Dead West: A Novel

Endings #3

by Linda L. Richards

Rule #1 of being a hired never get to know your target . . . and definitely don' t fall in love with them

Taking lives has taken its toll. Her moral justifications have faltered. Do any of the the people she has killed — some of them heinous, but all of them human — deserve to die?

Her next target is Cameron Walker, a rancher in Arizona. When she arrives at his remote desert estate to carry out her orders, she discovers that he is a kind and beautiful man. After a lengthy tour of the ranch, not only has she not killed him, she's wondering who might want him dead. 

She procrastinates long enough that a vibe grows between them. At the same time, she learns that he's passionate about wild horses and has been fighting a losing political battle to save the mustangs that live on protected land near his property. He's even received death threats from those who oppose him.

She finds herself trying to protect the man she was sent to kill, following a trail that leads from the desert, to the Phoenix cognoscenti, to the highest offices in Washington, DC. Along the way she encounters kidnappers and killers, horse thieves and even human traffickers. Hopefully she can figure out who ordered the hit before they hire someone else to execute the assignment.

Perfect for fans of Dean Koontz and Tana French

While the novels in The Endings Series stand on their own and can be read in any order, the publication sequence is as

Endings
Exit Strategy
Dead West

Genres: Mystery, Suspense, Fiction, Thriller

306 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 5, 2023

About the author

Linda L. Richards is the award-winning author of fifteen books. The founder and publisher of January Magazine and a contributing editor to the crime fiction blog The Rap Sheet, she is best known for her strong female protagonists in the thriller genre. Richards is from Vancouver, Canada and currently makes her home in Phoenix, Arizona. Her latest book, ENDINGS, was published by Oceanview Publishing in 2021. A PW starred review said that this “harrowing tale of love, loss, and the value of life is not to be missed.” A sequel, EXIT STRATEGY, was published May 2022 and DEAD WEST, the third novel in the series, will be published September 2023. Linda’s 2021 novel, ENDINGS, was recently optioned by a major studio for series production.

Reviews

["Avonna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out all my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com

DEAD WEST (The Endings Series Book #3) by Linda L. Richards is a noir crime thriller with a twist. The protagonist is a female assassin who questions her continuation in her chosen profession when she falls in love with her intended target. While this is the third book in the series, it can be easily read as a standalone story.

I found this an interesting thriller with a noir feel and an intriguing protagonist. While I felt the need to suspend some belief as the assassin and her target fall into an instant attraction, the action takes off when he disappears, and I quit thinking about it. The information about wild horses was fascinating and I wish the plot would have stayed in that vein and not pulled in other crimes such as the human trafficking crime sub plot. There are plenty of plot twists and action right up to the end that kept me guessing.

Overall, this is a fast-paced noir crime thriller with an intriguing protagonist.

[Sherry Fundin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read a couple of books in the Endings series by Linda L Richards and loved them, so when I found I had Dead West hanging around from a free book day, I had to read it. I love assassins and I think she is one of the most mysterious assassins I have met in a while. It doesn’t matter what her name is because it is as fictional as her life story, but I like the twist Linda L Richards incorporates into her story.

I have read another book recently that dealt with the wild horses out west and the struggles they have to survive in the political climate. I love horses and so much of the problems in Dead West ring true.

It doesn’t take much and she is ready to switch sides. How can she get out of killing Cameron Walker, a rancher in Arizona. He’s a good man and she is torn between what she has been paid to do and what she feels is right. If she reneges on the deal, it could mean the end of her.

We have a lot of twists and turns in Dead West. The mystery is not easy to figure out and I was surprised when I learned who the biggest villain was. As we approach the end, I wonder how she will make herself and everyone else happy. Dead West is one of my favorite books in the Endings series.

There are book club questions at the end of the book and they prove thought provoking whether you are part of a book club or an individual, like me. I love a book that makes me think and sticks with me after the reading.

