The Big Gundown

The Loner #4

by J.A. Johnstone

The Loner intends to see justice served--until he realizes the line between good and evil is often blurred.Vengeance Is A Dangerous Game. . .Using an old cannon that once belonged to Napoleon's army, an outlaw gang has been bringing trains to a halt and then robbing them. Now Edward Sheffield--one of the owners of the railroad--wants to hire Conrad Morgan, known as The Loner, to wipe the gang off the map. The Loner isn't interested, especially when Sheffield's hot-blooded wife tries to seduce him into going after the gang's leader, Gideon Black--a renegade ex-colonel-turned-outlaw. But when the gang turns their big gun on a town, killing several innocent people, The Loner has to choose sides. The best way to take them out? Become one of them. And that's when The Loner uncovers some unsavory secrets--and finds himself caught between the middle of two ruthless forces. . .

Genres: Westerns, Action, Fiction

320 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

J.A. Johnstone learned to write from the master himself, Uncle William W. Johnstone, who began tutoring J.A. at an early age. After-school hours were often spent retyping manuscripts or researching his massive American Western History library as well as the more modern wars and conflicts. J.A. worked hard and learned, later going on to become the co-author of William W. Johnstone’s many bestselling westerns and thrillers. J.A. Johnstone lives on a ranch in Tennessee and more information is at WilliamJohnstone.net

Reviews

[Randy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kid Morgan comes up to a farm to find four outlaws trying to rape a young mother. The father had been wounded, thought dead, and now they were taking what they wanted, planning to murder the mother and her five year old son when finished.

Morgan couldn't allow that. Wounded in the shoot-out that killed all four outlaws, he's nursed back to health, watching from hiding when another group, looking for the four men and lead by Colonel Gideon Black, former army officer, come by, and then moving on. After going a couple of miles, he hears shooting behind, a loud explosion, and races back to find the whole family, and their hands, shoot to pieces. One hand reveals it was black with a cannon before he dies.

Morgan vows to find and kill Black for murdering his friends!

[Kendra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't have the third book at this time, so jumped to the fourth. These settle down into a more individual storyline, with the gunslinger wandering and coming across people needing help. Still good reads, but more standard fair.

[Nai Wang · Rating 5 out of 5]

I binge read the series in one month, 12 books. That makes my 2nd western in one year and I loved it. This one takes place during the Wild Wild West and it was such a great adventure that I loved every minute of it. I recommend this to anyone who likes a fun adventure in the West .

[Carol Buchanan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great books

As with the Drifter series, I have really enjoyed the Loner series, it would seem that the father can teach the son to be a good man even tho he turned out to be a gunfighter. At least he is not a stuffed shirt anymore.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading my husband's beloved books

[Ted Cartier]

Not the best book in this series. Will wait a while before I read another.

[John C. Malcolm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting premise. The Loner series is one of the better Johnstone titles.
this one had plenty of action and good characters

[Derrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story that played out well and left some unfinished stories that I'll be curious if they turn up in the future books.

[ted tull · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Big Gundown

Not quite as good as others I have read by these authors but still is a good western novel. I'm read for the next one. All of these authors books are at least good.

[Flannery Kneel · Rating 5 out of 5]

On a small ranch just outside of Bisbee, Arizona, the William’s family is beginning their day. Cyrus, Frannie and Sean’s little boy is playing with his puppies, and Sean is outside working in the barn. Suddenly things turn terribly wrong and the William’s are attacked by outlaws passing through. But “The Kid” shows up just in time to save them and kills the ruthless men in a gunfight! A few days later Colonel Black, a former army man, arrives at the ranch, undoubtedly looking for their outlaw compadres, but when Cyrus and Sean deny ever meeting them, they move on….but not for long! Colonel Black comes back for revenge after finding his men dead, and The Kid finds the Williams family massacred. He vows to avenge their deaths and starts on the hunt for Gideon Black! Hot on his trail, The Kid discovers he’s not the only one looking for the crazed murderer. Wealthy financier, Edward Sheffield has a settle to score as well, and unlucky for The Kid, trouble always finds him! A big part of that trouble? The beautiful and seductive, Gloriana Sheffield who is determined to get The Kid’s attention and leads them into danger! Will The Kid avenge the deaths of the William’s family and survive? This novel is PACKED with military scandal, seduction, gun fights, train heists, and survival of the fittest! Another gem in the Loner series!

[Rob Smith, Jr. · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first three in the series of 'The Loner' does a great job with having some of the most complex plots of any of the Johnstone Clan books. This one leans in that direction and then comes apart midway through as the book settles with multiple bad guys and the good guy. I expected far more as the book developed, as in the previous books. Instead, the hero continues with an odd masquerade. The disguise is unneeded at a point and he could have accomplished his goal. Instead, the there are explosions and shootouts. One "instead" can be OK. Two are too many.

The characters are too much like others earlier in the series. Unfortunately notches below the earlier ones. The hero playing his own spy, slides away from the build up in the previous three books and acts more a specter of portrayals of Smoke Jensen.

The setting is sparse as a chunk of the book takes place in a loosely written hideout that is described at being complex, but not well explained. One part very clunky throughout the book involves a tank. The part hard to understand is the ease with which this tank is moved through the story. The tank is described as massive, but the movement seems more of a feather.

Disappointing entry in the series. Worse of the four books.

Bottom line: I do not recommend this book. 4 of 10 points.

[Barbara Lee Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

"GIDDY-UP PARTNERS"

The Loner, this adventure is overly descriptive of his feelings for his late wife REBEL. This adventure has a lot of action, but it isn't fast moving as his other adventures. I felt I was bogged down with descriptions. Just not as fast moving as the other previous adventures...

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great entry in the "Loner" series. Solid storytelling in the Johnstone tradition. Looking forward to the further adventures of Conrad "Kid Morgan" Browning!

[Heather Wilmoth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

[Mike Mackey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good western tale!!!

[Nolan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ended up reading this story again. Three years and seven months later. Still a good story.