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U.S. Marshal Shorty Thompson #12
When Preaching Is Hell: A Western Adventure Novel
When R.B. Handlin’s father passed away, R.B. was twenty-three years old and in his third year of the finest seminary in Boston. Notifying his older brother of their father’s death would be nigh on to impossible, as Alexander was out west in Arizona Territory and had not been heard from in years.
R.B. went on with his life, alone. Months later, a letter arrived from Arizona, telling him to come west. Murder was the cause of the death of his brother, Alexander Handlin. It happened in Prescott, Arizona Territory.
R.B. is now a rancher with a huge amount of money in the bank and more at the Wells Fargo Office. The small church, which also served as the schoolhouse, burned to the ground. A rich banker and rancher’s men did it; he is after R.B.’s land and water. R.B. hired men and rebuilt the church, but a short time later, two deputies, who were guarding him, lay shot to death in his barn. The only two witnesses told the jury R.B. had gunned them down for no cause. Yes, shot them both in the back.
Most men would hang for such a crime, but the banker put the squeeze on the judge’s hand while it was full of cash and had R.B. sentenced to life in prison instead. If dead, another relative might show up and claim the ranch, as R.B. had done at the death of his brother. With R.B. in prison, the land was abandoned, so banker Hampton took it over. Water was not what Hampton was after, as everyone was thinking. It was all that gold Alex Handlin had found before being cowardly shot in the back.
With the help of two U.S. marshals, R.B. is now out of prison, looking to put the revenge of God on the men responsible for the death of his brother and wrongfully sent him to prison.
With the help of U.S. Marshal Shorty Thompson, aging gunfighter William (Bill) Hartley, and the pretty, young schoolteacher, Miss Kitty Sasser, preaching will be hellfire and brimstone in the small town of Prescott, Arizona Territory, in the year of 1884.
R.B. went on with his life, alone. Months later, a letter arrived from Arizona, telling him to come west. Murder was the cause of the death of his brother, Alexander Handlin. It happened in Prescott, Arizona Territory.
R.B. is now a rancher with a huge amount of money in the bank and more at the Wells Fargo Office. The small church, which also served as the schoolhouse, burned to the ground. A rich banker and rancher’s men did it; he is after R.B.’s land and water. R.B. hired men and rebuilt the church, but a short time later, two deputies, who were guarding him, lay shot to death in his barn. The only two witnesses told the jury R.B. had gunned them down for no cause. Yes, shot them both in the back.
Most men would hang for such a crime, but the banker put the squeeze on the judge’s hand while it was full of cash and had R.B. sentenced to life in prison instead. If dead, another relative might show up and claim the ranch, as R.B. had done at the death of his brother. With R.B. in prison, the land was abandoned, so banker Hampton took it over. Water was not what Hampton was after, as everyone was thinking. It was all that gold Alex Handlin had found before being cowardly shot in the back.
With the help of two U.S. marshals, R.B. is now out of prison, looking to put the revenge of God on the men responsible for the death of his brother and wrongfully sent him to prison.
With the help of U.S. Marshal Shorty Thompson, aging gunfighter William (Bill) Hartley, and the pretty, young schoolteacher, Miss Kitty Sasser, preaching will be hellfire and brimstone in the small town of Prescott, Arizona Territory, in the year of 1884.
267 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 15, 2006
About the author
Paul L. Thompson
581 books33 followersPaul L. Thompson is an American author of Western novels. He was born and raised on a ranch in New Mexico. His work is deeply rooted in his personal experience as a cowboy, often featuring real geographical locations and historical details from the American Southwest between 1870 and 1912.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 4, 2022
U. S. Marshall Shorty Thompson
Another great read about Shorty. I really enjoy reading these books. They are hard to lay down as you want to see what happens next. Thank you Paul L. Thompson for a great read.
Another great read about Shorty. I really enjoy reading these books. They are hard to lay down as you want to see what happens next. Thank you Paul L. Thompson for a great read.
December 5, 2022
The bank job!!
It was an OK story. For being a Shorty Thompson Western, the book didn't have enough to do with or be about Shorty. I've read better Shorty books and I'm sure there will be many more. Now on to the next book of the series.
It was an OK story. For being a Shorty Thompson Western, the book didn't have enough to do with or be about Shorty. I've read better Shorty books and I'm sure there will be many more. Now on to the next book of the series.
January 12, 2024
What a fantastic story
I'm really impressed that this author is able to write such thrilling stories and keep the reader glued to the story till the end. Looking forward to the next story!!