See more at http://www.fundinnmental.com

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to thank Oceanview Publishing and Linda L. Richards for granting me a digital copy of this book.

3 ⭐ - Dead West is the third book in the Endings series, but can be read as a standalone.

Based in the deserts of Arizona - we follow a professional hit woman who follows her next target Cameron Walker, a rancher who tends to his horses. Along the way Katie develops feelings for Cameron, he's handsome, he's an animal lover.. who would want Cameron dead?

As strongly as she feels about Cameron, she still has to unalive him. But what if she can't? She must protect the handsome rancher by stalling the hit and finding out who ordered the hit before it's too late and the person who ordered the hit gets another hitman to finish the job.

Although I haven't read the previous books in this series, I enjoyed reading this story as it's filled with lots of twists and likeable characters however I felt that the ending was kind of abrupt.

[Juli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our unnamed hired assassin has been assigned, by her handler, to kill a man named Cameron Walker, a rancher in Arizona who is working to save the wild Mustangs. Simple, she has done these jobs many times, but what happens when the target is a good guy and she likes him? The more time she spends with him, the more she procrastinates to complete her assignment. This is the third in The Endings Series, and my favorite.

She turns around and decides to find out who wants him dead. Is it those that oppose his work with the horses? He has received death threats. One thing is for sure, she needs to find out who put out the contract, before they send someone else to do the deed.

Our assassin is evolving, she is questioning her moral compass. This can be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading the previous books to appreciate how the character is changing. This is a great mystery and once you start you won't want to put it down.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Oceanview Publishing, for an ARC. The review is my own.

[Hannelore Cheney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for the eARC.
On the whole, I enjoyed this book with the female assassin. She's off to Arizona where she is supposed to kill Cameron Walker, a man who loves wild horses and fights to protect them, even though it seems a losing battle...they are in dire danger from crooked politics in Washington.
But she's not happy with this assignment. She likes Cameron and what he stands for.
I liked her thought processes, she's interesting and still hurting from the loss of her son and husband, but I had a hard time worrying about her dog - what if she died doing her job? Of course I also worried about the horses.
Definitely recommended.
Other than that, it's a good book.

[Abibliofob · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have really enjoyed this series and Dead West is one of the best books by Linda L. Richards I have read. I was hooked on this nameless character in the first book but found the second a little slow, in this one she sure shows that she can tell a story. How you can base a killer for hire story based on the situation with wild horses that was ment for a non fiction book is amazing. I read this one from cover to cover in two sittings and had it not been for the need for food and sleep I would have done it in one. Great story. I thank Oceanview Publishing, Edelweiss and Netgalley for making this book available to me.

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hired killer falls in love with her intended target, a kind rancher committed to saving wild horses. Can she protect him from those hired her? Thrilling!

[Laura Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cameron is a kind and honest man who wants nothing more than to save the wild horses of Arizona from being killed off. Many other rancher’s say the horses are causing permanent damage to the environment, threatening the grazing ranges of their cattle. He says differently. The battle to save the horses has been ongoing but now someone wants him out of the way, for good.

Enter, Katherine Eveline Ragsdill, the woman hired to silence Cameron. She needs to get close to her target. To study his patterns. Her dilemma. She could be getting too close. She could be falling for him. Who knew she could love. Katherine sure didn’t before now.

I had no idea this was the third book in a series when I started reading. Don’t know how I missed that. The author put me in Katherine’s head and I could understand why she was who she was and did what she did so I didn’t feel lost or left wondering. What really had me going was how she would be able to have a relationship with Cameron. No way could she hide her occupation and have a truly honest and happy one. Would the couple ride off into the sunset? I wanted to see how the author could or would pull that off. The answer was….. not something I can tell you. The no spoiler thing and all. I can tell you the answer was quite satisfying and made sense.

I’d made note of a couple of bread crumbs the author sprinkled in the story and they became apparent in the ending. I’d almost forgot about it and it was a great conclusion for me.

