Gunsmoke and Grit

Every Friday, I have the pleasure of sharing a snippet or two from my reading adventures—whether it’s from a book I’m currently diving into, a future pick waiting on my shelf, or a delightful surprise from my library. I’ll link this post to The Friday 56 meme, hosted by My Head Full of Books .  I'm excited to share a future read with you: The Man Who Killed the Marshal by Ray Hogan (1908-1998). This novel was first published in 1969 by Signet Books . Ray Hogan was born in Willow Springs, Missouri, and as a fellow Missourian, I find his background fascinating. However, he spent most of his life in New Mexico. His father was a marshal and lawman. Although the internet states that Ray was born in 1908, the back cover of this book mistakenly lists his birth year as 1918.

THE OUTCASTS by Al Cody Manor Books, 1975 ★★★★★ Hawkins was holed up in the Blackfoot camp, on the run from hostile Indian warriors. But his refuge had become a deadly trap, for the Blackfoot tribe was dying slowly of starvation. Their survival depended on the game, and their hunters were coming back empty-handed. There was bad medicine in camp, and Hawkins, the lone white man in their midst, was blamed. Hawkins had only one chance in hell. His life depended on a mysterious Indian legend, a legend that could bring him freedom—or make him beg for death. Dear Western Readers,  Today, I am sharing my thoughts on The Outcasts , a classic Western story written by Al Cody. This book was first published in 1970 by Lenox Hill Press . The copy I read is from 1975, and as you can see, it is a bit worn. After giving it some care, I was excited to venture into this old tale.  First,  let’s talk a bit about the author, Al Cody. This name was a pen name for Archie Lynn Joscelyn (1899-1...

Happy Sunday, Everyone!  I hope each of you is enjoying a fantastic Memorial Weekend! After a whirlwind of a week, I’m finally taking some time to relax and recharge.  This Past Week... Have you noticed the fresh header on the blog? No worries—this is the last change! Exciting news: the blog now has its very own Facebook page ! For now, I’ll also be using my other blog’s Twitter and Goodreads accounts since managing all these social media platforms is a bit of a juggling act for me.   This past week, I reviewed Colton Gray, Deputy U.S. Marshal,  on Wednesday, and I featured Al Cody’s The Outcasts for Friday 56 .  Coming Up Next Week…  If all goes according to plan, you can look forward to my review of The Outcasts this Wednesday! I’ll be sharing a snippet from Ray Hogan’s The Man Who Killed the Marshal for next week’s Friday 56 .  Bookmarked...  I’m feeling a bit uncertain about my next read for the blog. The Man Who Killed the Marshal is...

Every Friday, I have the pleasure of sharing a snippet or two from my reading adventures—whether it’s from a book I’m currently diving into, a future pick waiting on my shelf, or a delightful surprise from my library. I’ll link this post to The Friday 56 meme, hosted by My Head Full of Books .  This week, I’m featuring an intriguing read: The Outcasts by Al Cody, the pen name of Archie Lynn Joscelyn; first published in 1970 by Lenox Hill Press , I’m excited to have the 1975 Manor Books paperback edition. I plan to start the book this weekend, and I have to admit, I know very little about what awaits me—except for an intense tidbit that there’s a grizzly bear spotlighted on page 56! I can’t wait to explore this tale further. Check out a sneak peek below and share your thoughts with me!   Ottertail started at a shout from close at hand. The bear's attention shifted. Ottertail recognized Johnny's voice and turned his head in time to see an arrow slip from the bow. Then it was...

