In this pulse-pounding Western from national bestselling authors William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone, Smoke Jensen welcomes a new rancher to the valley—whose intentions are deadly, especially when his … arrival brings a wild bunch of merciless killers in his wake …

 

Thaddeus Bolton sees himself as a cattle king. His ambitions are as big as the land and stock he just purchased near Smoke Jensen’s Sugarloaf ranch. Bolton and his family are friendly enough, although in the case of his wife, Emmaline, perhaps too friendly. While her husband stakes his claim with plans to spread throughout the territory, she’s set her sights on Smoke. But fending her off is the least of Smoke’s worries when outlaws sweep across the valley on daring rustling raids—hitting every ranch except Bolton’s.

 

Fearing it’s only a matter of time before his cattle falls prey to the rustlers, Bolton takes the law into his own hands. Forming a band of vigilantes, he tracks down the men he believes are the thieves and hangs them, despite no evidence linking them to the crimes. Then when Bolton’s ranch is actually rustled, his vigilantes go on an even deadlier, merciless rampage.

 

To stop the escalating violence, Smoke forms his own posse to bring the outlaws to justice—only to discover that Bolton’s plans are sinister and downright evil.

 

Now Smoke will have to prove Bolton’s corruption … before the entire valley erupts in a blood-soaked range war …

 

JOHNSTONE COUNTRY.

GOOD GUNS MAKE FOR GOOD NEIGHBORS.