierre planted his identifications on Sgt. Dubois and burned his face so that they would think......more

Goodreads review by David on October 14, 2023

Smoke stops a train robbery led by a gang led by Deekus Templeton. Two of the gang are killed by Smoke and when one of the members tries to run out on Templeton he shoots him and then runs away. Smoke now has a new enemy, who he will have to deal with later. Pierre Mouchette is a French Army Officer......more

Goodreads review by Billy G. Crow on June 09, 2017

9th 9th and a s d eleting is one that is not the case of a great time to get to the bottom of the 3 Check out the new one of those things where the same way that I could not find any other way to do this for you......more

Goodreads review by john johnston on June 13, 2021

Excellent Smoke Jensen story, with mystery, intrigue,, and as always, justice! Tagging this as one of my favorite Smoke Jensen stories!......more