Cold Dead Cash

Shotgun Johnny #3

by William W. Johnstone, J.A. Johnstone

Johnstone Country. Shotgun Justice.

HAVE COFFIN, WILL TRAVEL

On his latest bullion run for the Reverend’s Temptation Gold Mine, Shotgun Johnny crosses paths with three desperate strangers. One is an old man. The other is his daughter Dixie. The third is his son, Jake Teal, a bank robber who’s wanted dead or alive. Thing is, Jake is already dead—stuffed in a pine box on his family’s wagon. Now every bounty hunter in the state is after his body . . .

BRING OUT YOUR DEAD

Johnny feels bad for the grieving family and agrees to escort them to Pueblo for a proper burial. Of course, no good deed goes unpunished. A sudden snow storm turns the trail into a frozen hell—but that doesn’t stop the bounty-hunting devils who want to cash in on Jake’s corpse. Some of them think Dixie knows where he hid the stolen lootfrom his last bank job. Or maybe they’re really after Shotgun Johnny’s cargo of gold. Either way, they all could end up dead on arrival . . .

Genres: Westerns

368 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published April 29, 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

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shotgun Johnny is riding shotgun, occasionally ventilating people, when he encounters an old man and his comely daughter, who are taking the old man's son to be buried. The son was a bank robber, with a reward--dead or alive. A passel of bounty hunters want that money.

Not bad. More in the Johnstone wheelhouse than the last couple of Johnstone books I've read.

[Bill Riggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the latest installment of the Shotgun Johnny series it seems that everyone surrounding Johnny is focused on what they desire most, be it love, money, fame or vengeance. Most soon find out their obsession leads down a path of calamity and death. Johnny will have to be quick of wit and trigger finger if he is to survive.

[Tracy Gilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found it difficult to get into this book at first. It was a bit too much like watching old westerns. About half way I got over this feeling and into the story. I liked it then.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Western flavor, nice scenery descriptions, a bit too much bloodshed, but after all, the lawman's nickname is "Shotgun Johnny".

[Joseph · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining western. Enjoyed reading it. Should be made into a movie.. fun

[Beverly Kee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what a story!

As much as I enjoyed this book, once again the author has left us hanging! Will there be another one or is this the end of the series?

[Patty]

A very violent book, with a lot of bad characters, the kind that needed to be terminated, which is exactly what Shotgun Johnny does.

[Wanda Porter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book except there were loose ends not addressed

[Darlene Christensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jake Teale is a young outlaw who loves Dixie Wade a fallen lady who is planning on leaving the area in order to marry her. Jake is dreaming of Dixie when he encounters another who is seeking him and the money he has stolen. That money, and Dixie cause Deputy Shotgun Johnny a heap of trouble as he is transporting gold fro Reverend's Temptation to the bank. Johnny also has a love interest that is weighing on his mind.