I received a complimentary copy. My review is voluntarily given.

[Toni Osborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Endings series book #3

This propulsive thriller brims with psychological insights and is one of the most thrilling stories I have read so far this year.

If you are an assassin “don’t get involved with your target” should be at the top of your list. Katie is a contract killer ordered to eliminate Cameron Walker, a rancher in Arizona, who is passionate with wild horses. Arriving at the ranch to carry out her orders she discovers that he is a kind man...she is wondering who might want him dead. She delays long enough to develop of soft spot and a vibe to grow between them. Soon she finds herself trying to protect the man she was sent to kill...But along the way she encounters kidnappers, killers, horse thieves and even human traffickers....

First person narrative got me hooked from the opening page. It is so well-done I was Katie moving in her shoes. The plot is active never stops a moment. Katie is tormented by what she sees and what she supposed to do. The agonizing moments played in my mind along with hers.

The conservation of the wild horses in the Southern States has been a controversial topic for ages. This story brings it at the forefront in an entertaining way whether the author had an agenda or not. The way Ms. Richards penned her story is very well-done, enlightening even a tad political and has giving us along the way a saga full of twists and a little bit of romance to soften things.

I couldn’t put this book down. It definitely gets high marks from me.

My thanks to the publisher for the review copy so that I can share my thoughts with you.

[Shawna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dead West is apparently the third in a series, though I read it as a stand-alone just fine. Though I may have understood a bit more about our MC if I had.
Going into it, the fact that it was a female assassin for hire intrigued me. Until she decides to fall in love with her hit within an hour of meeting him, and making all sorts of last minute decisions that ultimately could back fire. Completely unrealistic.

If you love westerns and are interested in the history of wild horses and Rachel’s, this book may be for you. I ended up skimming through quite a bit as that part just did not interest me.

I was also thrown off by what seemed like 2 additional separate storylines. A small bit about human trafficking, and then suddenly a stalker unrelated to anything else.

Overall it was an easy book to read, just wasn’t really up my alley.

Thank you NetGalley and Author Guide for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Pub date: 5 September 2023

[Shawna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dead West is apparently the third in a series, though I read it as a stand-alone just fine. Though I may have understood a bit more about our MC if I had. Going into it, the fact that it was a female assassin for hire intrigued me. Until she decides to fall in love with her hit within an hour of meeting him, and making all sorts of last minute decisions that ultimately could back fire. Completely unrealistic. If you love westerns and are interested in the history of wild horses and Rachel’s, this book may be for you. I ended up skimming through quite a bit as that part just did not interest me. I was also thrown off by what seemed like 2 additional separate storylines. A small bit about human trafficking, and then suddenly a stalker unrelated to anything else. Overall it was an easy book to read, just wasn’t really up my alley.
Thank you NetGalley and Author Guide for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Pub date: 5 September 2023

[Sheila (sheilasbookreviewer) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dead West is the first novel I've read by Author Linda L. Richards. Wow was I impressed! This story grabbed your attention and made you wonder what was going to happen next. I was so intrigued by the main character as she tells the story in first person. It's not often that I've read about a woman assassin. I loved how the mystery unraveled while it also became tangled up by so many other things happening. Do you like how vague I'm being in this review? I'm not one to give things away in my reviews because I don't want to spoil it for other readers. Just know, that this book will keep you guessing and questioning the hired killers every move and those who are thick into the mystery.

Another aspect I loved was how the plight of wild horses was shown. I have always felt that humans should not be taking the land away from wild animals. We've encroached on their territory and habitats enough. I learned a lot and felt an emotional connection to the horses.

Dead West will leave you with many moments full of tension, anxiety, and fear. There were plenty of obstacles and plot twists that will leave readers on their toes until the very end. This is an author who I hope to read more of her books. This was a wonderful and wild ride.

