The Crimson Trail

Eric Red

Jun 2021 · A Joe Noose Western Book 4 · Pinnacle Books

About this ebook

Joe Noose follows a trail of blood through the valley of death—in this bold Western series from Eric Red, acclaimed author of The Guns of Santa Sangre and The Wolves of El Diablo.

HUNT FOR THE CATTLE DRIVE KILLER

Joe Noose knows what fear looks like. He sees it in the eyes of his new friends—a dozen trail-hardened cattle men who don’t scare easily. It’s not the 500-mile trek across treacherous Montana territory that’s got them spooked. It’s not the 3,000 heads of cattle they’ve got to wrangle either. They’re afraid that someone on this drive—one of their own team—is a serial killer. Five wranglers are already dead. Every man is a suspect. And the woman rancher in charge is paying Joe Noose to root out the evil on this cursed cattle drive—by riding alongside the killer . . .

Praise for Eric Red’s The Guns of Santa Sangre and The Wolves of El Diablo

“Blood-soaked weird west story. . . . Red places a premium on action. Readers will enjoy.”
 —Publishers Weekly

“Readers will rediscover an Old West genre.”
—True West

“In the Old West, there are bad guys and even badder guys. But Eric Red’s are the biggest baddest of all.”
—Jack Ketchum, author of Off Season

“Bloody fights, desert vistas [and] a touch of romance make this a fast-paced adventure.”
 —Library Journal
 

Ratings and reviews

The Crimson Trail by Eric Red A Joe Noose Western #4 Joe Noose is a man among men, a bounty hunter, kills when necessary but brings them in alive when he can. This time he plays a bit of a sleuth as he looks for a serial killer working his way through the men herding cattle on a trail drive. Why are the drovers falling like bowling pins? Who is killing them? Will Joe find the killer before everyone is dead? Throw in an evil cattle baron, his henchman and posse, a few fights with fists and guns…and don’t forget the serial killer and you have the makings of a rip-snorting, root-tooting, rollicking Western yarn. What I liked: * Joe Noose: almost bigger than life but very real, fast and deadly with gun and fists, a survivor, reliable, steadfast, loves Marshall Bess Sugarland, intriguing, sees things through, a man I admire and would want on my side. * That the story picks up from where book three ends. * The writing and plot * Laura Holdridge: cattlewoman, widow, ranch owner, on the trail herding cattle with her team, good woman, someone we may hear more of in the future. * That there was more than one bad guy to hate and learning how each one was thwarted. * Copper: Joe’s faithful steed. * That all my senses were engaged. * Feeling I was part of the story. * That Joe was true-blue to Bess. * Thinking about what makes people evil… * All of it really except… What I didn’t like: * The bad guys…it was easy to hate them and hope they would meet their comeuppance(s) * Knowing that I will have to wait to find out what will happen next. Did I like this book? Yes! Would I read more in this series/by this author? Without a doubt!!! Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Pinnacle Books for the ARC – This is my honest review. 5 Stars

About the author

Eric Red is a Los Angeles-based novelist, screenwriter, and film director. His films include The Hitcher, Near Dark, Cohen and Tate, Body Parts, and The Last Outlaw. He has written seven novels, including Don’t Stand So Close, It Waits Below, White Knuckle, The Guns of Santa Sangre, and The Wolves of El Diablo. Red divides his time between California and Wyoming with his wife and two dogs. Find out more about Eric Red and his books and films on his official website EricRed.com, on Facebook at OfficialEricRed, and on Twitter @ericred.