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.

In William Johnstone's Book 2 of the Texas Lightning Western series, Everybody Has a Gun (Pinnacle 2025), it picks up where Texas Lightning's Book 1 (Hanging Party) left us. The story's hero, Jon Gage, is trying pretty hopelessly to leave his past as "Texas Lightning Fastest Gun in the Territory" behind while making amends within himself for all the men he killed. The only way he knows to do this is help those in need while avoiding use of his gun. That means no relationships, no roots, and constantly on the move. In this book, Gage is riding his loyal horse, Rig, from here to there, and runs into a wagon train under attack by a religious group called the Brethren intent on stealing their wealth to set themselves up, place their children in slave labor and their women in worse. Gage can’t walk away, not when he sees a way to help, not even though they distrust him and call him a murderer for all the kills in the past.

Overall, it’s a good story based on the strength of Gage's conviction to avoid gunfights which he seems to regularly fail doing (otherwise, it wouldn't be much of a Western). The action is a little slow as the author provides endless interesting details about the times and trials of the old west circa mid 1800. If I were to put this review in one line, it would be: More action less detail.

This latest installment ok Jon Gage, Texas Lightening, is sure to please western readers. Many years have passed since Gage used his guns in anger but some people still remember him even with the trimmed beard hiding his face.

In this story, he gets hooked up with a wagon train oh Oregon-bound settlers we are set upon by a religious zealot who seems them as heathens.

The story progresses from there in interesting and enjoyable ways. Definitely a story to read. The Johnstone syndicate has a good thing going with this character.