[Francis M. Prensa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A hired assassin who is a woman!!!!! SIGN ME UP!!!! I was so excited to read this book and I knew it would be awesome, the synopsis sold me. We really don’t know who this woman really is, we get a bits and Pisces of her story and her past life and now her new life, it’s a lonely one and super sad. But when she was sent to Arizona for a new hit, once she met Cameron, everything changed for her.

I am here wondering how she’s going to pull any of this off, she’s here getting to know this man and realizing that he’s actually an amazing person, and doesn’t want to kill him, yet. But when this whole assignment tilts a little too much to the left, she’s left trying to figure out who really hired the hit, and where did they take cameron.

She took us on a ride, and it was such a speedy read, we are dealing with heavier crime when we reading this book, and I loved the outcome. The ending was EPIC! We need more books like this.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

[Monika Caparelli-Hippert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seit geraumer Zeit habe ich den Newsletter vom Oceanviewverlag abonniert, und so bin ich auch auf dieses Buch gestoßen. Ansonsten würden mir hier in Deutschland die Veröffentlichungen von relativ kleinen US-Verlagen völlig entgehen, und den hier mag ich 😉. Hier gibt’s viel Krimis abseits vom Mainstream. Jetzt also Dead West. Das ist der dritte Band einer Serie, macht in dem Fall aber nix, fällt auch nicht auf, kann komplett alleinstehend gelesen werden.
Erzählt wird aus der Ich-Perspektive der Protagonistin, der Auftragskillerin. Ihren echten Namen werden wir nie erfahren, den hat sie vor langer Zeit eh aufgegeben, und ihre neue Identität, das ist nicht sie.
Ja, und die namenlose Lady bekommt einen neuen Auftrag. Wir begleiten sie bei ihren Vorbereitungen, und dann lernt sie ihr Opfer kennen. Das ist eigentlich nicht so gang und gäbe, hat sich hier aber ergeben. Und noch etwas ergibt sich: man ist sich sympathisch. Sogar mehr als das. Cameron, Rancher in Arizona, ist nicht nur gutaussehend und charismatisch, sondern er hat auch eine Passion, und zwar den Schutz der wilden Pferde im Westen der USA. Damit beeindruckt er sie, und wider Willen verliebt sie sich in ihn. Und während sie noch überlegt, wie sie aus dem Auftragsmord wieder herauskommen könnte, beginnen sich die Ereignisse zu überschlagen: Cameron wird entführt, und die Ich-Erzählerin wechselt die Seiten: ab jetzt beginnt die Jagd auf Camerons Gegner, und es wird spannend und hochpolitisch – Camerons Einsatz für die Wildpferde ist nämlich kein privates soziales Vergnügen, sondern ein Politikum, an dem viel Geld hängt. Und die Feinde sind mächtig: es geht nicht nur um Mustangs, sondern auch um Menschenhandel. Es bleibt nicht viel Zeit, die Hintergründe aufzudecken…..
Viel mehr will ich gar nicht verraten. Aber eins ist klar: das war mal wieder ein richtig guter Krimi mit einer coolen Protagonistin. Ich meine, ich habe glaube ich noch nie aus der Warte einer erfolgreichen Auftragskillerin ein Buch gelesen, das hatte schon was. Man fragt sich ja automatisch, was für Leute sind das, und hier wurde in einem zweitem Erzählstrang auch ein Teil der Frage beantwortet. Natürlich hat die Dame ein Vorleben, und zwar kein wirklich schönes, und je mehr man so über sie erfahren hat, desto sympathischer ist sie mir geworden. Über ihren Job lässt sich ja trefflich diskutieren 😉, aber abgesehen davon fand ich sie nachvollziehbar und authentisch. Und während ich das schreibe, frage ich mich gerade, was das über mich aussagt, wenn ich mit einer Auftragsmörderin sympathisiere 😊, aber daran sieht man, dass die Autorin mich abgeholt hat.
Der Roman ließ sich flott lesen, und das Spannungslevel war jederzeit hoch. Ich wiederhole mich, war gut gemacht.
Klare Leseempfehlung!
Herzlichen Dank an den Verlag und an Netgalley für das Rezensionsexemplar!

