
Part of Series
USA Today bestselling When a vicious cattle baron crosses him, Smoke Jensen aims to take the bull by the horns . . . Santa Clara, Colorado, is twenty-four hours by train from the land where Smoke Jensen found peace and prosperity on his Sugarloaf Ranch. But somehow, Smoke can't stay away from Santa Clara—and from an evil cattle baron hiding a murderous past. And where there's smoke—there's justice . . . For Smoke, it starts at a high-class auction for a pureblood Hereford bull. Smoke wins the bidding—and earns the hatred of Pogue Quentin, Santa Clara's leading citizen and a man living on bloodshed and lies. Then Smoke's friend Pearlie drifts to Santa Clara. And when Pearlie runs afoul of Quentin, all hell will break loose. Now Smoke Jensen is heading to Santa Clara to face a man who already wants him dead—but Pogue Quentin never met anything like the fire of a mountain man . . .
Author

William Wallace Johnstone was a prolific American author, mostly of western, horror and survivalist novels. Born and raised in southern Missouri, Johnstone was the youngest of four children. His father was a minister and his mother a school teacher. He quit school when he was fifteen and worked in a carnival and as a deputy sheriff. He later served in the Army and, upon returning to civilian life, worked in radio broadcasting for 16 years. Johnstone started his writing career in 1970, but did not have any works published until 1979 (The Devil's Kiss) and became a full-time writer in 1980. He wrote close to two hundred books in numerous genres, including suspense and horror. His main publication series were Mountain Man, The First Mountain Man, Ashes and Eagles and his own personal favorite novel was The Last of the Dog Team (1980). He also authored two novels under the pseudonym William Mason. Johnstone had lived for many years in Shreveport, Louisiana, yet died in Knoxville, TN, at the age of 65. J. A. Johnstone is continuing William W. Johnstone's series.