Burning Daylight

Luke Jensen: Bounty Hunter #7

by William W. Johnstone, J.A. Johnstone

Johnstone Country. Where Legends Fight or Die.Bounty hunter Luke Jensen has always relied on his guns, his brains, and his guts to bring in the deadliest outlaws in the West. But when a family needs his help, he’ll have to use something his heart . . . BLOOD IS THICKER THAN SLAUGHTER Luke Jensen has seen some sorry looking bounties in his time, but this one takes the cake. A wanted poster is offering a reward of one dollar and forty-two cents—plus one busted harmonica—to capture Three-Fingered Jack McKinney. Turns out, McKinney’s twelve-year-old son Aaron wants revenge on his daddy for abandoning him and his mom. The reward is all the money Aaron can scrape together. Luke can’t say no to the poor boy—or his beautiful mother—so he agrees to go after McKinney and his bank-robbing gang.  Good deeds, however, are like good intentions—the road to hell is paved with them. And when Aaron McKinney decides to tag along, it puts Luke in the middle of a father-and-son reunion that’s life-or-death, blood-for-blood, and kill-or-be-killed. . . . Live Free. Read Hard.

Genres: Westerns

292 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 25, 2019

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

[Diamond Cowboy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy this ceries. In this volume, the main charicter is Luke Jenson, a bounty hunter. He tracks down murderers and robers and isn't very particular if he takes them in dead or alive.
I highly recommend this book.

[Abibliofob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally up to date on this series. I'm trying to catch up on series that I have fallen behind on. It turns out that it's not easy. Burning Daylight is another great western from William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone. It's about Bounty Hunter Luke Jensen. He is not my favorite character but this book was entertaining.

[Jacqui · Rating 5 out of 5]

In William W. Johnstone's Burning Daylight (Pinnacle 2019),  Book 7 in the Luke Jensen Bounty Hunter series, Luke Jensen is not your usual bounty hunter. He comes from a loving family, the members of which make up the Jensen Universe of fiction written by Johnstone. It includes three famous mountain men--Matt Jensen, Smoke Jensen, and Preacher (my favorite of all)--and two reckless twin nephews (from the series, Those Jensen  Boys!).

Becoming a bounty hunter wasn’t how Luke saw his life unfolding but he’s satisfied with it. In this episode, he ends up in a small Western town to turn in several dead outlaws for the bounty and comes across a homemade poster offering $1.47 and a almost new harmonica as bounty  for anyone who  will bring in Three-fingered Jack McKinney. When Luke investigates, he finds it's offered by a young boy and applies to his father who deserted the family some time ago, followed now by the seventeen-year-old son. The remaining mother and preteen boy are destitute and desperate. Luke is persuaded to take up the hunt with the promise that he will bring the older son back home but the father can be dead or alive or not there at all.

This like most Johnstone Westerns is excellent. I know when I’m reading a Johnstone Western because like good Arbuckles coffee, I just can't stop.

"Saw-toothed ridges jutted up and formed sheer canyon walls on either side of the winding trail. It was dangerous country,"

"People used to say you could load a Henry on Sunday and shoot it all week."

"...looked at him like a wolf casually regarding a lamb that he would get around to slaughtering later."

The settings are so richly drawn, the characters so intimate, it's like chatting with friends. If Johnstone keeps writing, I'll keep reading.

[Laur · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great, classical western! Luke Jensen is a successful bounty hunter - he’s also the brother of the famous, legendary, Smoke Jensen A Bounty Hunter’s presence isn’t always welcome. Not even with lawmen, and most especially with criminals and their partners.

Sheriff: “I don’t like bounty hunters”.
Luke: “Bounty hunters serve a useful purpose”.
Sheriff: “So do buzzards – don’t mean I have to cozy up to ‘em.”

Luke is a likable and fair character, but in his line on business, it’s fight or die, kill or be killed. He’s on his way to a place called the “Black Castle”, an extremely dangerous hideout for outlaws in search of a particular outlaw, 3 finger McKinney. But the odds and numbers are stacked against him, coming out live with 2 men, and even more against him as he faces savage attacks from Indians.

I’ve been a Johnstone (and company) fan ever since I started reading classical westerns. Love the style of writing - usually peppered with strong characters you love to love and like to hate, enough with sincerity, grit, humor and wit in the stories. A great way to explore and fantasize about the old west.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bounty hunter Luke Jensen is smart, strong and compassionate despite his occasional bout of grumpiness. Red headed, stubborn Aaron is twelve years old going on forty and the best part of the story for me. The story takes us to the Arizonan badlands and some of the nastiest outlaws in the west. This book is filled with action and adventure and a good old time. This book is part of a series but can be read standalone.

[papasteve · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the better Luke Jensen stories. There’s always more to a person’s story than meets the eye, and thanks to Luke’s “curiosity”, he helped a family find out what that more was.