[Cathy Geha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dead West by Linda L. Richards
The Endings Series #3

I had trouble relating to the main character and it took a while to get into the story. I am not sure if coming into the series on the third book was the reason why I felt the disconnect or if the female assassin was so lacking in depth that it felt plodding, then again, perhaps she was plodding through life and that feeling is what was what the author was trying to achieve.

Katherine Eveline Ragsdill seems to have taken up killing for money after a traumatic event occurred in her life. The event was no doubt covered in previous books along with her decision to step into her new job description. I believe, from reading reviews and book synopses, that the previous two books might give more insight into Katherine and would have helped me know her better.

Anyway, this book has her sent out with a designated kill contracted for. Meeting the mark, finding out that he is a good person with high ideals, and feeling drawn to him are the first mistake she makes in being able to fulfill the contract. Then Walker is kidnapped, she feels the need to “save him”, and the plot thickens. Katherine has to contend with as the story progresses including truly evil men who use and abuse, a man she admires but can’t have, someone young that she feels connected to and helps in a big way, many she will not see again, and a new course to set at the end of the book. The final scene is of Katherine driving down the road with her dog toward…well…I’m not sure where she will end up.

I never really got to know the woman who is the main character. I don’t know if she has a moral compass or not. She has killed before and perhaps some of those killed were not evil. Perhaps she is growing and evolving and coming out of the stupor of grieving to find herself capable of moving on to something positive and she will end up somewhere better in the future. I might give the next book in the series a chance to see what happens next with her and the dog she is now traveling with.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oceanvies Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4 Stars

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me just say upfront I do not like these books where the protagonist doesn’t get a name. OK this woman is a gun for hire after the loss of her family she had no F’s left to give so decided she would support her self by taking contracts for hits. She has recently been questioning her line of work but still she persists and her next hit is Cameron Walker and man who runs a horse sanctuary in Arizona and who has a feud with the neighboring rancher Skeeter overgrazing rights. Because she is a professional she learns everything she can about her target in this case she even meets him but it seems the more she learns about him the more she likes but when they start spending time together it turns into something much more or at least it was until he went missing. Despite the fact she was there to kill him after he goes missing and she hears from the volunteers and ranchhand that it’s probably Skeeter who did it she starts investigating but what she finds is much bigger than any grazing rights or local political feuds. I thought this was going to be your standard action romance where she falls in love with him and doesn’t kill him but OMG it was so much more and although her actions contradict her intentions I still found this book so good and very interesting. There is so much I want to say but don’t want to give anything away because I am not big on knowing a lot about a book before going in and don’t want to ruin it for others just know this book was so unexpectedly intriguing, Interesting, compelling and definitely want you won’t want to put down. I truly enjoyed this book. I did however find it unbelievable that a table of 15 cowboys outside and enjoy vegetarian food with no complaints… They just seemed unrealistic I do want to say however I could be wrong I’ve never sat at a table with 15 cowboys eating vegetarian food I just think it sounds like something more improbable as opposed to probable. I want to thank Book Sirens in the author for this free Ark copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

