John Spiars

Blood Trail John Spiars

Writing in the style of Louis L'Amour, Zane Grey, Larry McMurtry and William W. Johnstone, Best-Selling Western Author John Spiars, author of Riders of the Lone Star, Hell and Half of Texas, and Bound for Vengeance, returns with BLOOD TRAIL, the fourth novel in the Heck Carson Series. Texas Ranger, Jesse "Heck" Carson, is living the life he has always dreamed of, chasing down and capturing the outlaws who ply their evil trade along the Mexican border. When orders come from the Federals that the Rangers are to be disbanded, Heck decides that the time has come for him to begin building a life for himself that doesn't involve getting shot at by killers and horse thieves, but he has one last mission to complete first. The O'Shea gang is a group of former Union soldiers from the famed and infamous Irish Brigade, who have come to Texas to exact their own revenge for the war by butchering as many Southerners as they can. Before Heck can start the next chapter of his life, he must put a stop to this scourge before the gang makes it across the Mexican border to safety. As he chases the gang across the Texas frontier, Heck meets many who are on the same quest, but with motives far different than his own. The brutality of the O'Shea gang is matched only by those who seek to make a name for themselves by putting them in the ground, and Heck Carson finds himself caught in the middle. To accomplish his job and rid the state of this scourge, Heck will have to figure out whom he can trust, and together they will have to make the fight of their lives. "What kind of man are you?" Bard asked."I'm the man I have to be to get the job done. It's best ya keep that in mind on our way back.""I've shot many men in my time, and not one of 'em was by accident,""I'm Ranger Carson," he said, showing the man his silver star, "and I hope you don't make me do this the hard way.""The truth's a funny thing, sonny. It tends to change depending on how a person's asked. I've tried asking proper, but I reckon I'll have to find another way. I killed your friend, but spared you, so don't go making me wish I'd chosen otherwise. I plunged my knife into his belly and took him quick, but believe me, I can do it much slower if I'm of a mind. It's best you just remember that.""That was a bloody thrill," O'Shea said, cleaning the blood from his saber. "Tell me you gentlemen didn't feel the sensation when those men walked in here. For a moment, I thought it could go either way.""If a man's gonna make his life in a hard country, he's gotta make himself hard. Ya just set your mind to what's gotta be done, and then ya do it. If a man lets fear get in the way, then he won't act when he has to."You seem like a good man, Mister Abbott, but if your men don't let us pass, you'll die here, right along with me.""Names mean nothing to me, mister. I've killed many men, and to tell ya the truth, I don't remember one of their names. It would be best if you just handed me that shotgun. If you do, ya might make it outta this town alive."John Spiars is the author of The Heck Carson Western Series. He is a writer and amateur historian with a passion for the history and myths of the "Old West". He is a native Texan and lives in North Texas with his wife and four children. When not writing western novels, he maintains a blog about Texas history and travel entitled Under the Lone Star.