Shooting Iron by William W. Johnstone
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This 2nd entry in the ‘Devil’s Gulch’ series, is a bit of a drop from the first. The story is good and plotted out well. Unfortunately, there is a lot of repetitive narrative and dialogue that drags the book. This is really a shorter story drawn out far more than it should have been. The repetitive narrative and dialogue gets irritating. The writer need a nudge by the Johnstone editors to grab a thesaurus. A tighter approach would’ve made a great book.

I guess the issue is the length of book equating to funds paid the writers so that length matches. Ugh!
As readers are falling away in droves, shorter books would be a far better trail to take.
Maybe a collection of shorter stories. The preview section at the end of each book is already adding a good bit of another story.

The plot and story is a very good one. The characters very good. There are returning characters and new ones. The Henderson character was a good addition and added a layer that well aided the story.
The writing, setting aside the excess, is well done.

This book is a continuation of the first. However, a reader doesn’t have to read the first to follow the story.

I have no idea who is picking the Johnstone Clan titles, but this is another bad one. I get the simple-title-to-sell mantra. I just believe the johnstone moniker should do better.

Bottom line: I recommend this book. 6 out of ten points.
I had access to this book via the NetGalley.com site.

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Gave a talk at the Reddick Public Library, in Reddick, Florida, July 12th, 2015, about Florida heroes in history. Great crowd for a small library. Wrapped up with a drawing based on suggestions from the audience members. Friend Natalie Lyons put this together and Linda Ellwood for coming by. One attending is an 88 year old native who pointed out some wonderful historical places and secrets to look at in Reddick.

16″ x 20″ watercolor painting I finished 6 years ago. It’s part of a collection of some 60 paintings I’ve done for my Swampy’s Florida collection.
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#fLORIDA #mOUNTdORA #Art #Painting #watercolor #Watercolour

Made up as I drew 2 years ago.

About Doctor Ferrel by Day Keene
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book by “Keene”, as so many Gunard Hjertstedt wrote, defines the, now labelled, “Pulp” novel. It’s stewed and steamed in sexual situations, death and intrigue.

The plot charges in very well and drags near the end. The pacing works well for the ending.
The characters are very well written. The book has the doctor character so0 well written, the tension pours from the pages. The reader wondering just what will he do next. Also the writing of the inner thoughts of the doctor versus what is presented to the public presents the reader well with the hidden demons many carry and not known.

The setting is excellently produced. Which brings up the next…

– The Florida setting: Hjertstedt nails early ’50s Florida. Though this book could be sexually stirring to some, it’s hard not to almost break a sweat as the heat is so well included. The heated part would be hard for newcomers to Florida to read. The unfortunate inclusion of air conditioning was yet to occur. Heck, television sets were not a common element found in Florida homes.

Seems Hjertstedt was combining the cities of Palm Harbor and Safety Harbor to create Palm City. The Phillipe Park mentioned is very real still today. As Hjertstedt wrote the park in the ’50s is just as it was then…and should still be today. Government contractors has upended that.

There’s a minor detail of the municipal police responding to another city’s problem on U.S. 19. Palm County, as Pinellas is referred here, Sheriff’s office would be next to respond to a Clearwater incident.

The bait shack has me envisioning that area being south of Gulf to Bay, where the trailer park was for decades, next to the McMullin-Booth cross-over.

The draw back is unfolding more of the indecent the book is based on and who all were involved.

Bottom line: I recommend this book. 8 out of ten points.

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