Review: 'No Smoke Without Fire' by Gary Diamond & D.O. Michael

Disclosure: I received a free review copy from the publisher. This post contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. [*]

Today, we explore No Smoke Without Fire: A Harlequin Town Western Mystery, the inaugural book in a new series by Gary Diamond and D.O. Michael and published by Dusty Saddle Publishing. The cover reads, “with Special Guest Culpepper, Texas Bounty Hunter,” a nod to a character who also struts his stuff in the Culpepper: Texas Bounty Hunter series by Diamond and Paul L. Thompson.

Set against the dusty backdrop of Harlequin, Texas, the story revolves around Sheriff Matt Carson, a devoted family man navigating life in a tight-knit community. Just as the town’s annual dance kicks off, a brutal murder sends shockwaves through what was supposed to be a night of revelry. Sheriff Carson is faced with a web of suspects, each harboring secrets that could unravel the fabric of their close-knit town. As the investigation unravels, the Carson family finds themselves ensnared in the very heart of the mystery, with danger lurking at every turn. And then there’s Culpepper, the bounty hunter, who rides into Harlequin on the trail of a dangerous fugitive. Are these killings somehow intertwined, or is there a more sinister threat hiding in plain sight? Who can Sheriff Carson trust amidst this chaos?

Harlequin evokes the spirit of Dodge City, but instead of the legendary U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon, we meet Sheriff Carson, who, with a horde of children to manage, is up against more than just the villains of the Old West. The murder count rises, and complexities multiply, compelling readers to piece together the clues. The victim, a married woman with a scandalous reputation, kept many men entangled in her seductive spell. One of many primary suspects, Reno Starr, a foreman at W-Spur, appears too innocent at first glance, but as his façade crumbles, Carson begins to suspect that things are not as they seem.

The narrative is laced with red herrings, including some that cut personally close to home for Carson, adding layers to the mystery that kept me engaged. Readers may sense the truth a tad earlier than the protagonists themselves, yet the unfolding investigation remains exhilarating, each suspect explored with a keen eye for detail and intrigue. The twists and turns took flight, with prose that read smoothly, dialogue that danced with life (if a touch dramatic at times), and descriptions that, while not groundbreaking, managed to hold my attention.

As I reached the conclusion, the final words cleverly set the stage for the next installment, Three Wrongs Don’t Make a Wright, featuring U.S. Marshal Jake Timber, the title character from the Timber: U.S. Marshal series by Robert Hanlon.

Overall, I found No Smoke Without Fire to be a satisfying read, a tightly woven tale filled with drama, action, murder, and suspense, enough to enthrall any Western enthusiast. Dive into its pages if you crave a story that delivers both thrill and intrigue. ╌★★★★★

You can find No Smoke Without Fire available for purchase in both Kindle ^[*] format and as a paperback ^[*].

〜B.J. Burgess