Where There's Fire, There's Smoke

The Last Mountain Man #2-3

by William W. Johnstone

JOHNSTONE COUNTRY. THE LAW OF THE LAST MAN STANDING.  His country burning with war, his family shattered, a young man strikes off on his own and builds a legend with his fists, a pistol, knife, and long gun. This collection includes the classic westerns Trail of the Mountain Man and Return of the Mountain Man, long unavailable and here together for the first time in one action-packed volume … Where There’s Gold, There’s Blood, Bullets, and Smoke When the Missouri farm boy named Jensen came west, he started fighting, surviving, and learning every brutal step of the way. He learned from a mountain man named Preacher. He learned from Indians. And from outlaws. And he learned that nothing burns the souls of men faster than the lure of glimmering gold. From one ramshackle frontier mountain town to another, Smoke sees gold strikes—and gold fever—drawing crooks and cold-blooded killers from across the nation. Faced with an explosion of horrifying violence—along with some demons from his past—Smoke has no choice but to lay down the law. Once he does, it doesn’t matter how many men and guns the outlaws bring. Because if Smoke Jensen has learned anything, it’s in a vast, savage land, you don’t back down, don’t give up, and don’t stop shooting until the last bad man goes to his Maker.

Genres: Westerns, Fiction, Adult Fiction

464 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 27, 2019

About the author

William W. Johnstone is the #1 bestselling Western writer in America and the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of hundreds of books, with over 50 million copies sold. Born in southern Missouri, he was raised with strong moral and family values by his minister father, and tutored by his schoolteacher mother. He left school at fifteen to work in a carnival and then as a deputy sheriff before serving in the army. He went on to become known as "the Greatest Western writer of the 21st Century." Visit him online at WilliamJohnstone.net.

Reviews

[HornFan2]

Here's a great starting point to read your first William W. Johnstone book and his legendary Smoke Jenson character. Your getting two books, that have been long out of print, for the first-time together in one volume and it does have a few issues.

Note this omni-book has the 2nd and 3rd books in the Smoke Jenson series, but Kensington Publishing reversed the order of the books in this edition and in editing your missing the last 15 pages to Return of the Mountain Man.

Just a shame to see the publisher with his estate continuing to publish his books, but they just can't do it with the quality that William W. Johnstone would do with him, it happened enough times, it's fair to say that they could give a rat's ass about it and sadder are the readers who give them five star reviews.

[Martha Peebles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one really good book. I have read it before. But it is just as good the second time as the first. I really love the books about Smoke, he really gives the reader a good read. it makes you where you can't wait to read the next page. Thank you to the Johnstone's for a great read.

[Jerry Blackerby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a reprint of two older Smoke Jensen books, which I had never read. Loved them.

[Shanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't realize it but I absolutely love westerns. Couldn't put this one down. Highly recommended.

[Barbara Lee Wood]

LEAVE SMOKE JENSEN ALONE OR DIE

Well folks here we are again riding with one of our men of the West. There's a lot to see 👀and smell. The sky is a pretty blue, robins egg blue, with clouds that look like a soft pile of cotton, just floating along with a soft cooling breeze.
Kirby "Smoke"Jensen has just returned to his family after taking care of checking the area out.
His cabin was under siege by a bunch of evil minded greedy soul-less gang who've been sent to kill Smoke and his family. It was terrible beyond description that such horrors were inflected upon Nicole and baby boy Arthur. Smoke killed those that thought they could out fight Smoke, which we all know is a figment of their small psychopathic minds, he buried his family and promised to hunt down those who were responsible for their deaths.
This particular history of our man Smoke, is two parts; his life after leaving Preacher, whom Smoke heard had died at some gun shot out. It was just sad time in his your life. Smoke hasn't reached twenty years old yet, and he's lived and seen !more than any grown man living West of the "Big Muddy." He read the letter his father wrote before he died and the grave not only includes his father 's body, but also the gold that was stolen but mean't for the Confederacy, by a gang of men. Smoke's father engaged the men who stole the gold that Smoke's brother was transporting and they shot his brother in the back leaving him paralyzed on the trail where he suffered and died. Again Smoke is on the trail with the help of Preacher who had his back..that man loved Smoke Jensen. Anyway he caught the last man by the name of Curley or Crowley that man used his share to start a huge cattle ranch and a town which he owned. Well by holly Smoke caught up with him and invited the town's folk to the view the hanging..sometimes it's best not to
take people for granted, that's what folks seem to do regarding Smoke, under estimate him, and then he shows them what that means!!
So now the second episode we are introduced to the last of the True Mountain Men, Preacher and his compadres/amigos till the end of their lives on this 🌎earth..He also meets his future wife Sally, whose a echo teacher for the town of Bury, Idaho. The town is owned by three men who set Smoke up, by putting a BOUNTY on him for thirty thousand dollars (a very stupid move). He also finds his sister Jenny, who he hadn't seen her in ten years, but his father's letter had some information about her, lordy, his father called her trash. That's what Smoke thought when he more or less introduced himself..that my friends is another story.
Needless to say, Smoke and Preacher's Amigos burned the town down, and he killed the three men responsible for the death of his wife Nicole and baby Arthur. It AIN'T over folks there's still his sister Jenny, who doesn't forgive quitely..
There's moving and grooving with these two action packed Western Frontier Stories.
You will enjoy every page. So I'll say ride easy Smoke Jensen and your sensitive 🐎horse and riding companion "Devil".. Your continuing your life and you have someone , Sally who will never hold you back, in fact she has your back as all those Mountain Men who knew you were raised by "Preacher" ride with the wind at your back. .

[Tara Johnston · Rating 2 out of 5]

Could have been much better

The story was interesting but too wordy for the amount of action. Why on earth isn't the book proof read before it's printed? I almost couldn't read it because of writing screwups which detracted far too much.

[Subrina Pechacek]

It was a really interesting book. I do not usually read Western books but I liked the cover on it and I figured that it might be a really good book. The only problem that I had was having the time to read it and to finish it.

[Pete Symenuk · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a typical old Western story. A rootin, tootin, shootin tale of the settlement of the old West! A good mix of love ,hate ,hardship, greed, loyalty & perseverance and and an incite into the life of a gunfighter and mountain men !

[Dale Comer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Two old books don't like when they do that to readers

Save your money if you read these books you all ready have them unfortunately I don't know why they need to do that to readers

[Richard Riordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Smoke

Another good ride. Can't wait for the next one. May already be out ,will look to see . Thanks again.

[Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The kast of the mountain men smoke jensen stirs up more killin one hell of a badman

[Michael Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good western by the leading author with several series in progress.