Books published by publisher Pinnacle

“Grabs you by the throat.” —Kay Hooper“OLSEN WILL SCARE YOU—AND YOU’LL LOVE IT.” —Lee ChildIn a secluded farm house in the Pacific Northwest, a family has been slaughtered—and a teenage son has disappeared. Single mother and cop, Emily Kenyon spearheads a dark hunt for a killer. But Emily’s teenage daughter Jenna is one step ahead of her. Then another family is butchered, and another. As Emily fits the puzzle pieces together, she makes a chilling discovery: the killer is coming after her and her daughter . . . Praise for Gregg Olsen’s novels “OLSEN WRITES RAPID-FIRE PAGE-TURNERS.”—The Seattle Times“FRIGHTENING . . . A NAIL-BITER.”—Suspense Magazine“A WORK OF DARK, GRIPPING SUSPENSE.”—Anne Frasier

THE GREATEST WESTERN WRITERS OF THE 21ST CENTURY For the first time, an epic account of a boy born into a struggle for survival on the harsh and unforgiving American frontier, the story behind the legend of Smoke Jensen… On the eve of the Civil War, Kirby Jensen is the youngest of three children living on a hardscrabble ranch in Southwestern Missouri. But in 1861, shots were fired in Charleston Harbor, and Kirby’s father and brother went to war. Smoke Jensen: The Beginning follows the Jensen clan during these volatile years, from Civil War battles to border state raids to the kind of frontier justice achieved only by bullets and blood. William W. Johnstone and J. A. Johnstone chronicle the early years of Kirby Jensen—soon to be nicknamed Smoke—as he journeys from boyhood innocence into a manhood shaped by violence and a young man’s thirst for justice. Filled with actual historical events and legendary characters, the story of Smoke Jensen’s early years is a powerful, brutal, and amazing American saga.

JOHNSTONE COUNTRY. WHERE DEATH RIDES FASTER THAN THE WIND. A blazing new series takes you back to the lawless frontier where every stagecoach was a moving target. Where every passenger needed protection. And where every hired gun who rides along better be fast on the draw—or be dead on arrival . . .RIDING SHOTGUN If anyone knows the road to purgatory, it’s Red Ryan. As a stagecoach guard, he’s faced holdups, ambushes, and all-out attacks from every kill-crazy outlaw, Indian, and prairie rat. But even he’s a bit reluctant to take on his next job: riding shotgun with his driver Buttons Muldoon on a stage bound from Fort Concho, Texas, to Fort Bliss. Word has it, the Apaches are on the warpath. They’re being led by the vicious war chief Ilesh, which means “Lord of the Earth.” And this lord means business, as in slaughtering every Texan from here to El Paso. Red wants to postpone the stage. But an army major’s beautiful but stubborn wife insists they leave—or she’ll go it alone. So Red has no choice . . . Thus begins a nightmare journey into 400 miles of harsh, unforgiving terrain, blood-drunk killers, and one scheming devil who plans to paint the town of El Paso red—starting with Red’s blood . . . Live Free. Read Hard.

JOHNSTONE COUNTRY—WATCH YOUR BACK. Red Ryan is one of the fastest guns in the West. But this time, he’s in for the longest, hardest ride of his life. Where danger lurks around every turn—and all roads lead to hell . . . 700 MILES OF MAYHEM Gold. Silver. Cold hard cash. Stagecoach guard Red Ryan and his driver Buttons Muldoon have ridden shotgun on some pretty valuable cargo in their day. But they’re about to learn—the hard way—that the most dangerous cargo of all is human. They’ve been hired to escort a cowardly traitor facing an army court martial in New Orleans. Every hired killer in Texas wants him dead, including gun-handy Hannah Huckabee, a woman with a mysterious past and an agenda of her own. But she’s just one of the dangers they’ll face along the way. There are cutthroat gangs bent on slaughtering anything on two legs. And 700 miles of the deadliest terrain Red Ryan has ever had to shoot his way out of . . . Live Free. Read Hard.

"You'll sleep with the lights on after reading Gregg Olsen." —Allison Brennan"Olsen will have you on the edge of your seat." —Lee ChildThe first time was easy. No one ever suspected the victim had been murdered. The crime long buried, the dark passions guiding the killer's hand are still alive. But the need for revenge cannot be denied. Only one person can stop the killing. Only one person can identify the killer. Only one person knows the face of death—is as close as the face in the mirror. . .Praise for Gregg Olsen's novels"Wickedly clever! Twisted." —Lisa Gardner"Olsen writes rapid-fire page-turners." —Seattle Times "Grabs you by the throat." —Kay Hooper“The fifth Waterman and Stark thriller from the very talented Gregg Olsen . . . it’s truly a great read.” —Mystery Scene Magazine

The Real Story Of John Wayne Gacy-- By The Man Who Helped Catch HimHe was a model citizen. A hospital volunteer. And one of the most sadistic serial killers of all time. But few people could see the cruel monster beneath the colorful clown makeup that John Gacy wore to entertain children in his Chicago suburb. Few could imagine what lay buried beneath his house of horrors--until a teenaged boy disappeared before Christmas in 1978, leading prosecutor Terry Sullivan on the greatest manhunt of his career. Reconstructing the investigation--from records of violence in Gacy's past, to the gruesome discovery of 29 corpses of abused boys in Gacy's crawlspace and four others found in the nearby river--Sullivan's shocking eyewitness account takes you where few true crime books ever go: inside the heart of a serial murder investigation and trial. This updated edition features new revelations that have emerged using DNA evidence to confirm the identities of additional victims--and 16 pages of dramatic photos. "An unnerving true crime story of murder, terror, and justice." --Dallas Morning News"GRIPPING."--Publishers Weekly"CHILLING."--Nashville Banner"UNNERVING."--Dallas Morning News

JOHNSTONE COUNTRY. JAILHOUSE TERROR. Those Jensen boys, Ace and Chance, find themselves on the wrong side of the law—and the raw end of justice—inside the meanest, dirtiest prison in the Arizona territory . . . WELCOME TO THE CHAIN GANG . . . When a barroom brawl lands Ace and Chance Jensen in jail, it’s just the beginning of a nightmare that will never end. Their jailmates are army deserters. Even worse, their jailers assume Ace and Chance are deserters, too. Which earns them even more hard time—on a brutal prison chain gang . . . ALL TROUBLEMAKERS WILL BE SHOT. Things go from bad to worse awfully fast. One prisoner tries to escape and gets blasted in the back. Others face horrific torture at the hands of sadistic renegades. And the whole operation is run by a maniacal army major who’s working the deserters to death for his own profit. Ace and Chance have no choice but to bust out of this miserable hellhole—or die trying . . .

Johnstone Justice. What America Needs Now. The first story in a fiery new series about the west’s most dangerous boomtown, and the reformed outlaw who risks his life to keep it safe . . . RATTLESNAKE WELLS, WYOMING In the dark shadow of the Prophecy Mountains lies the ramshackle town of Rattlesnake Wells, where dreamers come to make their fortunes, and desperados come to die. The streets of this little settlement are slick with mud and stained with blood, and it will fall to Bob Hatfield to sweep them clean. The town marshal, Hatfield has a young man’s face, but his eyes are those of a killer. He is a good man, but he has a secret that weighs on his soul. In Texas, Hatfield was known as the Devil’s River Kid, one of the most feared outlaws to ever ride the Lone Star State. He fled Texas after a showdown with a corrupt rancher turned bloody, and he vowed to start a new life on the right side of the law. But when some ghosts from Hatfield’s past catch up to him, this gunslinging marshal will risk his life to protect the savage town known as Rattlesnake Wells.

Shoot A Mountain Man In The Back… On the frontier, a man’s word is his bond, and only fast guns and good friends can save your life. So when Smoke Jensen trusts his gravely injured comrade to the care of a small town doctor, the last thing he expects is an act of betrayal—and a call for revenge… And Get Ready To Look Him In The Eye. Somewhere in his past, Smoke crossed paths with a lowlife who has now built a little kingdom as a frontier sheriff. For the corrupt lawman, holding Smoke's friend hostage is the perfect way to lure Smoke into a deathtrap. Now there’s no choice for the mountain man. He knows how many guns are waiting up ahead. But he won't ever leave a brother behind. And this time, there won't be an enemy left standing—or a bullet left in Smoke's gun… Over 10 Million Johnstone Books In Print!

Johnstone Country. Frontier Spirit Lives Here. National bestselling authors William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone spin a breakneck tale about a heroic chuckwagon cook who knows just what to do when cowboys get hungry—for revenge . . . THE CHUCKWAGON TRAIL Framed for murder, Dewey “Mac” McKenzie is running for his life. Though Mac’s never even made a pot of coffee, he talks his way onto a cattle drive heading west—as a chuckwagon cook. Turns out he has a natural talent for turning salt pork and dried beans into culinary gold. He’s as good with a pot and pan as he is with a gun—which comes in handy on a dangerous trail drive beset with rustlers, hostile Indians, ornery weather, and deadly stampedes. Mac can hold his own with any cowboy twice his age. At least until the real showdown begins. . . . Trail hand, Deke Northrup, is one mean spit in the eye. Before long, he’s made enemies of all his men. When Mac learns that Northrup is planning to double-cross the herd’s owner, he stands up to the trail boss and his henchman. He might be outgunned and outnumbered, but Mac’s ready to serve up some blazing frontier justice—with a healthy helping of vengeance. . . .