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Winter Ghost
Some hunger never dies.
Oklahoma, 1911.
U.S. Deputy Marshal Jubal Smoak has hunted killers, outlaws, and desperate men across some of the roughest country in the West. But nothing in his experience has prepared him for what waits in the Wichita Mountains.
Sent after two dangerous fugitives, Jubal and his partner, Deputy Mamie Dossett, ride into a hunt that quickly becomes something far more deadly. One of their quarries is rumored to possess an ancient and terrifying power.
The other trail leads to Winter Ghost, a mysterious Sac medicine man whose shadow reaches far beyond the rugged Oklahoma wilderness.
Then people begin to die.
As Jubal and Mamie follow a trail of murder, fear, and old Indian legends, the line between superstition and reality begins to disappear. Something is stalking the mountains. Something impossibly old. Something with an appetite that cannot be satisfied.
Jubal Smoak has never been much for believing in ghosts.
He may not have a choice.
Winter Ghost , Book Two of the Jubal Smoak Mysteries, is a dark, atmospheric Western thriller where frontier law collides with Native legend—and some things cannot be stopped with a badge and a Winchester.
Oklahoma, 1911.
U.S. Deputy Marshal Jubal Smoak has hunted killers, outlaws, and desperate men across some of the roughest country in the West. But nothing in his experience has prepared him for what waits in the Wichita Mountains.
Sent after two dangerous fugitives, Jubal and his partner, Deputy Mamie Dossett, ride into a hunt that quickly becomes something far more deadly. One of their quarries is rumored to possess an ancient and terrifying power.
The other trail leads to Winter Ghost, a mysterious Sac medicine man whose shadow reaches far beyond the rugged Oklahoma wilderness.
Then people begin to die.
As Jubal and Mamie follow a trail of murder, fear, and old Indian legends, the line between superstition and reality begins to disappear. Something is stalking the mountains. Something impossibly old. Something with an appetite that cannot be satisfied.
Jubal Smoak has never been much for believing in ghosts.
He may not have a choice.
Winter Ghost , Book Two of the Jubal Smoak Mysteries, is a dark, atmospheric Western thriller where frontier law collides with Native legend—and some things cannot be stopped with a badge and a Winchester.
253 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 18, 2026
About the author
Phil Truman
18 books172 followersI'm a Heartland American who still believes in God, country, and apple pie (ummm). I've been married to the same woman for 40 years and plan to remain so as long as she and God permit it. I'm a father of two, grandfather of two, a Protestant, a veteran. Some would call me a curmudgeon (and have); I prefer conservative. I left the business world in 2007 to become a full time writer. I have three published novels - RED LAND OUTLAW, LEGENDS OF TSALAGEE, GAME, all of which have been #1 Best Sellers on Amazon. The 4th & 5th novels are in the pipe. I am a regular contributor to the Western Fictioneers blog http://westernfictioneers.blogspot.com/ . I never read books about teenage vampires, probably because I'm a former high school teacher; and have not, nor will I ever, read a Harry Potter book. The thought of flying, magical children frightens me.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 22, 2026
Winter Ghost begins like a lively Western mystery: Deputy U.S. Marshal Jubal Smoak is hunting outlaws in 1911 Oklahoma, where even a routine arrest can leave him flat on his back. Before long, his assignment draws him and his companions into a far more unsettling pursuit through the Wichita Mountains. What first looks like a dangerous fugitive case becomes a confrontation with something Jubal cannot easily explain.
Jubal’s first-person voice gives the book much of its appeal. He is capable and stubborn, but he gets hurt, makes mistakes, and knows when he is frightened. His dry humor helps keep the story grounded as its supernatural elements grow stronger. Former Buffalo Soldier Eddis Pickett brings experience and steadiness to the group, while Deputy Mamie Dossett is a determined partner with decisions of her own to make. Jubal’s loyal dog, Hector, is another welcome presence.
Truman makes good use of the contrast between a marshal’s practical job and a threat that may lie beyond his understanding. The landscape, isolated settlements, and changing weather give the chase a strong sense of place. The author’s historical notes add useful context about Oklahoma, federal marshals, and the real history behind some of the book’s fictional characters and events.
The story is most compelling when Jubal and his companions must act despite being unsure what they have seen. At times, the repeated descriptions of dread slow the pursuit, and readers looking for a conventional Western mystery may find the turn toward horror unexpected. The violence can also be grim.
For readers who enjoy frontier action with a supernatural edge, Winter Ghost offers an engaging cast, an atmospheric Oklahoma setting, and a mystery that stays troubling even after the last confrontation.
Jubal’s first-person voice gives the book much of its appeal. He is capable and stubborn, but he gets hurt, makes mistakes, and knows when he is frightened. His dry humor helps keep the story grounded as its supernatural elements grow stronger. Former Buffalo Soldier Eddis Pickett brings experience and steadiness to the group, while Deputy Mamie Dossett is a determined partner with decisions of her own to make. Jubal’s loyal dog, Hector, is another welcome presence.
Truman makes good use of the contrast between a marshal’s practical job and a threat that may lie beyond his understanding. The landscape, isolated settlements, and changing weather give the chase a strong sense of place. The author’s historical notes add useful context about Oklahoma, federal marshals, and the real history behind some of the book’s fictional characters and events.
The story is most compelling when Jubal and his companions must act despite being unsure what they have seen. At times, the repeated descriptions of dread slow the pursuit, and readers looking for a conventional Western mystery may find the turn toward horror unexpected. The violence can also be grim.
For readers who enjoy frontier action with a supernatural edge, Winter Ghost offers an engaging cast, an atmospheric Oklahoma setting, and a mystery that stays troubling even after the last confrontation.
September 22, 2026
Different but good
Simply amazing read. Something different in a very good way.Combines a good western work with a horror feel. You gotta read it and his first novel too.
Simply amazing read. Something different in a very good way.Combines a good western work with a horror feel. You gotta read it and his first novel too.
September 24, 2026
Winter Ghost (Juba Smoak Mysteries Book 2)
Well written western lawman novel. Great characters. Rooted in western US law history. Recommend highly. You will not be disappointed.
Well written western lawman novel. Great characters. Rooted in western US law history. Recommend highly. You will not be disappointed.
October 14, 2026
Cool supernatural western
Awesome reading. Full of suspense and hunting down not only bad guys, but a witch and a witch doctor. Lots of action.
Awesome reading. Full of suspense and hunting down not only bad guys, but a witch and a witch doctor. Lots of action.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews