Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Will Scott

Rate this book
Will thought the job to Robinson, New Mexico was going to be a simple determination of whether it was worthwhile for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad to build a spur to the town. They claimed to have a huge coal deposit, and Will would just have to do a quick evaluation of the viability to extract the coal. Then the simple trip turned into something totally different when he discovers a murder that had been committed by his brother just days before. The same brother who had tried to murder him when he was thirteen and did murder his fiancée when he was twenty-one. The trip to Robinson would cost him dearly.

352 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 12, 2018

988 people are currently reading
43 people want to read

About the author

C.J. Petit

103 books220 followers
Most biographies start with birth and then roll through the years as they drift by but that would bore me to death, and I lived through it.

The interesting part of my life began on September 23rd, 1995 as we were driving back to Omaha after watching the Notre Dame - Texas game in South Bend with relatives. The #21 Irish beat the #13 ranked Longhorns 55-27; and in a real oddity, scored points in just about every way conceivable in the game of football. They scored touchdowns on passes and runs, kicked a field goal, intercepted a pass for a TD, returned a punt for a touchdown and even added two points for blocking a Texas extra point.

As we were driving along westbound I-80 somewhere in Illinois in our Jeep Cherokee, I absent-mindedly rubbed the left side of my neck under my chin.

My very astute wife asked, "What's wrong with your neck?"

Now I had been an Air Force medic for twelve years; and as evident in my descriptions of outlaws' agonizing deaths in my stories, have a good working knowledge of anatomy and physiology. But that knowledge is offset by being a guy and thinking that we all live forever. My neck lymph nodes had been enlarged for around three months when my wife asked that question.

I obfuscated as if I was a lawyer and replied, "Um, a few weeks or so." (Note: Twelve or thirteen weeks does qualify as a 'few' weeks if one chooses to be generous.)

"And what did the doctor say?"

"I'll ask him when we get back."

"Yes, you will."

I do not want to make my wife out to be a harpy or a nag, because she is neither. She's an incredibly patient woman who could only put up with so much stupidity by yours truly.

Three days later, after the doctor copped a quick feel of my lymph nodes, he said, "I don't know what it is, but I don't like it," which was an honest, albeit an imprecise diagnosis.

So, we trotted over to a local ENT specialist. She didn't like them either and took me into surgery a few days later where she yanked one out, so the lab could dice it and slice it, then look at it under a microscope.

The pathologist who looked at the cells through his microscope reported his findings as 'lymphoepithelioma'. That meant that it was a secondary tumor and there was a primary tumor somewhere else in my nasopharynx that was the original problem.

Back I went into the operating room where the ENT doctor did an extensive examination and found nothing. She was so sure of her reconnaissance of the back of my throat that she told me that the pathologist was wrong, and it was just a lymphoma.

Now, being a computer geek, even way back in the dark ages of the internet in '95, I did some searching and found that if the primary tumor wasn't found, then the survival rate plummeted to about a fifth of the already lousy survival rate for the advanced Stage IV cancer. My wife and I decided that a second opinion might be a good idea.

Off we went in her Jeep to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota as the lousy weather descended across the Midwest. It's been known to happen, you know.

They had a problem getting the doctor here to release the specimen she'd yanked out of my neck, which I thought was odd because I don't remember selling it and figured I still owned it. Anyway, they eventually got the lymph node, did their own peek and confirmed the pathologist's diagnosis.

It wasn't until Halloween in 1995 that they finally found the original little bugger. It was just a tiny bump in the back of my throat that must have been there for a long time before it sent its friends marching into my lymph nodes.

They wanted to treat the cancer there, but I opted to have it done in Omaha and was sent to the care of Doctor Patrick J. McKenna (a name you may recognize from Max). Doctor Mac was the perfect man for the job as he was very personable, optimistic, had a good sense of humor and wouldn't put up with my constant whining. It helped that he knew his job, too.

(Read the full bio on Amazon)

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
1,881 (62%)
4 stars
816 (27%)
3 stars
222 (7%)
2 stars
44 (1%)
1 star
23 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
1,398 reviews13 followers
May 6, 2018
I have had the opportunity to read many books by Mr. C. J. Petit, but this story has to be the best one yet. A very heartwarming and entertaining story that kept me glued from beginning to end. There is ongoing activity from the opening paragraph through the very descriptive epilogue.

No, five stars doesn't really give sufficient justice to this masterpiece. I am an avid reader of almost all of Mr. C. J. Box's books and can justly day this novel ranks with his best.

One of the best storylines and character selection I have ever had the opportunity to digest. This nothing slow moving in any episode throughout the entire book. I was glued to each exciting escapade from beginning to.

The era, exciting tales, and the destructiveness of each developing episode grabbed my art immediately. I was practically overwhelmed by the serious nature of the author's ability to maintain my undivided attention throughout the entire novel.

Most definitely recommend this book, as well as all of Mr. Peter's outstanding writing performances, as you too will be deeply gratified by his descriptive adventures. Please! Do yourselves a favor and follow Mr. Petit's wonderful western adventures!
994 reviews10 followers
January 4, 2020
EVIL, LOVE, GUNFIGHTS, RAILROADS

5 STARS for this action packed old west era story that depicts 2 brothers that are different as night & day. The eldest along with his friend try to murder the younger when he was only 13, then while he was just graduating college they molested & murdered his love, his fiance. Of course, they then left town, there wasn't any proof to get them arrested.
Will, now was an agent & engineer for the AT & SF plus was an enforcer who was a lawman for them as well; he was always on the hunt for Jack & Joe. Julia a beautiful young woman who had grown up in a bordello, was looked at by the men of the area as a whore but a rancher married her just to own her, when he was murdered, she was relieved but didn't know what she was to do; & now she was being attacked in her yard, & a stranger was saving her. Will & Julia were both broken people, could they help each other thru that broken part . It is tender and heartwarming, makes you smile some. The action with Will is non stop, he is a go getter, knows his actions are right & keeps coming. Some are thrilling, scary, & just wow. Furthermore, trains get action parts to & they like to show off how they were able to go fast speeds 1st in that day. All in all it is a fulfilling read.
72 reviews
April 30, 2018
#22

22 in and still going! Another great story! I'm surprised every time, you continue to change your characters and love motif. Well done sir.
It was a good choice having a highly educated, athletic main character of action. And linking the story to the railroad was excellent, a very good choice. I liked every facet of the book, probably rate it in the upper 10%.
There's a few typos, a couple/three sentences that needed restructuring but they did not detract. There's one instance at location 3579, "..because Joe couldn't swing his leg around with the spike puller through his bedroll", he struggled to dismount. NOT a real problem to any experienced rider, you just swing the right leg up over the neck and pommel, kick loose of the left stirrup and slide off. It's a popular optional method of dismounting.
Altogether, one of your best efforts, keep them coming.
567 reviews5 followers
April 20, 2018
Will Scott by CJ. PETIT

The story of Will and Julia is absolutely beautiful. CJ. Petit never disappoints me. Every time I find a new book I just have to have it as soon as I find the title, no hesitation, just got to get it and find a quiet corner to lose myself in the Old west. For me, that point in time is a fantasy that I wish I could visit, maybe even live in. He has a way of making every book feel so very real, like I'm there watching the book unfold right in front of me. Books like what he writes delivered a great stories that I never get tired of reading 📚. 👏BRAVO 👏BRAVO 👏👏
1,249 reviews23 followers
April 27, 2018
HAPPINESS ON THE TRAIL💞

Another great western love story by C.J. Petit. This time it's a woman from wrong side of the tracks. Miserable acting men who mistreat women folk without any type of respect. These men treated women as mere vessels as their property just like the livestock they owned.
As always we have the damsel in distress saved from by a our hero soon to be husband, even though they don't know it yet....LOVELY LOVELY
endings, the families on both sides love the damsel in distress who eventually becomes a HAPPY HAPPY wife and mother...💒💒💟
3,198 reviews26 followers
April 18, 2018
A Railroad Western/Topeka, KS/Denver,CO,/Rincon,New Mexico @ Other Points West

CUP has penned the cliff and times of a young engineer who worked for a RR company. He becomes a trouble shooter for the railroad after his brother almost killed him, his girl other associated ladies. The story line has the young man moving frequently about the country side. This is an excellent read for the genre. Another point..... C JP' s books keep getting better and better.....ER
304 reviews3 followers
April 5, 2021
Another C J Petit clean masterpiece

Will Scott was with the AT&SF Railroad checking out a possible new RR spur for a coal deposit in So N Mexico. Julia was a new bride escaping a difficult childhood, but her husband was mean and then killed by Will's delinquent on-the-run brother Jack. As a man was attempting to rape Julia she was rescued by Will and then the problems multiplied. A great read.
Profile Image for Masina Lane.
258 reviews6 followers
April 23, 2018
Brothers

Two brothers grow up to be as different as night and day. One is hard working and smart but the other one is lazy, sly criminal. This is a page turner that will keep readers guessing from the first page. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and highly recommend it to all readers who enjoy a Western full of action and suspense.
164 reviews
February 10, 2019
Still too Many Errors

Mr. Petit continues to come up with significantly different themes such that I continue to read his stories BUT, as with most self-published authors, the mistakes, errors, whatever, abound. There is, very apparently, very little or no proofreading or editing which detracts from the enjoyment provided by the storylines and characters
Profile Image for JANE.
352 reviews2 followers
June 9, 2020
Will Scott

