J. A. Johnstone

fiction- old west (New Mexico Territory area -Las Cruces and El Malpais) adventure with gunfights, pt 3 in a series, but works as a standalone

the fast-paced writing style was fine; while the liberal sprinkling of Spanish words amidst otherwise modern dialogue (to be fair, most of the characters in this particular story were educated and relatively wealthy) didn't seem super realistic, it also didn't detract too much.

I reallycould've done without the descriptions of torture (is that really necessary to keep people's attention? what sort of audience are we writing for here?) and **especially** without the dehumanizing descriptions and depictions of all the native American characters (if you believed this book, they're all soulless, violent, expendable savages, with the main distinction between the Yaqui and Apache tribes being that the Yaqui might follow orders and serve as hired goons) -- Sure, I could see how some bad guys might happen to be native, just as some of the bad guys were white, and I kept waiting to see if one individual could be somehow redeemed, allowed an inkling of a backstory, or maybe another character might show up later in a helpful role (which might indicate that the writer was at least trying in an imperfect way to not promote negative stereotypes), but nope, that never happened -- all these characters were sadistic villains to the core. I might have expected this kind of treatment in a book written in the 1950s, even through the 70s and 80s, but this was published in 2009.

picked up from a Little Free Library, part of my trying various popular authors I've never read before--

tldr: read Louis L'Amour instead -- he's a much more skilled writer and storyteller anyway.… (mere)

Title: Hard Road to Vengeance (A Stoneface Finnegan #3)
Author: William W. Johnstone & J. A. Johnstone
Pages: 368
Year: 2022
Publisher: Pinnacle
My rating: 5 out of 5 stars
This is one of my favorites of the Stoneface Finnegan series to date! Stoneface still has a bounty on his head, and many are wanting to grab him and become rich. However, Stoneface and Pops aren’t in Boar Gulch when men appear in search for the elusive former Pinkerton man.
Stoneface and Pops set out with the hope of rescuing a young woman who Pops thinks is his long-lost daughter. Yet, those who are held captive are guarded by many dangerous foes. Stoneface and Pops set out without having a plan. Stoneface has a young lady named Tish, shadowing him as her wants to become a Pinkerton agent. Who best to learn from than the legendary Stoneface?
The novel focuses on Pops’ quest for his daughter with the help of Stoneface. Pops likes the young woman who is with them, and he believes she may make the mission a success. However, Stoneface isn’t quite so sure that Tish will ever learn even some of the simplest rules in the detective business. In fact, I can’t wait for readers to see the situation Tish gets herself in to without losing hope that Stoneface can rescue her in time!
Here is a story that is easy to become engaged by from start to finish! Read it today!
Note: The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility.… (mere)