The Blue Horse by Bruce Borgos gives us the 3rd installment of Sheriff Porter Beck who is having a bad day at the office. It’s COVID, a helicopter is shot from the sky during a wild horse round up, a govt official is murdered, his sister is missing and his dad gets COVID. Only to mention a few things. An action packed storyline. Porter Beck is one of my favorite characters only surpassed by Bo!

I’m glad that he will be staying on as sheriff so we can look forward to the next one.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this ARC book.

I read a lot of mysteries - they are my go-to escape genre - and I think Borgos is an excellent mystery writer. The Blue Horse is part of the Porter Beck series but is easily a great stand-alone book as well. Beck, a sheriff in a large southwestern county, has a rare genetic disease which is causing him to go blind. Currently he can see fine during the day, but has complete night blindness. In this novel, he has accepted his fate and is planning for the future by training a service dog, who he loving refers to as his deputy - and makes a great addition to the story line. There are many twists and turns and red herrings in this book to keep the reader constantly wondering what's going to be happen next. As soon as you think you have everything figured out, more information comes pouring in, and the story flows in a different direction. However, Borgos's skill as a writer keeps you from getting confused and instead builds suspense. If you like mysteries, you should read this book.

The Blue Horse by Bruce Borgos is a Porter Beck mystery. The BLM is rounding up wild horses which attracts protesters. As Porter watches, a sniper shoots the helicopter pilot while he is herding horses. Later, a gruesome murder takes place which is probably related. Porter has to work with the FBI once again; he is short-handed due to COVID.
This series is well written. I enjoy the characters especially Porter Beck. The crimes are convoluted so it takes awhile to figure it out- an enjoyable process.

I really liked this book, which is the third in the current 3-book series. In my opinion, it can be read as a standalone. The story takes place in 2020 in the Nevada desert, when Covid has spread across the US and people are still wondering whether it is safer to take the vaccines or risk the virus.

The main character is Sheriff Porter Beck, who has a eye health condition that has caused him to retire shortly from his job. He already has another job lined up where his eyesight will not be an issue.

The story begins with a group of wild horses who are being moved to another area, because people are encroaching on their territory. Sheriff Porter Beck and his deputy Tuffy Scruggs are present to watch the evacuation. A helicopter is being used to drive the horses towards the place they will be temporarily held. Then a shot rang out and the helicopter fell to the ground.

Next, the woman in charge of the relocation was discovered to be missing. She was later found, murdered in a particularly gruesome fashion. Someone was also shooting the wild horses. But who was behind all of this, and why? More new developments were that a company was now operating a lithium mine in the area, and that local ranchers were selling out and were cagey about telling who was buying.

I received an e-arc from the publisher St. Martin's Press, and voluntarily read and reviewed it.

I love the Porter Beck mysteries! The author always writes the characters so well that you feel you know them. The story grabs you and keeps you hooked from beginning to end. Like all of his other books I highly recommend this book.

Sheriff Porter Beck heads out to observe a BLM wild horse roundup with his deputy and finds himself in the middle of an active crime scene. Complications ensue as he attempts to solve a crime with too many moving parts. At the same time COVID is spreading, his sister has gone missing, his father's Alzheimer's is getting worse, and he's worried his girlfriend is going to break up with him. Oh, and he's losing his vision and can longer see at night.

These handicaps make it a challenge to find out who is behind the killings, but Beck and his crew manage to solve the murders and uncover a criminal conspiracy in the process.

This is the third Porter Beck mystery. I have not read the other books in the series, but this did not affect my understanding of the story. I enjoyed it a great deal and will go back to read the other two. Borgos is a good storyteller who manages to tie all the complex pieces of the mystery together into a very suspenseful narrative. I highly recommend.

I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I wasn’t sure if this was going to be a book I would enjoy, but I LOVED it. The sheriff reminds me a bit of Walt from the show Longmire, which I loved. Turns out this is the third book in the series, so I’ll have to go find the others to get the backstory. But it can be easily read on its own. It’s not a western, but I think it would appeal to people who enjoy westerns b/c the sheriff is a small town guy, horses are important to the story and there’s a group called the cattle mafia. It was a really fascinating story and all the characters are extremely likeable. This is definitely a series I want to read more of. It moved along nicely; not too fast, but not too slow. Just a really nice, comfy read. I received an advance copy of read and all opinions are my own.

Sheriff Porter Beck returns in The Blue Horse, the latest installment from Bruce Borgos. Set during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Porter is quickly caught between the Bureau of Land Management—overseeing a controversial wild horse roundup—and Etta Clay, the passionate leader of CANTER, a group protesting the operation. The story kicks off with a bang: in the first chapter, Porter witnesses the murder of a helicopter pilot involved in the roundup.
With the help of his girlfriend Charlie, the ever-charming Tuffy, and his loyal dog Columbo, Porter pieces together clues to solve the case.
What makes this series truly shine is the strength of its characters. From Tuffy’s hilarious misuse of the English language to Porter’s unique challenges—like his night blindness—Borgos creates a vivid, memorable cast. His generous use (some might say overuse) of folksy similes adds flavor and charm to the storytelling. By the final page, readers feel like they know these characters personally. While I don't usually read the author's acknowledgements, this time, I highly recommend it as it forces the reader to actually think about the rightness of rounding up the wild horses in Nevalda versus letting them live free.
Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for my honest opinion. This is a strong, engaging addition to the series—and absolutely worth the read.

This is the third book in the Bruce Borgos Porter Beck series that I have read, and I was excited to get an advanced readers copy from the publisher and Netgalley. This series has evolved and I think improved with each book. The character development has really helped to improve the story-telling, and make you more invested in the characters. While you could read this as the first book in the series, I'd suggest starting with the first book in the series, The Bitter Past, and then proceed to Shades of Mercy. Each story is unique and stand-alone, but they make your read much more satisfying. I've reviewed both of those books too, and I think this series is only getting better with time. I highly recommend it. No spoilers here, but if you like a good fast paced novel, with an interesting mystery, it is worth your time.

Excellent mystery. Roundup of wild horses leads to murder. Native Americans, corporations, mix it up. Sheriff is going blind. Learned a lot about wild horses. Recommend

Are you looking for a mystery with a few twists? Author Bruce Borgos’s Nevada sheriff, Porter Beck, returns in the third installment of the mystery series that bears his name in The Blue Horse. Amidst a wild horse roundup where helicopters are being used, Beck hears what sounds like gunfire. Suddenly, the whirlybird is falling from the sky. While investigating the crash scene, Tuffy Scruggs, his deputy, comes across a strange object: a toy blue horse. Some scenes of animal cruelty may be difficult for some readers.

The first thought is that animal rights protesters are to blame. Then another, more vicious killing occurs, and the sheriff’s thoughts turn to a particular person of interest. With his office short-staffed due to other investigations and COVID, he and his girlfriend, state detective Charlie Blue Horse, have their hands full. To top it off, other family members have serious problems going on as well. But a man can only do so much.

Borgos attempts to stay on the fringes of taking sides in the wild horse gather dispute. There are activists on both sides. He has his protagonist follow the facts and the law. Porter does, however, make some choices that get him into trouble. His office is short-staffed, time is short, and he must live with the choices he makes. Borgos has done a good job creating tension and suspense. I read for hours on end, and I still didn’t know who was responsible for the crimes. Was it one person? Or more?

Beck has personal choices to make as well. The reader sees a more human side of Beck emerge in this book, as we see his relationship with Charlie evolve. The Blue Horse is a clue, in more ways than one.

I read The Blue Horse as an ARC. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and the author.

4 stars

The Blue Horse by author Bruce Borgos is the third Beck Porter book I've read and have thoroughly enjoyed all. This novel is about wild horses and the murder of 2 people working for the BLM. This story has so much action and heart stopping moments. I really enjoy the characters in this series, so strong and yet so vulnerable.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for my review copy of this book.

“Cruelty requires no motive, just opportunity.”

This is the third installment of the Porter Beck Mystery series. With both previous books being five-star reads, I was looking forward to this one. I was disappointed.

If Bruce Borgos’ intent was to inform me of the plight of the wild horse, he didn’t succeed. I’m still left with questions. I think his drive to keep his personal stance out of the narrative affected it. I didn’t get pulled into the quest for justice because Borgos kept a tight reign on emotions. When I was more interested in how the woman from the Bureau of Land Management and the helicopter pilot found themselves in a predicament, I knew the author had an uphill battle. I didn’t care about the horses, and I normally would have been invested.