Well you are telling your tales around where I was raised. Lived. Hutchinson is. Deming NM. I had read this book before. But you can read a book the second time and get into the book and find things you missed the first time. Enjoyed this and all of your books. We lived in Deming NM in 75. I 10. Thanks again for all of these wonderful books.JD
96 reviews3 followers
July 17, 2022
True western adventure

I enjoy Petit's stories and I truly admire the smooth build up to the conclusion. This story is based on enough historic truth that anyone can identify with the characters. Really felt a bond with the hero, Will, almost from the beginning. I'm confident I'll read this one again.
Profile Image for Robyn Baker.
46 reviews
August 23, 2022
I started reading Petit’s work sort of Willy Nilly all over the place. The books were so incredibly good and well written. The characters and story lines were always original. How does he imagine all these stories🤯? I’m just amazed . I’ve started reading his works from the beginning, going by the lists at the back of the books. So, so good,
51 reviews
July 4, 2024
Another wonderful C. J. Petit Novel

The thing I the most fascinating thing about all of Mr. Petit's novels is that other than the two series all of them have completely different scenarios. The hero has different occupations and does a lot of different things in order to meet his True Love.
2 reviews
May 3, 2018
Everyone should read this book

I thing C.J.Petit Came up with A good book it was pageturner to to see will an his sister was so much different from Jack bean raced by the same parent.that goes to show you parent have nothing to do with how the child turn out
Profile Image for Ken Noftz.
14 reviews
July 9, 2018
Great book

Excellent characters that were very engaging. The. Brother is definitely an evil person with no conscious at all. Very sad it went on so long before it could be stopped.
133 reviews2 followers
September 9, 2018
Will Scott

A very good read and another interesting story by author, C. J. Petit! I love this man's books! He writes about real life situations, feisty characters, and honorable men!
131 reviews
May 20, 2019
Still one of my favorite authors

Love the stories, but the proof readers or the editor are still not doing their job, too many distracting errors, typos etc. The author is too talented to have such poor help.
178 reviews3 followers
December 9, 2019
Very enjoyable western story that you will enjoy.

Following Will from his childhood through meeting his wife was just part of his adventures. Following his evil brother and his equally evil friend was just not able to put down the book down type of situation.
543 reviews2 followers
December 28, 2019
Great

Great story by a great author. Yes , there are some errors , but not enough to detract from the book.
CJ Petit is a fantastic author and hope he continues writing for a long time .
Profile Image for Anthony R Woods.
691 reviews3 followers
April 27, 2020
Great Story

Will was a railroad man and an engineer who travel for the railroad. Will bad a Bad brother who was mean and was a killer. Will met Julia one of his brother victims. The adventures and love stared .
12 reviews
August 24, 2020
Read it again! Just as good.

I've read this book before and it was good ,But it was better this time!! I had forgotten some parts and they were better than I remembered. So I hope you will enjoy this as much as I both times I've read it ,I'm so sure you will ! Mary
117 reviews
November 2, 2020
Johnboy

A good western . I do like a good western from time to time. This writer is very intuitive to read, and there are some interesting characters in there. If you are into western novels this is a good one for you.
241 reviews4 followers
April 26, 2021
Good historical western

Another saga where justice prevails over evil, and where the good guy wins in the end. Love the way CJ Petit weaves his tales and gives you a completed story, without leaving you hanging.
3,596 reviews16 followers
August 24, 2021
Loved this one too!

A great storyline which gives you a incredibly good book, but also a bit of a history lesson! This one was hard to think of a brother doing such evil things to his own kin, but wow, what a story it made! Great writing!
149 reviews1 follower
October 14, 2021
Another good read. Mr. Petit does an excellent job in developing the characters in all his books and this one is no exception. Always an enjoyable activity to get one of his books and sit down with it.
859 reviews2 followers
April 16, 2018
Will Scott

Enjoyed every chapter of the book.. The gunfights are enough to keep you entertained. Likeable characters and loved the story.
135 reviews2 followers
April 23, 2018
Very good

I just don't understand how the author can produce books so frequently and they vCard still have this quality n
Profile Image for MALCOLM E NORRIS.
13 reviews
April 29, 2018
Excellent Western

The action started early and in Petit fashion it never stopped. Lots of suspense and some romance till the last page.
396 reviews1 follower
May 4, 2018
Cain and Abel

Jack and Will are brothers, but Jack tries to murder Will. This starts a long storied tale that reaches a n exciting conclusion.
283 reviews3 followers
May 5, 2018
Will Scott

I don't know how Petit can keeps coming up with ideas.I don't know how many books he has written, I have read 27 of them and they are all good, some better than others.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.