Purgatory Crossing

Nathan Stark #3

by William W. Johnstone, J.A. Johnstone

A new action-packed historical frontier Western in the popular Nathan Stark series by the bestselling legends William W. and J.A. Johnstone.

A legend, his name is mentioned alongside Buffalo Bill Cody and Wild Bill Hickok. He casts a stormcloud-sized shadow across the untamed Western frontier. Men on both sides of the law fear his wrath. For Nathan Stark is the army’s avenging angel, waging war against the hostile  Indian tribes that threaten the nation—and murdered his family in cold blood.

In Arizona Territory, the Apache have been raiding both sides of the border, slaughtering anyone who gets in their way. This is the same Indian band that kidnapped the children of the Navajo chief whose scouts serve the U.S. Army—and the Navajo will not engage the Apache as long as the chief’s children are in harm’s way.

Now, Stark and Crow scout Moses Red Buffalo have been tasked with rescuing the Navajo. But they aren’t the only ones on the trail of the kill-crazy Apache. A group of unhinged scalphunters are looking to collect the Mexican government’s bounty on the Apache. Now the territory is about to explode in an avalanche of violence and death . . .

335 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 21, 2025

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

[Rob Smith, Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best written Johnstone Clan books I've ever read. It's like a couple other Johnstone books I've read this past year breaking from the Johnstone format in style of writing and construction. It's more structured as a sprawling Michener or du Maurier novel. As, clearly, the Johnstone Clan have had their books stretched in length and most of the ghost writers are stumbling by needlessly padding their tales, this ghost writer demonstrates the ability to pace the plot and writing to fit the extended length.

The writing is very tight and well done. Better than the original William Johnstone written books. There's the snap in the prose. Not even sure in the few hundred Johnstone Clan books I've read such. It's a shining direction for the Johnstone Clan to take, if they can keep the writer writing at the ridiculous amount of books being pumped out.

The actual plot is pretty simple, once the book gets to it: Go get characters. The vast complications and all it takes to get to the plot are well connected. Another oddity of the book are the large amount of individuals that are come across. THAT I've never read in a western book - fiction or non-fiction. There are so many people wandering around, it's like a paired down Grand Central Station in the late 1800s.

The resolution to the book is a complicated labyrinth that gets all together in a very interesting way to finish the book. Nicely done.

There is a bunch of history laid out throughout. I'm a Florida historian. i know of our U.S. history west of the Mississippi, but much written I'll have to rely on the writing to know of what they write. One thing mentioned I know to be wrong is one character to be written in their 20s spouting Darwin. That's mighty impossible in the late 1800s. Especially as the character is written as a late 1800s hippie. Apparently access to libraries out of the question. Even those with access to libraries would have had trouble knowing what the character stated in the book, conjuring views of Henry Wallace and Herbert Spencer. Part of what is written was slow to cross the pond to reach the U.S., much less the hidden dusty corners of the U.S. & Mexican border at the setting of the novel. Another issue being that the ideas not only not being accepted to pass around the U.S. at the time. It does, then, raise question as to other history included. I'll let those wiser than me of U.S. western history respond to that.

Bottom line: I recommend this book. 10 out of ten points.
Access to the book to review is via Netgalley.com

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

Purgatory Crossing is the third book in the Nathan Stark, army scout western’ book series by William W and Jay A Johnstone. Army scout Nathan Stark has been called to Fort Lowell, in the Arizona territory on his way, he will meet up with bad guys, but he also finds his old friend red Buffalo, who is also going to the fort. it’s there where they learn of their destination and mission which is to retrieve two kidnap children from an Apache’ Indian chief. The boy and girl were the children of a Navajo chief, who thought them dead, and only recently found out they still live. The only problem is Nathan Stark in red Buffalo will have to go to the free state to find a man named Johnny two face to show them where the Apache live during the summer. To make matters worse Geronimo is on the warpath as well as Mexican marauders scalpers highway robbers in many other wrong doers. unfortunately Nathan, red Buffalo and Jonny two-face will run into all of them and one form or another. It gets even worse when two face falls in love with Mosa, the Chiefs daughter and she with him. all this while her brother not only doesn’t want to leave the Apache.’s, but feels he has something to prove in in the end. It will spell trouble for all of them. this was a great western and although I found it suspect how many scalpers they came across on their journey I still really loved this book. I do feel like Nathan Stark has a kind of flat personality and nothing really that sets him apart from any other character and found red Buffalo would’ve been a better main character, but I digress I would still read another book in the series just for the storytelling alone. #NetGalley, #KensingtonBooks, #JAJohnstone, #WilliamWJohnstone, #NathanStarkInArmyScoutWestern, #PurgatoryCrossing,

[Jacqui · Rating 5 out of 5]

William Johnstone's Purgatory Crossing (Pinnacle 2025), a Nathan Stark Western, is set in the time after the civil war, a rough and tumble time for the U.S. With a president assassinated, the Indian chief, Geronimo, on the war path, and white settlers going West in ever greater numbers, the U.S. Army had a massive job of defending the new country and its inhabitants. To do so, they cobbled together a network of Army bases, civilian scouts, and Indian scouts who knew the untamed wilderness and the players. The best civilians were a two man team of ex-Army Nathan Stark and Crow Moses Red Buffalo. The Army's favored scouts were native Navajo, but the tribes refused to cooperate because two of their chiefs children had been kidnapped by their avowed enemy, the Apache. Until they were returned, the Navajo would not help the American government. Turns out they’re being held in a place called Purgatory Crossing, one of Geronimo's strongholds, a desolate area that sends chills through even the strongest of men, including Stark and Moses, but this is their job. That's the start of what turns out to be not only a fight with the Apache, but others who don't want these two returned to the Navajo.

It's a complicated, fast-moving, exciting story you don't want to miss.

[Denice Langley · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is no such thing as a bad Johnstone western. Each series is built around main characters whose belief in the law and family is absolute, even if they've had to be reformed to get there. From Preacher, the original mountain man to the Jensen family to Perly Gates, to.....well, you get the point. Many times, characters from one series will show up in another as supporting hands. The communities are true to the era, clothing, guns, food and troubles are all what you'd find if you looked them up in the history books. No two stories are the same, each character or set of characters is unique and so are their stories. The writing is skillful, readers are pulled into the story and you will laugh and cry right along with the characters. I made the mistake of picking up a Johnstone western my uncle was reading. Ive been hooked ever since. Now I share them with my reading family and will continue as long as new Johnstones are released.

[SenseSeeker · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolutely absurd plot, borders on PREPOSTEROUS even in the western tradition. I'm not too sure what's happing with this situation but it looks like some "ghost writers" are being used to meet production commitments and some of those writers have virtually no real-world experience.

Some of the historical facts hold water, true enough. However, the story-line is so bereft of plausibility as to be actually ABSURD!!!!!!

Who/Whomever is writing this stuff would not even meet the standards required for "Kitty Lit" type literature.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Darn Good Western

I don't read Westerns very often; generally as a break from my usual fare of mysteries and historical fiction. This story was pretty darn good. Solid characters, a fine storyline, and believable action. I"d read another Nathan Stark adventure sometime down the road.

[papasteve · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rollicking western with lots of action. Most of the action has to do with side stories, but that’s where life is lived mostly—not in the one story, but in all the sidebars that happen along the way.

[murray diederich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite captivating

Really enjoyed the old western stories. Also like how the book was very easy to follow. Liked how the storyline kept on track throughout the book. Really enjoyed it had a hard time putting it d.o

[bjorn vonmagnus · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lazy

I've read many many books by them but this one just felt lazy to me. How could such seasoned scouts keep letting themselves get put in harms way.