The Wicked And The Dead

Hack Long #1

by William W. Johnstone, J.A. Johnstone

JOHNSTONE COUNTRY.
WHERE BOOT HILL IS FULL OF MEN WHO PULLED THEIR TRIGGERS WITHOUT AIMING.

As hardworking families and ambitious dreamers set down roots across the American West, others swooped down to prey upon them. And after the smoke cleared, those who lived by the gun found themselves facing justice—and vengeance . . .

It was supposed to be a simple robbery. A fortune in gold for the taking. What Hack Long and his outlaws hadn’t figured on was the Texas Rangers pouncing on them like a pack of rabid wolves. Desperate to escape, Long led his men south of the Rio Grande where they ran afoul of Mexican Rurales and were imprisoned.

Unwilling to die behind the bars of the hellish prison where life is worth less than a peso, Long’s band of desperadoes break out of jail and split up to escape. Now, Two-Horses, Luke Fischer, Gabriel Santana, Billy Lightning, and Long are scrabbling along a desolate landscape, heading for Texas to reclaim their ill-gotten gains, hunted by dogged lawmen, merciless Comaches, and a violent gang of bandits who also want the stolen gold.

Though they be thieves and outlaws, Long and his men aren’t nearly as deadly as their pursuers. They may not deserve forgiveness for their sins, but only death passes judgment on both the good and the bad. . .

Live Free. Read Hard.

Genres: Westerns

499 pages, Paperback

Published August 14, 2024

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 3 out of 5]

In what has pretty much become a staple of the Johnstone books, this features a group of likable outlaws and their antihero adventures. After escaping from a Mexican prison the gang is motivated to make their way back to a small Texas town where they had hidden their loot from their last robbery. Enjoyable and predictable until the very end.

[Shannon O'Flynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really struggled to read this book and I think that was due to the beginning of the book. In the beginning, the Long Gang escapes a prison in Mexico and are running from the police. That part I enjoyed. However, to escape the police, the gang splits up and you are introduced to about 3-4 different POVs. This was the part that I started struggling on. The POVs were so different as each member had different experiences and I think this led to my confusion. It got to the point where I was just reading the book to get through.

The book did get much better once the cowboys were all back together as on gang. I enjoyed the bits of Spanish in the book as this was a cute and unique add-in. I also enjoyed the ending as it wasn't the cliche every one's happy ending!

I would recommend in the future, adding the character whose POV the chapter is in below the chapter number so readers will know what to expect.

While I won't be reading this book again, I would recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure or cowboy books.

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

In The Wicked And The Dead by William W Johnstone, we meet the Texas long gang suffering in a Mexican prison thanks to an old amigo says he’ll die there he tells Heck who is the leader how he can get out and get out he does. Well trape sing the desert between the prison and the Rio Grande they get separated and go they’re different directions the main goal is to get back to Texas find the loot they stashed under a new boardwalk they were building and hopefully live their lives in peace unfortunately not everything goes to plan as a matter of a fact their money has already been found and it was by a woman who spent it building up the town the boardwalk was in. And since she also bought a bank the gang decides to rob it, if only they wouldn’t have caught the attention of the local sheriff not to mention the Texas Marshalls are there looking for the outlaws. This is the first Johnstone book from the perspective of people who are not law-abiding and heroic as a matter of a fact they’re quite the opposite and although they’re a little bit better grade of outlaws as far as outlaws go but there still outlaws I really enjoyed this book I did think at one point when two knives and Luke and Santana and some other guys went off on their own that they were too many stories happening but it all came together in the end and made for a great John Stone Western. I want to thank Kensington books and net galley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

[patrick Lorelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be a little different than some of the other reads from this author, none the less this was fast-paced and entertaining from the beginning until the end. I will say I was disappointed when the book ended for I wanted it to continue and that is when I knew it was a very good book at least for me. The story opens with a group of men in prison in Mexico having been caught robbing a bank amongst other things. The men have now made their escape during a storm and along the way they get separated. Still being chased by the Federales the author weaves a story around each one and what happens along their journey as they work at making it to a town to meet up. A very good story to see what happens and one that I would read again, a very good book with excellent characters.

[Paul Lusk · Rating 2 out of 5]

Spoilers couple paragraphs from here. There got that taken care of now.
Ok, so it's just a johnstone family mill western bought at the local Walmart but it really did get interesting for a while.
Hack and the gang are desperados from the jump. Each with their own backstory and idiosyncrasies.They are certainly no Robin Hood and Merry Men, but they do have some sense of what's right and what's just wrong. Mostly their out for themselves but don't mind offering a helping hand when not contrary to their interests.
So anyway the story kinda gets you rooting for them as they break out of prison in Mexico and make their way back to some town just over the U.S. border where they his some stolen loot years before while on the run from a posse.
Long story short, just when it look like they might pull it off ok and live happily ever after( or at least another year or two) they all get slaughtered one or two at a time by a brigade of Texas Rangers after splitting up to avoid suspicion after getting to town
So moral of the story is don't change tactics if the tactics you been following are working out for you
Guess I kinda feel jipped because all of a sudden Hack made some bad decisions and did not behave characteristics. The other thought is that maybe the pretty much anonymous Johnstone ghostwriter felt compelled to follow the old adage that you can't let the " bad guys" win.
So I am sure I would have given book a 3 or 4 if the ending would have allowed me to imagine that the guys were not quite so bad after all and also not prone to a stupid , untypical errors.

[Richard Kravitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great western!! Not a Lonesome Dove or anything, but it had a number of different strands and seemed really authentic. It read very easily and very quickly. Highly recommended. I would read another by this author!! Kind of reminded me of the "Border Trilogy" by McCarthy (All the Pretty Horses #1, etc), but easier reading.

[Oren T. Bergfald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intense, yet clever…!!!

Well written Western that’s hard to put down. An excellent story where character traits unfold with each turning page. Engaging movie material, without a doubt. Recommended for all adventure lovers. 📚🤠📖📕

[Joji T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent story, a LOT of characters there at the end which made it difficult to remember...but I guess by the end it doesn't really matter!

[Joseph Baiocco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Griping action. Unexpected ending.

[Curt Dunnam · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Wicked and the Dead" by William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone was an action-packed 5-star read! It all starts with Hack Long and his gang of outlaws locked inside Purgatoria, a Mexican prison. One rainy night, after three years of hard labor, the Long Gang decides to escape and return to Texas. Outside the prison, they are quickly separated, beginning the journey of Hack Long, Luke Fischer, Two-Horses, Gabriel Santana, and Billy Lightning as they set out to recover their ill-gotten gains.

I haven’t read many Westerns, and I've never read anything by this author, but that's all going to change! This book was fast-paced, and I couldn’t put it down. I will definitely be adding more from Mr. Johnstone to my TBR list. There is great character development, and we are introduced to a large number of folks throughout the novel. Whether an aficionado of Westerns or a newcomer seeking to explore uncharted territory, this book promises an unforgettable journey through the untamed wilderness of the Old West.

Thanks to Kensington Books, William W. Johnstone, J.A. Johnstone, and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review.