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.

Wagon trains and trail rides are two of my favorite subjects to read. Men and women during this time had to have true grit in order to survive. William Johnstone creates characters with determination and toughness. Preacher and Jamie MacCallister are true men of the west. Chasing outlaws is their job. When wagon trains going west are being ambushed and good men are losing their lives, these two volunteer to accompany the next set. Will they be able to keep this train alive? And when Preacher comes face to face with a prior outlaw will he be prepared? I love reading the authors books because he does a lot of research. His books bring to life the old west. I received a copy through Netgalley. A review was not required.

I can’t overstate the excitement I felt when I discovered more books about Preacher, William Johnstone's original Mountain Man and my introduction years ago to that sturdy, stalwart, invincible, never-quit icon of the American Rockies. Johnstone's character, Preacher, possesses at organic knowledge of survival that has nothing to do with money, possessions, or who you know and everything to do with what is inside you. Preacher's honesty and earnestness, his love of nature makes him one to 'ride the river with'.

In this Book 4 of the Preacher and MacCalister series (Pinnacle 2022), a separate series from the many other Preacher Mountain Man series,, Preacher is well-established as the knowledgeable man of the mountains, but he still lives a simples, straight-forward life based on doing what should be done. When wagon trains are being ambushed by outlaws at a particularly difficult pass along the Oregon Trail--Devil's Crossing--Preacher agrees to join a wagon train to stop the bandits who have taken so many lives and dreams. Preacher brings a few of his mountain man friends with him, most notably the impossible-to-defeat Jamie MacAllister. The story has everything you always love about Preacher novels--action, justice, a little flirting, a lot of victories, and at least one surprise Preacher never saw coming. Highly recommended to those who love lots of action and winning in their Westerns.

Another wagon train is attacked, not many survivors. Will Preacher be able to help with stopping the band of killers? The Devil's Crossing is a new book in the Preacher and MacCalllister series by William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone. What can be more classic western story than a wagon train with settlers bound for Oregon. In this book we get a couple of big surprises and rest assured that the good guys are good and the bad guys are bad, but not everyone? I am thankful that @kensingtonbooks @netgalley and #Pinnacle gave me this advance copy and @williamw.j.a.johnstone for writing it. #NetGalley #Kensington #TheDevilsCrossing #WilliamWJohnstone #JAJohnstone #PreacherAndMacCallister

The Devil's Crossing is another great addition to Johnstone's Preacher & MacCallister series. I highly recommend it. Five stars.

If you pick up this book, “The Devil's Crossing” by William W. Johnstone; J.A. Johnstone, be prepared for another of the Preacher stories. This is his nickname but not because he is or ever was a man-of-the-cloth!! In this story, he is often called Arthur, which is his real name.

The story begins with a massacre of a wagon train party on the Oregon trail at a spot called Devil’s Crossing. The only known survivor is the guide, Tom, and he is haunted by what he saw and experienced. A very traumatic event including losing the young woman he is sweet on.

Fast forward back to Independence, MO for another wagon train and the connection of Preacher, a worldly trapper, scout, mountain man, with the wagon master who is looking to hire this legendary man. Long story short, Preacher agrees to take on this adventure to help get this new train safely through the crossing.

Preacher is able to secure some of his friends, including Jamie MacCallister and Lomax, a freight driver, along with Tom the surviving scout to help ensure this train passes safely through the crossing. While this group might normally be sufficient to ensure the safety of train and passengers, they are going to run up against a formidable and organized foe.

It is a great read and a very fast one as the plot starts with the massacre and comes to a head with the new train ready to make the run through the Devil’s Crossing. Preacher and Jamie make for a pair or intrepid adventurers but their best efforts could well not be enough this time.