Caught In The Crossfire

Nathan Todd #1

by Chris Smith

A brand new Western adventure from Chris Smith! This is “Blood on the Range.” Action, adventure and drama from one of the most exciting new authors of the genre! Blood on the Range is the story of Nathan Todd, a tough, hard-working cowpuncher whose loyalty, quick temper and sense of fair play often get him into situations that test his mettle and his ability to survive. He's always been content on his own, but that all changes when he meets Bridget O'Connell. Nate is fast with a gun but tongue-tied when it comes to women. Set in the town of Santa Fuelo, the story combines action and romance as it follows Nate's struggle to make a living and raise his standing in the community so he can court the woman who has finally won his heart. The task at hand is hard enough, but the presence of murderous bandits in the area makes it that much harder. Overnight, Nate is thrown headfirst into a range war against the cruel and cunning Tunnleys from the Striking S, and their deadly hired gunmen. With bandits on one side and the Striking S on the other, he'll have to use every skill at his disposal and rely on new allies if he's to survive and secure a future with Bridget. Grab your copy today!

253 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 25, 2020

Reviews

[Tom Randall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a brilliant book. It made me think of Louis L'Amour in style. A classic western with romance, action and some brilliant characters.

[James Booth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This felt like reading one of the stories about Tell Sackett, by Louis L'Amour.

Nate Todd is a likeable character. He's fast with his fists and with his guns, but he's got a soft spot for his friends and he's always ready to help them out or put himself in harm's way to protect them. I really enjoyed Bridget O'Connell. She was feminine, but a real firecracker. Not going to give away any spoilers, but she's the kind of woman who won the West.

This is a great read for western fans, Romance fans, and anybody who loves a good plot and some action that keeps you hooked until the last page. I also enjoyed the humor. I could picture Old Man O'Connell chasing Nate down the road. Haha!

[Charles Castell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nate and Martin becomes friends and proves themselves worthy in their pursuit of the bad guys!

Certainly five stars worthy, as this compelling western folklore extravaganza will appease your innermost expectations, as there is one exciting adventure after the other! An over zealous land baron tries to take possession of his neighbor's ranchland! One suspenseful episode after the other, as the rubber meets the road several times over in this compelling series of unending gunfighting excursions!
Some o of the most intriguing storylines I have had the opportunity to follow, as the good guys pulls no punches in their quest to protect themselves, and their friend's ranch, from an exceptionally talented outlaw rancher! The Author's superbly descriptive character selections goes above and beyond in their respective assignments from beginning to!
Definitely recommend this heartwarming series of outstandingly realistic episodes of unending excitement! Plenty of suspenseful moments that successfully maintains your undivided attention immediately and never falters from beginning to end!!!😃

[Stephen Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

A classic western in the best tradition of the genre. An exceptional read from start to finish. The pace doesn't let up as the characters grow and become real people to the reader.

This is a book Louis L'Amour would have been proud of.

[William J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good initial effort, here. Wasn't sure about the treatment of the female protagonist, though. Western men usually placed women on a pedestal. She was manhandled in a few instances that seemed unusually cruel behavior. That's a small complaint to an overall entertaining story.

[Rebekah Griffiths · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellently written book. A classic American Western which takes you back to the days of sand, sage hens, sawdust and scallywags! You can almost taste the cheap whisky and smell the gun smoke!

Highly recommended!

[LUAYNE · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

Nathan Todd is a young man full of dreams and a quick draw. He has worn many hats while roaming the west. He finally meets a woman worth courting but a rival interferes. Many gun battles, cattle stealing, and friends dying, happens before his dreams come true.

[Don Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nate Todd is a Sudden type of character. Rough, tough, capable, but with a heart of gold under that prickly exterior.

This book is a lot longer than Chris Smith's Steve Savage and Jim Taylor novels, but I enjoyed the length as it gave him more time to develop the characters. The writing is a bit less composed than his later works, but the plot and flow of the story are excellent.

One criticism is that there was a bit too much detail in parts, but it seems like that was an editing requirement as he doesn't have that in his SS and JT novels.

On the plus side, Nate Todd reminded me a lot of Jack Reacher. He goes into a situation and uses his size and fighting prowess to clean house. There was a nice contrast to the businessman, Martin Campbell, a former cavalry officer. The two of them are opposites in terms of where they are in their lives, as well as their personalities, but they worked (and read) well as a team.

I had a great time reading this book and I recommend it to everyone who loves a good, long western with plenty of action and colorful characters. I saw one review on Amazon where the reviewer said that the book reminded him of the westerns of the 60's and that's the feeling I got. A good old dose of nostalgia.

I'm looking forward to the second Nate Todd adventure.