Sheriff Porter Beck is investigating a helicopter crash that isn’t what it seems. His girlfriend Charlie Blue Horse, a state detective, is called in for another incident, their relationship has it’s ups and downs through the trying cases. There’s a gruesome murder and trouble brewing. The farmers and protesters are at odds over wild horses being rounded up. The setting in Nevada mountains is scenic and made me want to visit. I thought the contrasting views on the plight of the wild horses was well described. This story is set during the pandemic and it plays into the overall theme. I’ve liked all in this series and can’t wait to see where the next adventure leads. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books (via NetGalley) for providing an Advance Reader Copy of “The Blue Horse” A Porter Beck Mystery #3, by Bruce Borgos, published 07/08/2025. These thoughts and opinions are my personal honest ones given voluntarily without compensation.

The Blue Horse
By Bruce Burgos

There is a somewhat specialized type of police procedural/murder mystery where the protagonist is not a big city cop, but a park ranger or a cowboy sheriff. This is one of those. The sheriff here is Porter Beck, a county sheriff in Nevada. This is not the first Porter Beck book, but it is my first – and it won't be my last.

This story has it all: saving the habitat of wild mustangs vs. the rights of ranchers; development of a lithium mine in the interest of our national security vs. polluting the waterways; politicians and mafia and other unsavory types.

I loved this story, most especially for the characters. No one is portrayed as perfect – all their human flaws are right out there. But there wasn't a character I didn't like – even the bad guys! Beck has a degenerative eye disease that is slowly stealing his sight. His girlfriend, Charlie Blue Horse, is the love of his life and a state cop. His adoptive sister was subjected to horrendous abuse as a child. Rafa is another such child, traumatized and combative. Race, the veteran suffering from PTSD, is another winning character. I just loved them all. Through them, I became invested in this story.

If you are looking for a fast paced entertaining read, this is the book for you!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.

Ever since Craig Johnson started publishing in the early summer, I've missed my taste of the modern day western when the days start to grow shorter. I can't wait to read Johnson's latest, nor C.J. Box's, so a replacement was needed. Last year, thankfully, I discovered Bruce Borgos. Beck Porter is exactly what I needed. A mix of Walt Longmire and Joe Pickett, Porter brings something familiar, but different enough to not be a close, to the genre. I loved book one in the series and thought book two was solid enough. This one felt more in line with the first. The mystery was good, the action was top rate, and the scenery was beautiful to get lost in (in my head at least). It was interesting enough to see it was set a few years prior, during the height of COVID, but I don't think it drew away from the moderness of the modern western. Porter is entering a new phase of life by the book's end, but I hope he still has several more adventures to go. He feels like he's just getting started.

The Blue Horse was a wonderful mystery read. The multi-view point story telling really opened up the plot and allowed the reader to step into the story in different ways. Though the mystery is the main plot, this is a character driven story. Along with figuring out the crime, the characters are also navigating 2020 and life during the pandemic. The pacing is great, it pulls you along without rushing the story but also without too much of the drag that can sometimes happen in books of this genre. I highly recommend this book for those looking for a mystery that will keep you guessing and entertained the whole way through.

I love books set in our National Parks or the rugged outdoors, and in this book Sheriff Porter Beck of Nevada is dealing with the Bureau of Land Management's annual wild horse roundup. Tempers are hot on both sides. Ranchers don't like the horses tearing through their lands, but animal activists think the horses should be left alone to live their lives. Then during a roundup, a helicopter being used to corral the horses is shot out of the sky. More deaths will follow before Sheriff Beck determines who the bad guys are, and a lithium company will add further complications to the story.

This is book 3 in a series on the Nevada sheriff, but I was not hindered by jumping in at the this point. I had all the information I needed to follow the storyline. Borgos writes well developed characters, both male and female, and I'm interested in the characters lives in Book 1 & 2, so I may go back and fill in these missing pieces.

I liked that this book had a lot of drama and excitement with definite bad guys, without going crazy over the top with weaponry and high body counts. One favorite writer's stories have been getting more and more unrealistic, but that was not the case here. I also liked that there were so many characters to be interested in, not just the main one. I will look forward to reading more from this author.

This was a 4.5 read for me, but I always round up when I find a new author I like.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bruce Borgos, and publisher for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoy the Porter Beck novels and this story delivers. While doing a mustang roundup, a helicopter pilot is shot and killed. This sets a chain of events into motion that Beck is investigating in the midst of the Covid pandemic. Meanwhile, his sister ends up in the thick of it when tracking down a runaway from a wilderness retreat for troubled youth she is part of.

Great story with action and poignant moments. Beck is such an interesting character with his night blindness and how he deals with that. His relationship with Charlie also takes an interesting turn. The end almost feels like and ending and a new beginning. Hoping this series continues on!

Thanks to the publisher for a review copy via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A lot of the problems I had with this book was my own problems. I didn't realize it was part of a series so I was sort of confused through it but otherwise it was an okay book and I enjoyed it.

This is the third in series and can be read as a stand alone. Thank you to the publisher, Net Galley and the author. My review opinion is my own.
This is my first book by the author. I enjoyed the well crafted story . As one who is involved in advocacy for our wild horses I especially enjoyed reading how the evil doers in the story harming our wild horses received their just karma. I enjoyed the investigation aspects and the characters are richly drawn and interesting. A controversial subject indeed written quite well.

Bruce Borgos delivers a tight, smart, and suspenseful thriller here, part modern Western, part police procedural, with just enough heart and grit to keep you invested. The story builds neatly, characters feel lived-in, and the stakes stay real. A few threads might pull a little too hard or feel undercooked emotionall, but overall, this is a strong mystery that delivers on tension, setting, and character.

If you like stories that operate in the thin air of high desert drama, with layered plotting and flawed heroes who keep at it, The Blue Horse is worth your time.

Porter Beck series #3. Not quite as good as the previous two, but they were outstanding. This is really good. The publisher blurb for the book really nails it, so I won't repeat the plot of the book. Most of the main characters from the previous books play a part, and we get to know Porter's sister Brinley a lot better as she has her own story arc here. The opening is a whopper (talk about chaos), but the rest of the story is a little less fluid and easier to predict. The characters are vivid and engaging and completely believable. I especially like this series for the intelligence of not just Porter, but his whole team. Just because it is sparsely populated and rural, doesn't mean people can't think. Many of the criminals think Aha, Podunk Nevada, I can get away with anything with money. Porter always sets them straight. And it is deeply satisfying. Recommended.

this is the 3rd Porter Beck book of Bruce Borgos. my opinion they've all been really good reads. the books take place in the high Nevada desert where Porter Beck has returned after an army stint in deep intelligence. 1st book dealt with 1950's nuclear testing and espionage and dealings with Russians. Book 2 deals with hackers and Chinese spies. now, the 3rd book Porter and his small dept, are spread thin. dealing with a controversial wild horse round up and wildfires. this is all taking place at the beginning of the covid outbreak. along with his crew from the sheriffs dept. he has a very loyal group of people and one service dog to help him along the way. his dad, his stepsister Brinley and his new girlfriend Det. Charlie Blue Horse it starts out with a helicopter being taken out by a very good shooter. it all leads up to Canadian lithium mining, a runaway troubled kid and the feds breathing down Porter's neck. It's a really good ride with a lot of twists and turns. you won't be sorry

The Blue Horse by Bruce Borgos is the third in the Sheriff Porter Beck series. This one concerns a wild horse roundup, mineral extraction in the desert, and a murder or two. With the addition of Porter's girlfriend, Charlie Blue Horse and his sister Brinley, lot's of action ensues. The real life problems of different opinions about mining and wild horse removal are well done and the mysteries keep one moving through the book.

What I enjoyed:
Page turner
Solid mystery/thriller

The Blue Horse is book 3 of the Porter Beck series. Porter Beck is a sheriff in a small down in the state of Nevada. I enjoyed this story despite a pretty graphic and brutal murder scene that made me cringe. It was a literal pager turner trying to figure out who was the killer.

I received an advanced electronic copy from publisher Minotaur and Netgalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview this book. All opinions are my own.

Sheriff Porter Beck is on the scene of a controversial wild horse round up in Nevada when the helicopter pilot driving the horses towards the captured point is shot out of the air. Problem is there are too many possible suspects. shortly after the person who was in charge of coordinating the round up is capture and savagely murdered. Porter needs to work fast to find out which entity is behind the murders before things further escalate.

Is it the wild horse advocacy group CANTER, or maybe the mining group working in the area, or a rancher who's fed up with the whole thing? With too many questions and not enough answers Porter has his work cut out for him in this one, and even his own life is on the line.

I really enjoy this series, but didn't realise until starting this one that I missed book two, suffice to say this works well as a standalone too!

Thanks NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a digital copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review!

Borgos, in Book 3, has chosen for the reader to reenter the world of the pandemic. It is 2020, and Covid is just now making an appearance in Lincoln County. If a soundtrack were to accompany The Blue Horse, it should be Wagner's Das Lied von der Erde. Considered one of the most melancholy works of classical music, this tone poem celebrates themes of earthly beauty, transience, loneliness, and mortality. In a similar manner, The Blue Horse opens with a "gathering" of mustangs being herded by a Black Hawk helicopter. A stunning shot kills the pilot, and in an instant, our protagonist Porter Beck switches from observer to investigator.

The novel begins shortly after the conclusion of Book 2. Charlie Blue Horse and Porter have found a love that, while new, feels everlasting. It won't be long before Beck and Blue Horse will be working together at the state level. Tuffy, Porter's top deputy, is set to take over the position of sheriff, and Brinley is volunteering to help heal abused children. Pop's mental health has not changed much. The mandatory masks and business closings are more ignored than followed; then both Tuffy and Pop begin coughing.

Readers may not be aware that a broad category for creating fiction exists: "pantser or plotter." The former tends to start with an idea and let the plot unfold as it is being written. Borgos is an avowed plotter. In an online interview with Nerd Daily, he states: "I’m a real plotter. I couldn’t “pants” my way through college, so why would I try it in my writing? Everything you see in my books comes from a very detailed outline. Every chapter and major event has been laid out well in advance of me typing the first sentence of the first draft." While both methods are successful, here Borgos offers a tightly woven thriller that completely holds the reader's attention. Those who prefer a lighter mystery should be aware that Borgos does not shy away from graphic violence, both involving the mustangs and the people of Lincoln County. While the storyline is somber, the strength of the characters, who often employ witticisms, keeps the reader engaged. This is a worthy read that is well-suited for book clubs and readers who enjoy high tension in realistic settings.

Full disclosure: I received the ARC from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an unbiased review.

This historical mystery is set in the early stages of COVID. It brought back many of the uncertainties we experienced at the time. The location of the novel in Nevada and centering around wild horses was informative. I liked Porter as the hero. He is a dedicated law man while juggling other responsibilities. It was interesting to learn about night blindness.

This is the first book I have read in the series. The existing relationships had less of an impact than if I had read the previous novels. I felt the novel read quite well on its own, however. It has a good amount of action and twists. Those who enjoy contemporary mysteries in a western setting will enjoy this one.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent review.

The Blue Horse by Bruce Borgos

Borgos writes an excellent book. I find books that engage my emotions are my favorites. Books that engage my emotions and stimulate my intellect are tops. Add to those features action and pathos and you have a winner! Borgos does all of that and more with this book.

A setting in the Covid crisis is something that resonates with all of us. Everyone was impacted by that plague. Add to the setting the controversial round up of wild horses and environmental impact issues beyond that of rancher rancor and you have a county sheriff on edge. Porter Beck is struggling with decreased sight and facing major life changes in his professional career as well.

Brinley and Mercy both figure in the plot if you have read the two prior books, their presence will be well received.

Borgos shows how effective leading by example, seeing pain in others and tackling that pain in the face of daunting odds makes utterly compelling reading. If you love a book that brings you to tears, that ramps up your empathy, that endears you to the characters, that compels you to read well beyond bedtime, you must read this book.

I highly recommend it.

Complex and action packed crime mystery with a Western flare! The controversial maintenance of wild mustangs spurs murder, and everything spirals. A good touch of humanity with down-to-earth characters and some interesting subplots intertwined.

Netflix or Taylor Sheridan - Please make this a series! I absolutely love every single Porter Beck book. In this one, there were some happy times, perilous and dangerous times, and unfortunately some sad times. I think that's what I love about this book and the others - it's like real life and you're dropped in Nevada and living with the characters as the story revolves around them and us. I know I'm not giving any details, but that's because I don't like details myself when picking entertainment.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Bruce Borgos for such a wonderful series!

Porter Beck is back at it with another complicated case, this time involving a wild horse roundup, a murdered pilot, and some shady people. This is the second book that I've read in the series, and while the plot didn't take me by surprise, I enjoyed the predictability of a solid procedural with a western flair. I loved the evolution of Beck, Charlie & Brinley in this installment of the series!