COLTON GRAY, DEPUTY U.S. MARSHAL Colton Gray, Deputy U.S. Marshal, #1 by William J. Johnstone  and J.A. Johnstone Kensington, 2025 ★★★★✰ Colton Gray doesn’t look like your typical deputy marshal. He’s too young, too handsome, and too wet behind the ears for a West Texas lawman. At least that’s what his boss thinks. As captain, Marshal John Timmons feels this new kid Colton isn’t up to the job—at least not yet—so he sends him on minor assignments to keep him out of trouble. That’s the plan. But to everyone’s surprise, young Colton manages to track down Eli Doolin and Casey Tubbs, the notorious “Old Man Bank Robbers.” Not only that, he claims he gunned them down in a shootout, earning high praise from the West Texas chief marshal’s office. And a legend is born . . . But there’s a hitch to the story: Colton Gray lied. Truth is, he never killed Doolin and Tubbs—not after learning the righteous reasons behind their crimes. Instead, he let those good old boys go free, as long as they pro...

Happy Sunday, Everyone! Let’s dive headfirst into some thrilling tales from the Wild West! This week, I’ve curated an amazing lineup of Western novels that promise to keep your heart racing: The Trailsman: Valley of Death by Jon Sharpe, The Cowboys by William Dale Jennings, Texas Rifles by Elmer Kelton, The Outcasts by Al Cody, and Colton Gray, Deputy U.S. Marshal by William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone. And that's just the tip of the iceberg—plenty of exciting Western gems waiting for you to discover! This Past Week... I dived into The Trailsman: Valley of Death , a flawed, but fun ride! Plus, I showcased Colton Gray, Deputy U.S. Marsha l , in this week’s The   Friday 56 —definitely worth checking out! Coming Up Next Week…  Get excited, because the reading adventure continues! I’ll share my thoughts on Colton Gray, Deputy U.S. Marshal this Wednesday, and on The Friday 56 , I’ll be featuring The Outcasts by Al Cody. You won’t want to miss these!  Bookmarked...

E very Friday, I have the pleasure of sharing a snippet or two from my reading adventures—whether it’s from a book I’m currently diving into, a future pick waiting on my shelf, or a delightful surprise from my library. I’ll link this post to The Friday 56 meme, hosted by My Head Full of Books .  This week, I want to share a sneak peek of the book,  Colton Gray, Deputy U.S. Marshal, by William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone. I got a copy from my local library, and I can’t wait to start reading it. It’s only available in hardcover at libraries right now. A paperback version is coming soon, but the release date isn’t known yet. Stay tuned—my review will be posted this coming Wednesday. Colton glanced up from the notices he was leafing through, not noticing that the young man had no left arm, until he turned to the close the door.  ╌page 56, Colton Gray, Deputy U.S. Marshal ⁓B.J. Burgess

VALLEY OF DEATH The Trailsman, #37 by Jon Sharpe Signet, 1985 ★★★★✰ Railroaded off their land, the folks of Owl Creek wanted to see justice done, and Skye Fargo was the man they turned to. Offering him a pretty penny to take on the land baron Dorrance Lansing and his crooked town officials. Fargo was hard-pressed to say no, especially when a hot-tempered filly named Bess promised to sweeten the pot. At first, it was easy to see who the villains and the victims were. But as the Trailsman moved close to nailing Lansing, things weren't as clear as they seemed. All Fargo really knew for sure was that his own hide was on the line—and he'd need some cool thinking and some hot lead to come out of this one alive.... Every genre has its crutches, and Western fiction is no exception! Take The Trailsman: Valley of Death , the thrilling 37th installment in the beloved Trailsman series. Created by John Joseph Messmann—better known as Jon Messmann—this series hooked readers for years, with...

Happy Sunday, Everyone! Let’s jump right into some exhilarating tales from the Wild West ! This week, we've got an outstanding lineup of Western novels that are sure to keep you on the edge of your seat: The Trouble at Peńa Blanca by Nelson Nye, I'm Here to Kill You by William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone, Old Cowboys Never Die by William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone, The Wrong Side of the Law by Robert J. Randisi, Hanging Fire by Eric Red, and Bitter Sage by Frank Gruber, along with a host of other exciting Western gems just waiting for you!  This Past Week... You may have noticed I switched up the template theme to something more mobile-friendly, ensuring you can enjoy all the content on the go. I also dove into GraphicAudio 's adaptation of Hell's Half Acre: Cold-Blooded  by William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone. Plus, I highlighted The Trouble at Peńa Blanca   in this week’s Friday 56 .  Coming Up Next Week… Get ready for some more great reads! I’l...

