This just was not for me. I just did not care for the character or their development wich affected the story.

Anytime you get the chance to read a Johnstone Western, you should take it. These series are all interwoven, families across the country, but still families. This is another chapter in the Jensen family saga. Each book can be read as a stand alone, but they are so much richer for the details woven throughout the series that you really should pick up more than one. Yes, the good guys win, but the journey from wedding party to the final showdown is an exciting ride full of detailed western history and a little bit of tall tale. I have never, repeat never, read a Johnstone book that I did not love.

I enjoyed Too Soon to Die. This second installment from The Jensen Brand series is full of adventure and action. I give it four and a half stars.

Too Soon to Die by William and JA Johnstone is a rather typical western novel that follows the traditional scheme. There are good guys and bad guys and they get involved in a struggle for supremacy. There are ups and downs with a sickly son of the family and a headstrong daughter. The main character is the force of will of Storm, the patriarch and ranch owner, who has appeared in other novels in this series. Celebrations, family, wedding festivities, loyalty, shootouts, death, kidnapping, and numerous other things happen in this action packed story. If a reader likes the typical western novel, then this is a book to read. Its not like the story has unexpected twists and turns but with all that this is a good story and an interesting read.

Where there is a Jensen there's usually Smoke. This western is set in the beginning of 1900s. Bu it's still a good traditional western. Some good guys and some bad guys. I love series where you follow families through time and this is one of those. Not the best and not the worst I have read but enjoyable.

William Johnstone's next in the Jensen Universe, Too Soon to Die, (Pinnacle Books 2019) is Johnstone at his best. This book deals with Smoke Jensen as a mature gunslinger, a rancher and family man:

"Youngsters organized games or just chased each other around, squealing happily, while the grown-ups sat at the tables or stood in the shade under the trees as they caught up with their friends on everything that had happened since the last time they had seen each other. Births, deaths, other marriages, good roundups and bad, all were topics of great interest."

"...ranch hands under Cal’s direction began hanging lanterns from tree limbs and along the awning over the porch that ran around three sides of the main house. Fiddle players rosined up their bows, and guitar pickers tuned and tightened strings."

Smoke has left his dangerous days of fighting outlaws behind and now, his son is getting married--just like so many other parents in the world. He wants to give him a wonderful wedding and take care of his new wife's son for a few weeks while the newly weds go on a honeymoon. Is that too much to ask?

Maybe. Complications start innocently enough when his daughter is rescued on a runaway horse by a silver-tongued cowboy who's passing through. Smoke offers him a job which seems to work out. His daughter even reluctantly is attracted to him. Then they run into cattle rustlers, horse thieves, kidnappers, and a bunch of outlaws who just want Smoke and everyone close to him dead.

This is Johnstone at the top of his game. An excellent read for both Jensen fans and lovers of the Western genre.

--to be reviewed on my blog Nov. 2, 2019

I really had a great time reading this book, the Johnstones are wonderful western storytellers. The plot is what I was looking for in a western.