Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cutthroats | 2019 | J.A. Johnstone | Buy |
| 2 | A Good Day for a Massacre | 2020 | J.A. Johnstone | Buy |
| 3 | The Wicked Die Twice | 2020 | J.A. Johnstone | Buy |
| 4 | Hell for Breakfast | 2021 | J.A. Johnstone | Buy |
| 5 | Sons of Thunder | 2022 | J.A. Johnstone | Buy |
| 6 | Bad Hombres | 2023 | J.A. Johnstone | Buy |
The Slash and Pecos series follows two old outlaws who spent their best years on the wrong side of the law. Slash Braddock and the Pecos River Kid are former train robbers and bank thieves who get roped into a deal: instead of swinging from a rope, they’ll work as off-the-books lawmen handling dangerous assignments. The catch is that their new boss, a crusty federal marshal, keeps sending them on jobs that are basically suicide missions.
Running six books from 2019 to 2023, the series starts with Cutthroats and builds through titles like A Good Day for a Massacre, Hell for Breakfast, and Bad Hombres. What sets these books apart from other Johnstone Westerns is the humor. Slash and Pecos bicker like an old married couple, argue about whose fault their latest mess is, and generally approach life-threatening situations with more sarcasm than sense. J.A. Johnstone balanced the comedy with real stakes and solid action, making this one of the more entertaining entries in the broader Johnstone lineup. If you like your Westerns with some laughs mixed into the gunsmoke, start with Cutthroats.