Every Friday, I have the pleasure of sharing a snippet or two from my reading adventures—whether it’s from a book I’m currently diving into, a future pick waiting on my shelf, or a delightful surprise from my library. I’ll link this post to The Friday 56 meme, hosted by My Head Full of Books . This week, I'm featuring a snippet from page 56 of The Trouble at Peña Blanca by Nelson Nye (1907-1997). I stumbled upon this intriguing ten-cent paperback at a thrift store last month, only to discover it’s missing a whopping fifty-one pages—specifically, pages 169 to 220! It’s supposed to feature one novella and two short stories: " The Trouble at Peña Blanca ," " Homecoming ," and " Hoof in the Gut ."  This gem belongs to the Jove edition, published in December 1987.  In my quest to track down a complete copy, I scoured the internet and found a handful of rare-used versions selling for anywhere from $2.49 to $18. However, most are either the  Avon  edition...

COLD-BlOODED Hell's Half Acre, #2 by William Johnstone with J.A. Johnstone GraphicAudio, 2016 ★★★★✰ Sheriff Jess Carey and his oddball band of sidekicks have pulled off the impossible, taming Hell's Half Acre, the most lawless town in Texas, infamous for murder, mayhem, prostitution, and every random act of bloodshed imaginable. Now the no-good politicians in Austin have decided it's cheaper to dump hordes of criminals on Jess Carey's town than hanging 'em. In one dreadful week, it seems as if the gates of Hell have burst open. Freed outlaws, gunslingers, bandits, rapists, desperados, drifters and miscreants are roaming Hell's Half Acre--and Jess and his deputies are running out of bullets fast. As the fighting rages, some ruthless, powerful men see their chance to kill Sheriff Jess Carey and take the town for their own... I recently discovered the GraphicAudio audiobook Hell's Half Acre: Cold-Blooded , which is based on the second installment of the Hell...

Happy Sunday, Everyone! I hope you’re enjoying the weekend. Let’s dive into some thrilling tales from the Wild West! This week, we have an incredible lineup of Western titles for your reading pleasure: Trailsman: Valley of the Death by John Sharpe, The Buckskin Line by Elmer Kelton, The Outcasts by Al Cody, Brimstone Trail by Marcus Galloway, Cherokee by Giles Tippette, A pache Laws: Showdown by Luke Adams, Slow Joe and The Jackson Trail by Max Brand, Yukon Justice by Dana Fuller Ross, Dead Man's Walk by Larry McMurtry, Buffalo Soldiers by Tom Willard, Once Late with a .38 by Peter Brandvoid, Only Call Us Faithful by Marie Jakober, and the Collected Stories of Louis L'Amour, Volume One . This Past Week... Exciting news! Gunsmoke & Grits launched on April 25th with its very first post—a review of the second Slocum outing, Hanging Justice , penned by Raphael Hayes under the pseudonym Jake Logan. Alongside that, I had the pleasure of sharing my thoughts on The G...

Every Friday, I have the pleasure of sharing a snippet or two from my reading adventures—whether it’s from a book I’m currently diving into, a future pick waiting on my shelf, or a delightful surprise from my library. I’ll link this post to The Friday 56 meme, hosted by My Head Full of Books . This week, I’m excited to give you a taste of a future read: Valley of Death , the 37th installment in The Trailsman series, written by the talented Jon Sharpe (the pen name of Jon Messmann, who wrote most of the first 200 books in this thrilling series), originally printed by Signet in 1985. Fargo watched the sheriff control his temper with an obvious effort, keeping the smile on his lips. "Just trying to give you some advice, Fargo. Those valley people aren't worth bothering yourself about. I'd forget about 'em and go my own way, if I were you. Nobody around here ever liked them." ╌page 56, The Trailsman: Valley of Death ⁓B.J. Burgess