[Ken MacQueen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Katherine (Katie) Eveline Ragsdill, as she named herself, isn’t your average hit woman.
She took the name, and the job, as a form of, humm, let’s call it psycho-therapy, after a time of terrible loss and tragedy left her as “damaged goods.” She coped by walling off her feelings and by rationalizing her unique morality—justifying her hits as a form of human trash disposal.
That worked well enough in the first two books of Linda L. Richards riveting Endings Series. But life gets complicated in book three, Dead West. She falls hard for Cameron Walker, a hunky vegan rancher in Arizona, and the latest person she’s hired to kill.
Walker cracks open the wall she built around her feelings.
Long-dormant stirrings of something that might be love seeps into her heart. This raises disturbing questions. Who is Cameron Walker? Is he too good to be true? Who wants him dead, and why? And the big one: can the woman known as Katie Ragsdill kill someone she loves to death?
As always in Richard’s wonderful series there are complications and contradictions that make the concept of a vegan rancher in red-meat Arizona pale in comparison. There’s a young kid who claims to be her long-dead son. Impossible, right? There’s a nasty posse of Walker’s neighbors.
And there are horses. Wild horses. These are a particular passion of Richards, the author. Richards took time off from having her protagonist cull the human herd to write a non-fiction book: Wild Horses Running Free.
Richards also celebrates their spirited feral beauty in this latest entry in the Endings series. The author, and her murderous protagonist, share a love of the iconic wild mustangs. In their view they are symbols of unfettered freedom and living links to the historic American West.
They are also a compelling plot device in Dead West.
Like the other two books in the series, once Richards draws in the reader at stampede-speed, well, wild horses can’t drag you away.

[Tina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dead West by Linda L. Richards #sixtiethbookof2023 #arc

CW: hitmen, murder, kidnapping, human trafficking, drug overdose

This is the third book in the Ending series, and I haven’t read the first two. Supposedly, they all can be read as stand alones. For some reason it feels like I was plopped down in the middle of something larger but that’s not actually what’s off putting about this book.

There are severe timeline issues with this book. Constant issues with time frames, so much that it was distracting from the story and I went back in a few places to make sure I hadn’t missed a day passing. The main character, a female hit woman, is so naive, unthinking, and unprofessional that it’s unbelievable. She doesn’t plan ahead and is surprised when things go awry. And all of a sudden, she becomes a tech expert when the story calls for it, just by googling a few things. But worst of all, she falls for her target in one conversation (which happens purely because of her poor planning) and decides not to follow through on her mission. It’s ridiculous. Spoiler: then he gets kidnapped and she decides to find him. Eye roll. Her search for him is the plot for most of the book. I was glad that the book didn’t end with them getting together.

I enjoyed hearing about the wild mustangs that were the subplot. But I thought so many times, what is she doing? Why is she doing that? That makes no sense. I couldn’t enjoy the story because the MC acted so…out of character? From the very beginning, she didn’t act like a hit woman. To me she seemed just incredibly lucky that things turned out in spite of her really bad decision making.

This was not for me. I prefer more hard core novels. But someone who’s interested in reading a light mystery with most of the violence off the page would enjoy this.

Thank you to @netgalley and @oceanviewpub for the advance copy. (Pub date 9/5/23)

[Melissa Ammons · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a gifted copy and am providing a review.
The Endings Series book 3 brings us to Dead West. I have to say this was a very different read in that it is written in the first person POV. And, there is also definitely more than meets the eye to this one. This story is also different in that it is told from the whodunit’s perspective who is using the name Katherine Eveline Ragsdill. The story of how she came to have that name is also quite intriguing.
The premise of this tale is that Katherine receives phone calls from an anonymous source, and she then has to hunt down the person involved and decide their fate. This is how she is introduced to Cameron. However, this time the situation turned out differently and in a way that she wasn’t quite expecting.
Enter Jaxon. Jaxon is the character in this tale who really makes Katherine take a harder look at herself. Certainly, one of the many twists in this tale.
The character we know as Katherine also has quite a sense of humor. She can be serious and funny all in the same breath. I found myself relating to her inner thoughts, which I found to be spot on.
This was a quick and fun read that I’m sure you’ll enjoy, especially if you like horses, the politics surrounding use of prairies and letting the horses have free range, a really good guy, a bad guy and his cronies, and a whodunit who is able to take a good look at herself and change her way of thinking entirely.

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a surprisingly entertaining and enjoyable novel that is a really different take on the life and work of a contract assassin. Richards' writing style is a bit different in that the novel is written from the assassin's viewpoint and contains lots of character thought and long sections of prose. The text is almost one detailed character study. Readers really get into the mind of the assassin, not so much why that particular profession but mostly thoughts and feelings about what she is doing. It works pretty well and the novel is entertaining.

I always appreciate learning something from a novel and this one included information about the plight of America's wild horses. There is political corruption in this novel that threatens the horses' welfare. Richards' Author's Note at the end gives additional insight to the situation.

There is a somewhat expected twist at the end that could either signify the end of the series or be a prelude to more entertaining novels. I have enjoyed getting to know this assassin and will be watching for more from Richards.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Partners in Crime Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.

[Maria Leonova · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Dead West" is a thrilling and suspenseful novel that explores the moral dilemmas of a hired killer who falls in love with her target. The protagonist, who goes by various aliases, is a skilled and ruthless assassin who has been killing people for money for years. But when she is assigned to eliminate Cameron Walker, a rancher in Arizona who is passionate about saving wild horses, she finds herself drawn to him and his cause. She soon realizes that he is not the enemy, but the victim of a conspiracy that involves powerful and corrupt forces.
The novel is fast-paced and action-packed, with twists and turns that keep the reader guessing until the end. The author does a great job of creating a vivid and realistic setting, the vast and rugged landscapes of Arizona. The characters are well-developed and complex, especially the protagonist, who struggles with her conscience and her feelings for Cameron. The romance between them is believable and sweet, but also fraught with tension and danger.
"Dead West" is a captivating and engaging read. It is the third book in the Endings Series, but it can be read as a standalone novel. It is a story of redemption, courage, and love that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book I’ve read in this series, yet it easily worked as a standalone. However, like most characters in a series, I’m sure I would have understood the MC a little better had I read earlier books.

Since I rarely read the synopsis before starting a book, I was taken aback to learn that the MC is an assassin, but this isn’t a random hit, the people she kills must deserve death. Thank goodness. ( I couldn't hold my hands back from typing that sarcastic thought.)

But her latest job is disturbing her. In all aspects, the person she's instructed to kill appears to be a genuinely nice guy.

This was a fast read that was enlightening and thought-provoking.

Concerns
Though it was a well-written book and entertaining, it almost felt like the story was written around an agenda of controversial subjects. Not that there’s anything wrong with learning something, or feeling you should do a little research, but it felt a bit heavy-handed.

Final Thoughts
The book is enlightening, entertaining, somewhat political, and full of twists and romance. If you’re looking for an unusual story with a female assassin, a story that’s apt to leave you mulling over certain things, don’t overlook Dead West by Linda Richards.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy.

[Susanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the author, Oceanview Publishing and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This tale of an assassin-for-hire is a quick and at times chilling read, although we get only bits and pieces of the main character's backstory, and thus only a fragmentary understanding of her character. I enjoyed the subplot of the wild mustangs, and the issues involved in protecting them, which were new to me. However, there was so much that didn't add up within the story, that I had a hard time getting into the flow of the story. For example, in my understanding an assassin should be planning ahead when they have an assignment, so they're not surprised when things go awry. And the whole sidestory about the assassin falling in love with her target, all in the course of a short conversation, and deciding not to carry out the hit - please. Upon which said target gets himself kidnapped and most of the story involves her search for him. I suppose I should be grateful the book didn't end with them riding off into the sunset happily ever after...

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

A compelling and suspenseful novel. Our unnamed protagonist is a contract killer, an assassin. Her most recent target is Cameron Walker, an Arizona rancher who fights to protect wild horses. Not the typical target; he seems like a saint. Shortly after meeting Cameron, she knows that this kill won't be easy. In fact, she might want to help him instead...

