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. I made the mistake of picking up a Johnstone western my uncle was reading. Ive been hooked ever since. Now I share them with my reading family and will continue as long as new Johnstones are released.

Texarkana, book six from William W Johnstone / JA Johnstone's A Perley Gates Western series. I thought it was good. Four stars.

A fun Western with heart, this book is bound to please those looking for a traditional Western where the good guys always win.

Perley Gates is one of the best antiheroes when it comes to westerns. Texarkana by William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone is the latest adventure, where the task is simple. Just deliver some horses and the job is done? Oh no, there will be rustling, gunfights and a range war. Perley steps in another cow pie. The story is wonderful, the action is great and I laughed my way through this book. I must thank @kensingtonbooks @netgalley #Pinnacle for giving me this advance copy and @williamw.j.a.johnstone for writing it. #NetGalley #Kensington #Texarkana #WilliamWJohnstone #JAJohnstone #Western #WhatIamReading #LibraryOfAbibliofob #eARC #PerleyGates

Once more, the writers and holders of the Johnstone legacy are doing his memory proud. I super enjoyed this! Thank you!

Nothing is ever simple for Perley Gates. On their way to deliver a herd of horses to the Donoven ranch with friends Possum & Sonny, they are interrupted by Dan Short, Tiny Wilson, and Ned Bates, who are returning to join their boss, Duke Thatcher's gang. The latter trio decide to embark on a business venture, liberating Pereley's horses for a good profit. After dealing with the prospecting thieves, Perley and his friends deliver their horses to the Donoven ranch, only to find that their troubles aren't over yet; they've only just begun. The town of Texarkana, with its useless and degenerate town marshal, is under the thumb of Duke Thatcher and his gang, who are interested in going into the ranching business at the Donavan ranch's expense, and it's up to Perley Gates to help the town rid itself of his presence once and for all. Along the way, Perley is forced to use his gun, and soon the whole town is buzzing about his skill and quickness with the weapon. This doesn't sit well with a drifting gunfighter by the name of Kane. He must confront Perley to satisfy his ego and desire to be the best. His reputation wouldn't stand for less. Amidst all these situations, Perley has to survive if he ever wants to make it back home in one piece.

All together, its a very nice continuation to the series. Perley Gates is an original character who is skilled with a gun, yet doesn't want to use it, which tends to anger and infuriate those who want to call him out. He's a sensible character who never has a dull moment.

The novel “Texarkana” by the Johnstone syndicate (William and J.A.) starts out simply enough with Perley Gates, his trusted sidekick Possum Smith, and a young, new ranch hand, Sonny Rice moving a small herd of horses to the Double-D Ranch in Arkansas. With three hands, two of them highly experienced, one might think this would be an easy trip.

Alas the 150-mile journey evolves into so much more. First a gang take one look at these three cowhands and decide that getting these prime horses would be an easy way to make some money…rustling the horses! Nothing easy happens in a negative way when you are dealing with Perley and Possum.

Needless to say, the attempt at this underhanded dealing ends in failure and death for some of the perpetrators. But some people have a hard time learning. The survivor of the rustling attempt makes his way to Texarkana and hooks up with a larger band of no-goods.

One of these criminals is Spade Devlin, a reputed fast on the draw gunslinger. Mr Devlin is so focused on his own speed on the draw has obviously not heard of Perley Gates, who is a no-nonsense guy when it comes to right and wrong. Thus begins a series of adventures that has Perley, Possum, and Sonny joining the forges of good at the Double-D to be arrayed against the outlaws and their compatriots.

These adventures are nicely conceived and leads a reader to keep at it to find out where the story is going next. Definitely a good read and you’ll have to check it out to see how the forges of good do against those of evil. I highly recommend it.