This book transported me right to the old west and how harsh the environment was for men and women owning a ranch and driving their cattle to market and all of the problems they encounter. I can only imagine living in the west during this time period. Both men and women had to be tough as nails. I love Smoke Jensen and his wife Sally, what a great team. I hope we haven't seen the last of them.

I read every Johnstone western I can find. The Johnstone series revolve a core of seriously good, honest men who just want to live a peaceful life and raise their families. But fate seldom gives them a pass. Smoke Jensen is the original mountain man. He travels the roads and trails to make a living but has developed a reputation as a lawman's gun man. This book has two stories that find Smoke pitted against some desperately bad men. Good reads from some seriosly good writers.

Smoke has just suffered the worst winter in Sugarloaf‘s history. When he goes to the bank to speak to Mr. Wallace about postponing his note, Mr. Wallace offers him a job. It seems the papers has put their $20,000 deposit that is on its way to red rock in the paper and Mr. Wallace knows every highway men in Colorado and beyond will be rooting for that money so he hires Smoke Jensen to guarded. This is how Smoke becomes acquainted with the outlaw and the state prisoner O2. Of course the good guy government stops him from robbing the stage but he just makes another plan to rob the bank. Unfortunately after O’Toole and his five government rob the bank they run across smoke making his way to Denver to see about leasing his land so he can save him and Sally’s home. everyone in Antioch saw the two Nolan Brothers in their bright striped red shirts and so when the gang runs across smoke they knock them out and take his blue shirt and traded for one of the red ones when the posse comes across smoke of course they think he’s one of the bank robbers who not only rob the bank but kill the bank manager. and of course True to small town law officials they don’t believe what’s motels them and unfortunately for smoke the telegraph so down and they can’t get a message out to red rock in the Marshall thinks he still a bonded man. When he was found guilty it all looks like it’s over for a smoke

would like to thank netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this exciting 2 books in one from the fabulous series smoke jensen

these are two stories of smoke jensen and his wife sally back before they had children when times were tough for them

brilliant series and it was lovely to read these two books that are based around the start of their times together on the ranch

when cowboys were cowboys and the baddies were really bad oh and a run in with some indians..it all adds to the flavour of a good cowboy story

Johnstone's Bad Days for Bad Men: Smoke Jensen's American Justice was great. It is getting five stars from me.

This Johnstone family book, "Bad Days for Bad Men," has two Smoke Jensen stories. Both are good. The first is called "Betrayal of the Mountain Man" and the story line is that some bank robbers run up on Storm on his way to Denver to lease his ranch in order to pay the note he took out not realizing that a terrible winter would kill most of his stock.

The conniving robbers hit him on the head and switch shirts with him. The tracking posse finds Smoke and thinking him one of the robbers, arrest him, try him, and sentence him to hang since the bank president was killed in the robbery. As you might guess, neither Smoke nor his wife Sally and his two faithful hands are about to take this lying down. As to what happens in the adventures that follow--you'll just have to read this book, which you will find enjoyable.

Book number two in this compilation is called "Rampage of the Mountain Man" and its story line is still focusing on bad weather. In this case, Sally Jensen talks Smoke into driving 3, 000 head of stock northward to Wyoming to sell to the Indian Agent to feed the reservation Cheyenne.

The journey is over 500 miles in late autumn but the payoff is great and they will not have to worry about their ranch in the coming winter. With only four of the Jensen hands, including Smoke and Sally, available, it will be necessary to hire some hands for this perilous journey. During the trip they will be beset by Indians, robbers, stampede, and a host of other issues that make this a difficult trip. Not all of the hands will make it.

The perils of the journey are not over once they reach their destination in Wyoming as unscrupulous characters seem determined to kill Smoke and take the herd for themselves. As you might expect the Jensens (Smoke/Sally) and their two main hands, Pearlie and Cal are not going to allow this to happen.

This pair of stories go well together and although can be stand alone, they are better together and one story builds on another. In each instance, there are nefarious men determined to do wrong for their own benefit and who don't care who gets hurt in the process.

A great read that I heartily recommend for anyone interested in reading high adventure Western stories..