Guns of the Vigilantes

Guns of the Vigilantes #1

by William W. Johnstone, J.A. Johnstone

Introducing the newest good guys in the bad Old West. A ragtag team of misfit avengers who don’t wear badges, don’t follow rules, and won’t stop shooting—till justice is served . . .


GUNS OF THE VIGILANTES


It begins with a massacre. A crime so brutal and bloody, the local sheriff isn’t smart enough to solve it. But when young deputy Dan Caine sees the slaughter for himself—an entire family murdered—he can’t let it go. Especially when the eldest daughter is missing. Right there and then, Caine makes a fateful throw away his badge, form a vigilante team, and go after the killers . . .

There’s one Who would be crazy enough to join him? First up is a grizzled old tinpan named Fish Lee, who discovered the bodies. Then there’s the Kiowa, an Indian scout with a grudge; Cooley, a washed-up gambler; Mortimer, a whiskey-soaked newsman; and Holt, a half-grown stock boy. Sure, they might be crazy. They might be inexperienced. But one thing is be it from heaven above or hell below . . . vengeance is coming .

Genres: Westerns

336 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2021

About the author

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 50 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 21st Century." Visit him online at WilliamJohnstone.net.

Reviews

[Bill Riggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

A group of misfits band together to track down a gang of murderous desperadoes. The ragtag team of vigilantes track the outlaws through the Old West and into Mexico in order to rescue a young woman they kidnapped after the slaughter of her family.
An entertaining classic western full of western thrills and adventure.

[Emmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

What started out as a joke read—

(my literal reaction trying to write a review):


Vegas & Little Acer, mind your manners. I had a hell of a great time reading this one. I make no apologies. My boots? Shaken. 🤠

[Lyndon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining. I'd read Book #2 before this one, so it was good to get the origin story of the deputy sheriff. The story was good, writing was solid, but a bit long-winded. When I have time I'll write a longer review. If you like action-packed westerns, this series delivers, at least for me.

[christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first Johnstone novel and I got it at a discounted price. I was expecting a straight easily digestible western. I got more than I expected.

This book is wild and all over the place. There may be a simple plot going through, but along the way you'll have a mummy's curse, a lost sheik, psychics, random Apache attacks and other odd stuff. The narrative is weird in places, sometimes jumping into what present day people know about certain events. Sometimes there's newspaper articles interwoven into the prose.

Is it fun? Yep. Are there vigilantes and outlaws making a mad dash thru the desert? Yep. Are there mentions of breasts? Lots. Is it a bad thing? I suppose that is subjective. For a novel written in 2021, it can be a bit jarring.

Sometimes the action is detailed....sometimes it's not. The dialogue can be wonky. The vigilantes are certainly a misfit ragtag group of people and the outlaws are definitely bad guys. I'm giving this four starts because it's weird cowboy sh*t and I'm here for it.

[Darlene Christensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

West Texas 1888 a family is brutally killed and the oldest girl is kidnapped by a gang of killers and robbers. Dan Caine a deputy and friend of the family along with a strange group go after this gang to return this young lady. After a rough time for the gang and those following the question is what will happen.

[Rhyno337 · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 1st Johnstone did not disappoint! Plot kept moving like trailride, brief bios and scene settings, dandy diologue, short chapters and character twist like hard gut-punch 3/4 thru. Definitely, worth it!

[Nolan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surprised there aren't more ratings on this story. This is a new series by JA Johnstone and her ghost writers. Interesting enough story although a little on the slow side.

[Mandy Makarewicz · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was ok at best very slow going at first and very strange phrases. I enjoyed the story line a lot but struggled to make it thru the book.

[Truitti · Rating 5 out of 5]

24-40. Great western with some good twists. I borrowed this e-book from the Sacramento Public Library via the Libby app.

[Ted Cartier · Rating 2 out of 5]

not one of his better books.

[Joe Patterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fine book. Right up my alley. Good for a few days on the beach.