The Wicked Die Twice is a great addition to the Slash and Pecos series by William W. Johnstone. I give it four stars.

This story is about Slash and Pecos who were two of the wiliest robbers this side of the Rio Grande. Now they're a couple of old timers charged with wrangling an unholy trio of killers escaped from prison. Because not every Western hero wears a white hat or a tin star. Most of them are just fighting to survive. This book was okay, not their best work.

There is no such thing as a bad Johnstone western. Each series is built around main characters whose belief in the law and family is absolute, even if they've had to be reformed to get there. From Preacher, the original mountain man to the Jensen family to Perly Gates, to.....well, you get the point. Many times, characters from one series will show up in another as supporting hands. The communities are true to the era, clothing, guns, food and troubles are all what you'd find if you looked them up in the history books. No two stories are the same, each character or set of characters is unique and so are their stories. The writing is skillful, readers are pulled into the story and you will laugh and cry right along with the characters. And now to THE WICKED DIE TWICE.....

Reformed bank robbers Slash Braddock and Pecos Baker are feeling the weight of their years. No longer able to keep up with the younger crowds, they have become deputies/ errand runners for the US Marshal service. Tasked to pick up and transport three prisoners, they find their jobs complicated by the fact their prisoners have escaped jail and are currently doing as much damage as they can to the town of Milestone. Slash and Pecos recapture their charges but not before the town is pretty much destroyed. Transporting these three will take every scrap of luck and courage they can drum up and the readers will ride along on the adventure. Another 5 star read by the Johnstones.

I have read The Wicked Die Twice by William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone. This is not the best work by this western writer but it has it's moments. The story about a couple of ageing ex outlaws doing special tasks for the US marshall service is a different twist. I have to thank #KensingtonBooks #Pinnacle and #Netgalley for giving me this arc for review.

Not many men get a second chance at life, but former bank-robbing duo, Jimmy "Slash" Braddock and Melvin "Pecos" Baker have been, are on the right side of the law this time. As unofficial marshals, they've agreed to pick up three prisoners from a Milestown jail and escort them to Denver. Except this deadly trio of sadistic killers known as Talon, "Hellraisin'" Frank, and a Sioux called Black Pot, have already managed to escape from their holding cells before Slash and Pecos even show up...

The three escaped prisoners have turned Milestown into their own tormenting playground. Drinking, killing, ravaging, and burning it to the ground. Slash and Pecos manage to stop them in time, but getting these 3 terrors to Denver is a challenge of a whole ‘nother story. The bandit’s leader has offered a thousand-dollar bounty to anyone who can kill Slash and Pecos.

This story features some great characters, a good plot, a little twist. Usually plenty of action, some double-crossing, and a lot of smack talking, and a bit o’ flirting in a Johnstone novel. Check ✅ check,✅ check✅, and check✅

4 STARS

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.