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Rattlesnake Wells, Wyoming #1
Rattlesnake Wells, Wyoming
In the shadow of the Prophecy Mountains, the ramshackle boomtown of Rattlesnake Wells draws schemers, predators, and desperate pilgrims. As for the law, that's the town marshal, a former Texas outlaw trying to make a new life for himself. But Sundown Bob Hatfield knows a man who's slick on the draw can't escape trouble for long. In Rattlesnake Wells, you fight fire with fire - and a new one has just exploded. An enterprising saloon owner stages a shooting contest with a matched pair of gold-plated revolvers as first prize. But some contestants don't play by the rules, and these aren't just any old gold-plated guns. Now the guns are gone, innocent hostages have been taken for a violent ride, and a chase is on into the vast Wyoming wilderness - where a terrifying dark secret will be exposed, much blood will be spilled, and a fast-gun marshal will bring the real outlaws to their knees . . .
379 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 2, 2017
412 people are currently reading
440 people want to read
About the author
William W. Johnstone
1,040 books1,390 followersWilliam 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.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
March 17, 2017
This one is another new series, that's a Walmart exclusive and only available from them for the first year of print.
Two of my favorite niches in the Western genre are US Marshall/Texas Ranger/Sheriff/Town Marshall's themed or range Cowboy themed ones.
Which Rattlesnake Wells, Wyoming fits into as the main character in the book is Town Marshall Bob Hatfield. The backstory about him that gets told as he's dreaming in his sleep or remember on the trail of a former U.S. Marshall Vernon Brock who along with Libby Sanders the ex wife of outlaw gang Arlo Sanders and Arlo Sanders, was excellently done and would make for a great book in it's self expanding on it.
Arguably one of the best books that Jo Johnstone and Kensington Publishing has produced under the William W. Johnstone brand. With the Will Tanner, The Range Detectives series's being so good along now with the new Rattlesnake Wells series being so good, perhaps they are realizing quality verse quantity is better and just wish they gave the ghost writer credit for the books they write for the brand.
Definitely believe this one is written by Chuck West aka. Charles G. West, it has his writing style, the editing has nothing bad to complain about and written just like he wrote his Westerns.
Basically the story's about Arlo Sanders gang tries unsuccessfully twice to rob the bank, has a few twist and turns, good verse evil, typically with William's books, the good guys get nicked up never die and the bad guys get killed.
Don't want to give to much away, since this one is arguably a must read from the William W. Johnstone brand and it's good enough that if you hate shopping at Walmart, you'll want to anyways to get your hands on this one.
Doubt you'll see this one used in it's first year of print or if you do. Maybe since I like it, one of those readers that leaves a glowing two sentence 5 star reviews they hate it.
Two of my favorite niches in the Western genre are US Marshall/Texas Ranger/Sheriff/Town Marshall's themed or range Cowboy themed ones.
Which Rattlesnake Wells, Wyoming fits into as the main character in the book is Town Marshall Bob Hatfield. The backstory about him that gets told as he's dreaming in his sleep or remember on the trail of a former U.S. Marshall Vernon Brock who along with Libby Sanders the ex wife of outlaw gang Arlo Sanders and Arlo Sanders, was excellently done and would make for a great book in it's self expanding on it.
Arguably one of the best books that Jo Johnstone and Kensington Publishing has produced under the William W. Johnstone brand. With the Will Tanner, The Range Detectives series's being so good along now with the new Rattlesnake Wells series being so good, perhaps they are realizing quality verse quantity is better and just wish they gave the ghost writer credit for the books they write for the brand.
Definitely believe this one is written by Chuck West aka. Charles G. West, it has his writing style, the editing has nothing bad to complain about and written just like he wrote his Westerns.
Basically the story's about Arlo Sanders gang tries unsuccessfully twice to rob the bank, has a few twist and turns, good verse evil, typically with William's books, the good guys get nicked up never die and the bad guys get killed.
Don't want to give to much away, since this one is arguably a must read from the William W. Johnstone brand and it's good enough that if you hate shopping at Walmart, you'll want to anyways to get your hands on this one.
Doubt you'll see this one used in it's first year of print or if you do. Maybe since I like it, one of those readers that leaves a glowing two sentence 5 star reviews they hate it.
April 1, 2022
First in the series of Rattlesnake Wells, the Johnstone’s introduce Bob Hatfield (some like to call him Sundown Bob) who is the new town sheriff. The Sheriff has a few secrets of his own though that he just assume stays that way.
Rattlesnake Wells, where dreamers come to make their fortunes, and desperados come to die. The streets of this little settlement are slick with mud and stained with blood, and it will fall to Bob Hatfield to sweep them clean. The town marshal, Hatfield has a young man’s face, but his eyes are those of a killer. It could be because he was one……a secret that weighs on his soul.
In Texas, Hatfield was known as the Devil’s River Kid, one of the most feared outlaws to ever ride the Lone Star State. He fled Texas after a showdown with a corrupt rancher turned bloody, and he vowed to start a new life on the right side of the law. Now if he can just make that work.
Book narration by Rodney J. Turner, imho the best western story narrator out there!
Rattlesnake Wells, where dreamers come to make their fortunes, and desperados come to die. The streets of this little settlement are slick with mud and stained with blood, and it will fall to Bob Hatfield to sweep them clean. The town marshal, Hatfield has a young man’s face, but his eyes are those of a killer. It could be because he was one……a secret that weighs on his soul.
In Texas, Hatfield was known as the Devil’s River Kid, one of the most feared outlaws to ever ride the Lone Star State. He fled Texas after a showdown with a corrupt rancher turned bloody, and he vowed to start a new life on the right side of the law. Now if he can just make that work.
Book narration by Rodney J. Turner, imho the best western story narrator out there!
July 29, 2021
Rattlesnake Wells, Wyoming is the first in a new series by William W Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone. We get to follow a sheriff in a smalltown with a lot of baggage from his past. He also has to deal with a housekeeper, bankrobbers, pimps and a fake US marshall. This is a really good western and i do love some of those.
December 26, 2018
Too long
Wordy. Somone tried to compare to Craig Johnson. Not even close. Read like someone's first writing attempt. Too many words to get any point across. Didn't care about any of the characters. Not a series I would continue.
Wordy. Somone tried to compare to Craig Johnson. Not even close. Read like someone's first writing attempt. Too many words to get any point across. Didn't care about any of the characters. Not a series I would continue.
September 21, 2019
I won a print copy of Rattlesnake Wells, Wyoming by William W. Johnstone.
This first entry in the Rattlesnake Wells, Wyoming series has all the required elements of a good western story fest.
We have the obligatory "Sheriff with a past", who, while being a crackerjack lawman, has little or no clue about relationships. He is your two-fisted "aw shucks" kind of man long on integrity and toughness.
His deputy is less intimidating, but up to the task when called upon. Rattlesnake Wells is your basic frontier boom town, always teetering on the edge of anarchy. The town is inhabited by a mix of self-serving and sometimes self-centered people on both side of the track. Unlikely allies and foes are around every corner.
So, have we read this story before in other wrapping? Sure we have. Does that take away from its charm? To borrow terminology from the tale; Hell no! This is the story we are looking for when we pick up such a book. The cover prepares us for what's inside; a rough and tumble, shoot -em' up story of life on the wild frontier. Fans of the genre wouldn't have it any other way. Enjoy!
This first entry in the Rattlesnake Wells, Wyoming series has all the required elements of a good western story fest.
We have the obligatory "Sheriff with a past", who, while being a crackerjack lawman, has little or no clue about relationships. He is your two-fisted "aw shucks" kind of man long on integrity and toughness.
His deputy is less intimidating, but up to the task when called upon. Rattlesnake Wells is your basic frontier boom town, always teetering on the edge of anarchy. The town is inhabited by a mix of self-serving and sometimes self-centered people on both side of the track. Unlikely allies and foes are around every corner.
So, have we read this story before in other wrapping? Sure we have. Does that take away from its charm? To borrow terminology from the tale; Hell no! This is the story we are looking for when we pick up such a book. The cover prepares us for what's inside; a rough and tumble, shoot -em' up story of life on the wild frontier. Fans of the genre wouldn't have it any other way. Enjoy!
March 13, 2019
Many of Johnstone's books follow a fairly simple formula. There is nothing wrong with that, and in fact some of those books are quite entertaining. This book however failed to live up to its full potential.
There were many background details brought up in the main character's background that either weren't pertinent to the main plot, or were negligible to the point of being largely irrelevant. Since I believe this is the first book in a series, then maybe many of the back story facets will be further explored in other books. However, that is poor writing since those back story elements will need to be repeated anyway in other books.
The author relied too much on coincidences to enable the protagonist to either stay ahead of the bad guys or to enable him from making a hard decision. He also used foreshadowing that was about as subtle as a neon sign flashing FORESHADOWING at midnight in the middle of the desert.
Many of the secondary characters were just facades and cliches - the madam with the heart of gold, the loyal but bumbling sidekick, rough and tumble saloon owner, the pining love interest. If it was possible to be less than one dimensional the author achieved it on many of the characters.
In summary, not the worse story I have ever read, but it certainly fell short of being a solid and enjoyable read. In fact, after writing this review, I knocked off another star simply because the more I thought about it the more disappointed I was with the story.
There were many background details brought up in the main character's background that either weren't pertinent to the main plot, or were negligible to the point of being largely irrelevant. Since I believe this is the first book in a series, then maybe many of the back story facets will be further explored in other books. However, that is poor writing since those back story elements will need to be repeated anyway in other books.
The author relied too much on coincidences to enable the protagonist to either stay ahead of the bad guys or to enable him from making a hard decision. He also used foreshadowing that was about as subtle as a neon sign flashing FORESHADOWING at midnight in the middle of the desert.
Many of the secondary characters were just facades and cliches - the madam with the heart of gold, the loyal but bumbling sidekick, rough and tumble saloon owner, the pining love interest. If it was possible to be less than one dimensional the author achieved it on many of the characters.
In summary, not the worse story I have ever read, but it certainly fell short of being a solid and enjoyable read. In fact, after writing this review, I knocked off another star simply because the more I thought about it the more disappointed I was with the story.
February 20, 2018
SHERIFF BOB HATFIELD, RATTLESNAKE WELLS
Mistaken steps of greed and debauchery. The present Sheriff of Rattlesnake Wells has just rescued the town from a bank robbery. The gang of bank robbers started a diversion in Old Town(part of Rattlesnake Wells) so that the other five gangsters could rob the tills and dynamite the huge safe. But that didn't happen, Deputy Fred counteracted the robbers killing the one who looked about sixteen years old, was holding the horses, whilst the other three were holding the bank owner as a hostage.
This adventure has it of action, peril at every bend in the trail. Escaped prisoners hiding in the Orphan Mountains with only the raggedy prison clothes they escaped with and no food. They're eating horse and no place to go or transportation to get there...Again lots of action, action...western action....
Mistaken steps of greed and debauchery. The present Sheriff of Rattlesnake Wells has just rescued the town from a bank robbery. The gang of bank robbers started a diversion in Old Town(part of Rattlesnake Wells) so that the other five gangsters could rob the tills and dynamite the huge safe. But that didn't happen, Deputy Fred counteracted the robbers killing the one who looked about sixteen years old, was holding the horses, whilst the other three were holding the bank owner as a hostage.
This adventure has it of action, peril at every bend in the trail. Escaped prisoners hiding in the Orphan Mountains with only the raggedy prison clothes they escaped with and no food. They're eating horse and no place to go or transportation to get there...Again lots of action, action...western action....
September 9, 2020
I wanted to take the perfect book on our vacation. My husband suggested Rattlesnake Wells, Wyoming by William W. Johnstone. I wasn't sure what I wanted to read and definitely wasn't sure about reading a western book; however, I was open to giving it a try. I'm so glad I did. Once the story unfolded, it immediately reminded me a little of the TV show, Gunsmoke, and the old movies, Rio Bravo and El Dorado minus the drunken Sheriff character. The story was good, simple and easy to follow. The action was well described. I really liked the deputy's character and I loved the lingo. It was the perfect book to take on our "rest" vacation. I don't think I ever read western books like this one. I've read stories from the "Old West" like historical novels, but none that are like the old western movies or TV shows. I will put them on my "to read" list.
July 27, 2025
This is a complicated story. While it takes play in Wyoming, the main character, Sheriff Bob Hatfield, has a past in Texas, that forced him to change his name and move far away to start a new life. Rattlesnake Wells is a booming town because gold is said to be in the hills just outside of town. As such it attracts all kinds of unsavory characters. Among them is a former US Marshal who is longing to get revenge on the man who caused his wife’s death. Add to that a wife who is looking for revenge on the same man that the former Marshal is looking for. Throw in three escaped prisoners from the Laramie prison and you have a captivating story of the old West. The story jumps from one group to another often ending each episode with a cliffhanger. This was a fun book to read.
September 19, 2020
This book holds a special place in my heart and this is the western novel that infected me with the reading bug after years of not picking up a book to read. It has become an enjoyable hobby of mine and I am grateful to this author for reintroducing me to reading for enjoyment.
It's such a fun read and is full of excitement, peril, and western era goodness. I believe it is the first of a trilogy story line that includes Sheriff Bob Hatfield and there are PLENTY more in the line of books by the author to look into. There are so many other westerns to explore from this author and Sheriff Hatfield actually makes an appearance in Luke Jenson, Bounty Hunter: Bad Men Die.
It's such a fun read and is full of excitement, peril, and western era goodness. I believe it is the first of a trilogy story line that includes Sheriff Bob Hatfield and there are PLENTY more in the line of books by the author to look into. There are so many other westerns to explore from this author and Sheriff Hatfield actually makes an appearance in Luke Jenson, Bounty Hunter: Bad Men Die.
January 30, 2018
This is another great book by a great author. I love the historical accuracy and the character building that Johnstone has in his books. this one Bob Hatfield is the Marshal of Rattlesnake Wells, Wyoming. Along with the trouble that comes with a gold town, he also has a past that he doesn't want to be discovered. He captures a notorious outlaw in an attempted bank robbery, then has to try to save him from people that want revenge and the bounty on his head. This book is action-packed and fun from the first chapter.
January 1, 2019
I had a really hard time getting into this book and in fact did not finish it. I found the dialogue really hard to believe. I guess my personal vision of the cowboys in the old west is of a more stoic and less chatty group. I'm sure I'm wrong about that but that's the kind of Western I like so I won't read more from this author.
February 12, 2018
Rattlesnake Wells is putting is mildly
Full of good old western action many plots to keep the reader enthralled. A most enjoyable and interesting read. Caught myself on the edge of my east a time or two. What are you waiting on? Giddy up.
Full of good old western action many plots to keep the reader enthralled. A most enjoyable and interesting read. Caught myself on the edge of my east a time or two. What are you waiting on? Giddy up.
May 30, 2019
As usual W.W. & Jo Johnstone are the absolute BEST at storytelling. Highly recommend ALL theirWilliam W. Johnstone books
November 10, 2019
I thought that this was badly written from the first page. I got 20% through it before I decided that it wasn't worth finishing. I seemed very cliche and hokey with little or no atmosphere. It has plot and action with little else to get in the way.
November 11, 2019
WW Johnstone
The story kept my interest to the very end but I was looking forward to a better ending. I have read several of Mr. Johnston’s novels and really liked most of his books.
The story kept my interest to the very end but I was looking forward to a better ending. I have read several of Mr. Johnston’s novels and really liked most of his books.
February 28, 2018
Good western
This is a western with a good story and lots of action. Very believable and entertaining. You will like it
This is a western with a good story and lots of action. Very believable and entertaining. You will like it
December 4, 2018
Rattlesnake Wells ,Wyoming
This was a good read,and it moved right along without much drag to it. Lots of action and adventure in store for you in this one.
This was a good read,and it moved right along without much drag to it. Lots of action and adventure in store for you in this one.
April 25, 2019
Hard to get into. Disappointing.
January 28, 2021
Good storyline-good read
January 17, 2025
It started out as kind of a Rio Bravo-esque story but fell a little flat at the end.
January 28, 2025
3-1/2 stars. Darn good western!
June 14, 2025
Slow start .. Good finish .
February 2, 2022
Quick and enjoyable. Nothing complex and nothing complex needs for a compelling western
February 14, 2017
Great book as usual. I have never read a bad book by the Johnstone's. I truly enjoy their books. Thank you Jo, for a great read.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews