Whiskey Woods
(2026)(The first book in the Texas Whiskey Wars series)
A novel by J A Johnstone and William W Johnstone
In a thrilling new series set during the explosive Texas Whiskey Wars, a proud family of distillers faces off with a ruthless rival who’s trading shots of liquor with hot lead. . . .
The small but lively town of Glen Rose, Texas, is famous for its home-brewed whiskey—thanks to the Stark family’s secret recipe. Over the years, Civil War veteran Jed Stark and his tough-as-nails mom Minnie have managed to turn their small family distillery into a highly successful business. But whiskey’s not the only thing that’s brewing in Glen Rose. There’s plenty of trouble, too—namely Merlin Sheldrake, a rival distiller who’s got the money, power, and connections to swallow the Starks’ operation in a single gulp. Sure, his rancid brand of rotgut whiskey is no match for their smooth Texas blend. But this is more than friendly competition. This is nasty, all-out war. . . .
First, Sheldrake sends a couple of goons to the Stark ranch to steal their family recipe—but they get a faceful of buckshot from Minnie instead. Then, he sets fire to the Stark distillery, burning everything to the ground. Thankfully, Jed has a stash of stills hidden in a cave and no intention of backing down. But then the whiskey wars take an even darker turn''when Minnie is kidnapped by Sheldrake’s hired guns. Now Jed has no choice but to fight this fight to the bitter end. Even if the blood flows faster than whiskey, Jed is prepared to teach these lowlifes a lesson: Don’t mess with Texas. Especially when there’s family, honor, and whiskey involved. . . .
JOHNSTONE COUNTRY. WHERE TEXANS FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, HONOR—AND WHISKEY.
Genre: Thriller
The small but lively town of Glen Rose, Texas, is famous for its home-brewed whiskey—thanks to the Stark family’s secret recipe. Over the years, Civil War veteran Jed Stark and his tough-as-nails mom Minnie have managed to turn their small family distillery into a highly successful business. But whiskey’s not the only thing that’s brewing in Glen Rose. There’s plenty of trouble, too—namely Merlin Sheldrake, a rival distiller who’s got the money, power, and connections to swallow the Starks’ operation in a single gulp. Sure, his rancid brand of rotgut whiskey is no match for their smooth Texas blend. But this is more than friendly competition. This is nasty, all-out war. . . .
First, Sheldrake sends a couple of goons to the Stark ranch to steal their family recipe—but they get a faceful of buckshot from Minnie instead. Then, he sets fire to the Stark distillery, burning everything to the ground. Thankfully, Jed has a stash of stills hidden in a cave and no intention of backing down. But then the whiskey wars take an even darker turn''when Minnie is kidnapped by Sheldrake’s hired guns. Now Jed has no choice but to fight this fight to the bitter end. Even if the blood flows faster than whiskey, Jed is prepared to teach these lowlifes a lesson: Don’t mess with Texas. Especially when there’s family, honor, and whiskey involved. . . .
JOHNSTONE COUNTRY. WHERE TEXANS FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, HONOR—AND WHISKEY.
Genre: Thriller