Born to Be Killed

Smoke Jensen #7

by William W. Johnstone, J.A. Johnstone

The epic saga of Smoke Jensen takes a wild and dangerous turn when the legendary mountain man joins a wagon train of war widows—on a doomed journey through hell . . .

Big Rock, Colorado, has seen its share of wagon trains pass through town, but never one like this. For starters, it’s led by a woman—a sweet southern belle named Annabelle—and the passengers are young Civil War widows and orphans. The only man on board is Annabelle’s father, a former colonel blinded in the war.  They’re on their way to Purgatory Butte, Wyoming, to run the ranch the colonel inherited. Smoke’s wife, Sally Jensen, thinks it’s a noble goal and wants to help the women out—by volunteering her husband’s protection on the treacherous journey north. In spite of his doubts, Smoke agrees.

The trouble starts before they even leave town. First a pack of ruffians harass the women, then a pair of saloon girls decide to join the wagon train. To top things off, Sally insists on coming along,—giving Smoke one more thing to worry about.

They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions. But this road has plenty of bad ones, too. If Smoke Jensen can’t figure out which is which, this whole train will be dead on arrival.

Johnstone Country. Where Legends Are Born . . . To Be Killed.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Westerns

317 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 28, 2026

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

[Gerald Matzke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got into the stories of William Johnstone a couple of years ago when I was looking for something different from the mysteries and non-fiction books that I typically would read. I liked the action and the style of writing so I looked for more of the same. Some were better than others but this book was one of the best that I have read. The premise of a small wagon train made up of all women except for the leader’s father was certainly different and promised several plot lines as the story unfolded. When legendary gunslinger, Smoke Jensen and his wife Sally decided to join the group on their journey to Wyoming, the stage was set for action. There were several groups who wanted to stop this wagon train for various reasons but Smoke and the ladies were able to prevail as you would expect. This was an enjoyable read if you can stomach all the shooting. If you grew up watching cowboy shows on TV or at the movies, you will enjoy this western yarn where the good guys win and the bad guys get what they deserve.

[David Burnworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sally befriends a lady named Annabelle, who is the leader of a small wagon train of four on a journey from Mississippi to Wyoming. After some trouble in Big Rock, Sally decides she and Smoke will travel to Wyoming to make sure the Wagon train arrives to their destination safe. Smoke gladly agrees to his wife's wishes and from there the adventure takes off. Before the group gets to their final destination two groups will be after them and an unknown third is on their trail. A secret from the people in the wagon train all share a secret that Sally and her famous husband Smoke learn just as the group is attack by the third group. From there the ending comes quickly with a lot of death.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book in the new section of the local library. The description caught my attention (a female wagon train!!), and I hadn't read a western in a really long time. It was a little slow to get started but mostly as I had very little time to sit and read. Once I got into it, I made time to finish. Although part of a series, this book can be read as a stand alone. I may look for more titles by Johnstone.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this book in the “new” section of my library and, being a fan of westerns decided to give it a go. I really enjoyed it! I had not read any of Johnstone’s books and I found his writing style easy to read with a good flow to the story. I also appreciated that there wasn’t any bad language. I’ll definitely be reading more in the Smoke Jensen series!

[A L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Goodreads and Kensington Publishing, I was able to receive a free copy of this book. I wasn't sure if I would enjoy this because I do not normally read Western books, but I was completely wrong. I loved the entire storyline, and the pacing was perfect for my taste. I look forward to reading more books from the author.

[Crystel Loustau · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was introduced to William Johnstone as a young teen by my father. He knew the books written by this author would captivate me. I do not think I have ever read a terrible book from William Johnstone. I have to say reading about a wagon full of females who can hold their own, was awesome.