This novel pulled me in from page one. It's in first person, and it worked so well. Though the protagonist is a killer, it was still surprisingly easy to connect with her. The plot was engaging, and it gave a lot of interesting information about wild horses in the US and the politics surrounding them. Not something I've ever considered. The story is full of twists and turns. Though I've not read the other two books in the series, I had no problem jumping into this one. I will definitely be picking them up now, as I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

A standalone review of the third novel of the Endings trilogy, Dead West by Linda L. Richards (2023) is a modern Western tale. A female with false identity papers is an assassin for hire, whose next target is a rancher in Arizona. Traveling to the horse shelter and rehabilitation ranch, she meets debonair Cameron Walker, a vegan idealist, protecting America’s wild horses. In coming to know him, the assassin struggles with killing him and whilst out riding, he disappears, setting off on a cross-country rescue journey. As the situation becomes more complicated, the assassin finds her personal circumstances compromised. A gentle action thriller with a lack of Western noir grit that makes for a three stars read rating. With thanks to Oceanview Publishing and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own, freely given and without inducement.

[Jill Tatter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dead West, by Linda L. Richards, is a somewhat unique suspense with just a touch of romance. I got a kick out of the fact that the main character is an artist, even setting up to paint while in the middle of a job. The story got a bit slow at times, but otherwise, I really enjoyed it.
Being an assassin is getting harder. She finds that she's questioning it a lot more often, lately. Maybe some of those that she's murdered are awful human beings but they're still human beings.
Enter rancher, Cameron Walker. He's supposed to be her next victim but then she accidentally meets him. Once she realizes that he's a really good guy she wants to find out who would want him gone.
As it ends up he’s working hard to protect wild horses. To that end he's been fighting to save the mustangs that live near his land and his enemies aren't afraid to threaten him. Now she has to figure out a way to save him while protecting herself.

[Cassidy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once I started reading, I was soon engrossed in the narrative. Told entirely from the assassin's point of view, she is candid about her take on her untraditional profession. She does a job and if she didn't do it, someone else would. She is a well developed, multi-faceted character and, surprisingly enough, you find yourself kind of liking her, rooting for her - despite knowing that she is a cold killer. But this job is different for her, she sincerely cares for the target - complicating her life and challenging her resolve. This was a well-written, riveting psychological thriller that I finished in two days. It was my first time reading anything by this author, but likely not the last.

FTC disclosure: I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This has not affected the content of my review.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dead West is a little different with a heroine who is a hired killer. The mystery is pretty well done with some nice plot twists and turns. I enjoyed the desert setting. The hero is compelling as is his ranch and their mission of saving horses.

The one thing I struggled with was the heroine's attitude when she thought she'd been crossed. She immediately went on the hunt to kill the person. Maybe that works for someone who kills for a living but it didn't make her likable since she was attracted to the person she wanted to kill.

Dead West is worth the read for the mystery and the setting.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a copy of the book to me. All opinions are my own. #DeadWest #NetGalley

[Kristin- Kristin's Bookstack · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is such an interesting story with a great romantic twist. I really liked Katie’s mysterious character and how she heals as the story progresses. I also liked how caring Cameron was; especially towards the Salt River Wild Horses. This part of the story was interesting to me because I live in Arizona and have seen the wild horses myself. The book had lots of action, but I found it easy to skim through the paragraphs in between each obstacle Katie and Cameron faced. The ending was a little disappointing for me because it ended so abruptly and I wanted to know what happened next with Katie and Cameron.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

[Denice Langley · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a professional assasian finds herself questioning her assignment, the story gets interesting. She'd sometimes wondered what had gone wrong in somebody's life that they were targeted for death. This time, she accidentally meets her target and her immediate response to this man brings the rest of her life into question. When she is unable to find a reason to kill him, she must decide if she will now keep him alive. Interesting is definitely the right word for this plot line. While readers are sometimes asked to suspend their belief, it was a good read that I'd recommend to my reading circle and these women can be brutal if the book does not measure up.