I'm really impressed that this author is able to write such thrilling stories and keep the reader glued to the story till the end. Looking forward to the next story!!
July 14, 2023
Believe in the Lord
Mr Thompson, this book was very good only proving that the Lord's protects the good. Thank you for your good works.
Mr Thompson, this book was very good only proving that the Lord's protects the good. Thank you for your good works.
November 5, 2024
Brilliant storyline!
What a great story this was! I loved the twists and turns that lead to a very good ending! Lot's of intriguing things happen in this book!
What a great story this was! I loved the twists and turns that lead to a very good ending! Lot's of intriguing things happen in this book!
June 28, 2017
HELL IS WHERE YOU MAKE IT
A good read, loaded with the routine back shooters, ranch grabbers. You know the usual take what isn't theirs and murder the owners entire family. The law is shorthanded or they are in the back pockets of these tyrants. A brother is shoot in back by a dirty banker who is also a twin. The twin HL is the true owner of the bank. His twin brother Robert, was written out of the family will due his gambling and other lowdown antics took over his brother's bank and other assets pretending to be HL. This adventure has you read so far has a lot of action and retribution.
EVERYONE have a seat and enjoy the action, twists and turns that occur in Prescott, Arizona as Shorty Thompson, U. S. Marshal and Sheriff Martin fight another bullying land grabbing network of Bad Boys.
A good read, loaded with the routine back shooters, ranch grabbers. You know the usual take what isn't theirs and murder the owners entire family. The law is shorthanded or they are in the back pockets of these tyrants. A brother is shoot in back by a dirty banker who is also a twin. The twin HL is the true owner of the bank. His twin brother Robert, was written out of the family will due his gambling and other lowdown antics took over his brother's bank and other assets pretending to be HL. This adventure has you read so far has a lot of action and retribution.
EVERYONE have a seat and enjoy the action, twists and turns that occur in Prescott, Arizona as Shorty Thompson, U. S. Marshal and Sheriff Martin fight another bullying land grabbing network of Bad Boys.
October 13, 2017
It continues to amaze me just how well Mr. Paul Thompson can consistently write so many fascinating stories of our old west, never duplicating any of his stories. Excellent Author: Excellent series of novels.
Very well deserving of the five stars and probably deserves more. I have almost become possessed with the U. S. Marshal Shorty Thompson series, and as I have stated previously; these stories are completely competitively with Mr. C. J. Box and the Joe Pickett series. This storyline, to me, was completely different than any of the other books, and the characters, other than Marshal Thompson, could not have been cast any differently. I reached the point where I could not put the book down until I had completed the final paragraph. Recommend this book? You bet your life I do. Do not read it and the loss will be yours.
Very well deserving of the five stars and probably deserves more. I have almost become possessed with the U. S. Marshal Shorty Thompson series, and as I have stated previously; these stories are completely competitively with Mr. C. J. Box and the Joe Pickett series. This storyline, to me, was completely different than any of the other books, and the characters, other than Marshal Thompson, could not have been cast any differently. I reached the point where I could not put the book down until I had completed the final paragraph. Recommend this book? You bet your life I do. Do not read it and the loss will be yours.
June 16, 2017
Identical twins are hard to tell apart
When a nice banker turns into a greedy sumbitch do you even wonder why? When land owners start turning up dead to you wonder who killed them? Do you just blame it on the indians.
Will Prescott be over run by evil or will good prevail?
Paul L. Thompson writes about actual places with an interesting twist. Sometimes funny, sometimes deadly serious makes for great Western reading.
When a nice banker turns into a greedy sumbitch do you even wonder why? When land owners start turning up dead to you wonder who killed them? Do you just blame it on the indians.
Will Prescott be over run by evil or will good prevail?
Paul L. Thompson writes about actual places with an interesting twist. Sometimes funny, sometimes deadly serious makes for great Western reading.
June 15, 2017
U. S. Marshall Shorty Thompson
What a great read. I really enjoy reading these books on U. S. Marshall Shorty Thompson. It is so hard to put these books down. You just keep turning the page to see what is happening next. Lots of action in theses books. Thank you for a great read.
What a great read. I really enjoy reading these books on U. S. Marshall Shorty Thompson. It is so hard to put these books down. You just keep turning the page to see what is happening next. Lots of action in theses books. Thank you for a great read.
July 16, 2019
Phew it's a long read.
I didn't think this story would ever end. It was good. But very very long. It's about gold and greed.
I didn't think this story would ever end. It was good. But very very long. It's about gold and greed.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews