The Butcher of Baxter Pass

Hell's Half Acre #3

by William W. Johnstone, J.A. Johnstone

They call him 'The Butcher of Baxter Pass,' the notorious former Union General who massacred 200 Confederate prisoners -- just because he could. Now it's Sheriff Jess Casey's unenviable job to protect the bloodthirsty murderer from those who want him dead, which turns out to be pretty much everyone south of the Mason-Dixon Line.

When the Butcher arrives in Fort Worth -- followed by the vengeance-hungry McNamara clan -- Casey has to swallow his disgust and uphold the law, even if it means saving a mass murderer's hide. But it won't be easy. He's outgunned by a dozen ex-Rebel avengers who lost three of their kin to the Butcher and will shoot anyone who gets in their way. Unfortunately for them, Sheriff Casey is the one man who's brave enough -- and crazy enough -- to try and stop them...

Genres: Westerns

329 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2015

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

[Miles · Rating 1 out of 5]

It’s a western, all you can really say about it, other than it’s a little bit pro-Confederacy. If not for that, I think it would’ve snuck in at two stars, but that was just the cherry on top.

Johnstone’s a tenured western writer, so the chops are there, but the story was atrocious, the characters made little to no sense, and every twist and turn felt labored and forced. I don’t see it as a knock on Johnstone, just a guy who’s been writing for fifty years and is gonna throw up some air balls. Except the confederacy stuff, that, I would say, is a knock on him.

[Richard Guerrero · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall surprisingly a good western series. Throughout the series did not get too crazy until at times in this book. What I don’t like in a series, especially in a short series is when they switch up characters and dates. Luke short, the sheriffs friend/menace was the bar owner and now in this book it shows that he left or died in 1879. He was just A big character in the previous book. I did like the character of the city marshals significant other, destiny and their new found Mexican friend/daughter and there was no word of them at all in this book. This will be enough western books for me at least for a little while. My next one will probably be one of those best sellers regarding Cynthia Ann Parker, the nine year old girl taken by the Indians I believe in 1836.

[David Hamilton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. Learned a lot about Fort Worth's history.

[Derrick · Rating 1 out of 5]

This one was not like the others. Pass.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fabulous read. Another great Johnstone book and a solid entry to the Hell's Half Acre series. It's a great mix of history and fiction, with clever, likeable characters, a great western heart and intrigue in the plot to keep the pages turning.
Jess Casey is a true blue main character, good enough to be a hero but human enough to make him relatable. I like the cast so far, the good and the bad, especially the ones you're not so sure about. I enjoy Jess' relationships and interactions with Luke Short and Kurt Koenig. It was quite enjoyable in this book to see that Jess might have even missed them backing his play, as both were out of town.
I cannot wait to see how this series continues to develop.

[Jerry Blackerby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 3 or the Hell’s Half Acre series is just as great as the first two were. It was pure fiction, as far as I could tell, with no new actual historic characters introduced. It is still an action-filled story of the sin hole that was called Hell’s Half Acre in Fort Worth, Texas during the last of the 19th Century into the 20th Century. I loved the story and looking forward to another in the series.

[Rob Sobieck · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok. It was about protecting innocent people who get false rumors against them. I think it could of been better. Not a book i would read again.

[Thomas Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

the first two books of this series were better than this one. not bad, but could have been better