[Barbara Lee Wood]

A PUFF OF DUST IN THE WIND

!Luke Jensen bounty hunter on the the 👣trail hunting "Three Fingers McKinley" and his gang wanted for robberies. He abandoned his wife and sons for the life of an OUTLAW.
That's how life was in the West. The son Thad it a bounty on his father for "one dollar and forty -two cents for any information concerning his father whereabouts. Pretty cheap...right? That's what anger can lead to, no one likes to be rejected!
This interesting adventure, has a lot of humanity going around and examples of how boys react when their father deserted the family without any means of support or stability. Very sad, but you'd be surprised at the stamina people exhibit when life hands them the sticky of the stick. Sometimes all you see is the dust in the wind as they hit the trail of no return..ouch

[Yalonda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Luke Jensen stories are solid Westerns. As I started this one, I noted that it seems every Luke Jensen book starts with a gun fight. I enjoy these moments as it lets new readers know immediately who Luke Jensen is. I have always been intrigued by the cowboy life so these are my new favorite series. I return to Luke time and again for assurance that there is nothing in life I can't handle. This book was a bit different from the others because I wasn't sure if he truly wanted to earn the bounty. I kept wondering what he was going to discover when he found McKinney and would that change his desire for the bounty. At first I felt the Apaches were extraneous but I spent the entire book tensely waiting for them to pop up again. It certainly added a bit of thrill! Again, there are good men that aren't necessarily nice men but Luke clearly shows that we can all be decent men.

[Denice Langley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not my first Johnstone western. I fell in love with Johnstone books and the Jensen family series several years ago and have followed them faithfully as the elders taught their children, who then taught their children, morals, manners and a huge sense of what is right and wrong. So it was no surprise with our Jensen accepts a bounty of $1.42 to find a young boy's wayward father. With shades of True Grit, the boy accompanies our hero. The journey will take them through some rough country where they meet up with some rough people. If you love westerns but have not read any of the many Johnstone titles, give yourself a treat and read this one. You'll be hooked for life!

[Patricia Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Luke Jensen is a drifter--after all he is a bounty hunter and thus must follow where the trail leads--but this time ends up following a wanted poster offering little cash reward and a bonus of a harmonica. The reward is offered by a child, looking for his father and follows Jensen on the quest. Surprisingly the youngster is quite adept at holding his own with a gun and assists in helping the good guys stay alive. Not the usual for a Jensen book, but a fun read anyway.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent characters, fast action, as hard cases track Arizona- robbing and killing

A missing father turns outlaw chief and the Bounty Hunter wants to know why. With the help of the youngest of two sons he enters the lair of a famous outlaw, spoils a raid on a gold cache, and finally brings the gang to frontier justice. Fascinating tale with plenty of twists and turns. Well worth the time.

[Nolan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thought the author(s) made Luke Jensen an idiot when it came to fighting some guy with fists when he could have just drawn his gun and killed him that way. Knew the guy would try to kill him again. Have seen this in too many Johnstone writer's stories and it's downright stupid. Was a hideaway that was a castle, seemed that has been done in another Johnstone book. But overall, I still enjoyed the story.

[David Burnworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Luke takes a bounty for 1.42 and a used harmonica. He learns the bounty was posted by the son of Three-Fingered Jack McKinney, and the reasoning behind it was, the lad wants his father to pay for running out on the family. A son learns a valuable lesson and grows up fast, all because he followed Luke on the trail to find his father. Apaches and the gang, who turns on its leader makes this a very entertaining story.

[Barry Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

great

This was one of many great reads from the Author. I have read several of his books and this one is close to the best if not possibly the best which I will be able determine as I continue to read his novels. I have really enjoyed the books he has written. They have action and moral realities.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this might be my favorite Johnstone story to date.

It did not really fit the typical recipe format.

Luke agrees to hunt down an outlaw for the outlaws son. The 12 year old son decides to follow Luke into danger.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Burning Daylight, book seven from the Luke Jensen: Bounty Hunter series, was a great read. I give it five stars.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

You always know what to expect when going into a Western. But they are still fun reads, anyway. This one was no different.
Pick up any William Johnstone book and you're assured of a good time.

[larry brashear · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Fine Story!

The Maestro of Western Literature has did it again! I really was unable to put down this book until I came to the end.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

love luke jensen

[Kenneth Pell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good book by William J Johnston.

[Ted Cartier · Rating 4 out of 5]

another good book in this series

[Bruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Luke Jensen, bounty hunter.

A good read with plenty of action. Luke, a bounty hunter with a quick gun and knife has a high moral code.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audible Audiobooks

[Derrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed. Had some new material that was a bit out of the ordinary. I do enjoy the fact that these novels have minimal mature content if any. Great stuff.

[Kenton Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good. Kept you on your toes

[Richard Guerrero · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, fun, and very silly.

[Ian · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book jumped the shark with an English Knight in the wilderness of North America. I think AI could have plotted this story better.