On a slight tangent, if Bruce Borgos’ intent was to show me how the cowboys and cattlemen viewed the round up, he succeeded. I’d have loved more information, but that’s a personal thing.

If Bruce Borgos’ intent was to show me how the electric battery market led to complicit government deals and affected the wild horse roundup, he didn’t succeed. I’m still puzzled.

However, if Bruce Borgos’ intent was to delve deeper into Porter and his girlfriend and give us more of their backstory, he succeeded. I'm presuming the title refers to his girlfriend, not the wild horses.

I’m on Outlier Island alone with this one - alone, pouting, and wondering what the heck a Utah waffle is! I’ll be watching to see if others felt the same way.

I was gifted this copy by St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

4.5 raised to 5 stars. I was grateful and excited to receive the ARC for The Blue Horse. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the 3rd Porter Beck thriller by Bruce Borgos. These three books have made him a favourite author of complex, well-plotted thrillers with intriguing characters who come alive on the pages. Set in the Nevada high desert country with a vivid sense of place, I felt as if I had been transported there.

The year is 2020, and COVID is spreading. During a controversial roundup of wild horses, trouble ensues. Sheriff Porter Beck learns that a helicopter herding the horses to a designated area where they will no longer roam freely has been shot down. The pilot was killed. The head of the Bureau of Land Management that coordinated the roundup was killed in a ghastly manner. She was buried up to her neck and then trampled by horses. A cowboy was shot, as well as some horses in the corral. The ranchers are opposed to the wild horses roaming onto their territory. The FBI enters the case. The FBI suspects the group leading protests to allow the horses to roam everywhere is involved in the murders. Their leading suspects in the animal rights group are a woman named Etta and a former soldier, Race Northrup, who was in hiding when he witnessed the Taliban killing his comrades in an identical manner to the woman so savagely killed.

Sherrif Porter Beck of a vast area of 11,000 square miles in Nevada. His territory is enormous but has a sparse population and few crimes. He is a dedicated and intelligent officer in the military intelligence branch overseas and spent time in Russia. His father was the former sheriff, and he returned home when his father retired with dementia, and Beck took over his role and the jurisdiction of the widespread area. COVID is spreading, making his assistants scarce. Life is interfering with his crime-solving. His 90-year-old father is seriously ill with COVID. His adopted sister Brinley, a firearms expert, has gone missing, and his love interest, Charlie Blue Horse, a law officer, is acting strangely, and he fears she may break up with him. He had planned to eventually leave his position and work alongside her in the Nevada State force. His deputy, Tuffy Scrubbs, has COVID, and refuses to stay home from work. Beck suffers from retinitis pigmentosa, a deteriorating eye condition leading to night blindness and other eye trouble. He is now unable to see after dark.

His adopted sister Brinley had been working with a group of troubled boys in a wilderness camp. The most challenging boy, Rafa, runs away in the night. Brinley catches up with him near an illicit lithium mine run by treacherous Canadians. They witness a man being brutally beaten up by guards near the mine. Why? Brinley and Rafa rescue the injured man, X-Files, an investigative reporter and conspiracy advocate. The guards are hunting for them. Rafa saves their lives and shows his bravery and resourcefulness. Beck needs someone to find Brinley, now suffering from COVID while hiding, and requests help from an unusual source. Help in the investigation is also forthcoming from Charlie's adopted daughter, Mercy.
Mercy is an expert computer hacker; the second book is titled after her.

Beck is becoming less convinced of the pursuit of animal rights groups by the FBI and is focusing on the lithium mine workers for the murders. It will poison the groundwater, and this has been covered up. It is believed the mine is run by Canadians but controlled by the Italian mob. The groups investigating the suspicious mine come together in an action-packed ending. The mine is closed down and made safe for future mining under the equal control by the Canadian and American governments. I wonder how that will work out.

This is an interesting part of the world for these superb thrillers. The first Beck book featured the testing of atomic bombs in the 1950s and the coverup of radiation fallout. The second one mentioned conspiracy rumours about secret UFOs and an alien body at Site 51.

All three books in the Porter Beck series are highly recommended, and each one can be read as a standalone. The publication date is July 8/2025.

Thanks to Bruce Borgos, St, Martin's Press, and NetGalley for access to the Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This story takes place in Nevada and is centered around murders associated with a wild horse roundup. Detective Porter Beck is on the case along with his staff and other law enforcement agencies. I found the characters engaging, the writing well done, and the dialog and situations realistic. This is also the first book I've read to incorporate the Covid Pandemic in a natural way. A well written and absorbing detective story, this book is the third in the Porter Beck series and can be read independent of the others. Recommended.

Porter Beck, one of my absolutely favorite, intelligent, well-rounded, and nuanced fictional main characters of the New West, is back for a third book, and, after a long military career and then sheriff of Lincoln County, Nevada, he is ready to change careers to work along his girlfriend, Detective Charlie Blue Horse, as the new Chief of the Investigative Division for the Department of Public Safety. But right now, Sheriff Beck and his deputy/successor Tuffy Scruggs (she/her) are trying to manage protestors against the BLM’s “gathering” of wild horses in a supposedly drought-stricken area by using helicopters instead of cowboys. 1500 mustangs will be adopted out or put into private corrals, but will never roam free again. The roundup is controversial and gets more so when one of the helo-herders is sniped out of the sky. We’re also in the days of the pandemic, so any cough among law enforcement or in crowds is a prelude to other worries.

Beck’s adorable doggo, Columbo/Bo, a potential seeing eye dog for the man who hides his retinitis pigmentosa (degenerating night vision) pretty well is back, too, and is also put to work as a police sniffer dog. Even though he was a Reno PD K-9 dropout, Bo’s new abilities include nosing up wall light switches when Porter wakes up in the dark.

Borgos presents a big cast of colorful characters again, including Beck’s 90 year old forgetful dad, his professional firearms expert sister Brinley, his adopted 17 year old hacker daughter, the Twin Peaks/Jolly Greens (identical twin deputies), and the local podcaster named “X-Files” (the setting is adjacent to Area 51). As Beck investigates, he’s concerned about Tuffy’s nagging cough and Charlie Blue Horse’s overly queasy stomach. It’s necessary to get FBI agents involved once a federal employee is gruesomely slaughtered. Public sentiment believes the roundup resistors are obviously responsible, but something feels off to Porter, including the fact that the local ranchers that are usually anti-horse, are packing up and selling out to a shady Canadian lithium mining operation. Evil Canadians…that’s new.

There is a side story with Brinley and a juvenile runaway while she’s camping with a youth organization in Great Basin Park in eastern Nevada that also eventually involves the Sheriff’s investigation as well. And once the two stories merge, this thriller is action-packed all the way until the end.

Borgos deftly addresses a lot of controversial environmental issues about wild horses, rancher issues, rare earth mineral acquisition, and illicit mining practices on private lands that affect public groundwater. Like Porter, he tries to be Switzerland on the wild horse issue, but I suspect I know where stands.

5 stars for another great installment in this series! I want to know how Bo and baby get along in the next one!

And, no, this Utahn has never heard of a “Utah Waffle” soaked in coffee, since, well, coffee isn’t really a Utah thing. But if the bread was soaked in Dr. Pepper with coconut cream…. different story!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Brinley has emerald eyes, and Mercy has green eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO Borgos knows the cold desert/high mountain horticulture of the Great Basin well.

Thank you to St.Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy!

I enjoyed being in Porter Beck's world in the first two novels in this series and it was a pleasure to go back there. In this story, Porter and his girlfriend, Charlie Blue Horse, have teamed up to attempt to discover who is behind the murders of two people associated with rounding up wild horses. As in the other books, the investigation progresses as a good pace but there is also quite a bit of character development for Porter and Charlie. I enjoyed the humor and the family relationships and am looking forward to knowing more about these people.

Great book! Couldn't stop reading it. Thank you for letting me read this in advance. I can't stop thinking about it. Searching more from this author now.

A book that is hard to put down! The third installment in the Sheriff Porter Beck series is just as captivating, if not more so, than the first two. It is highly engaging with numerous twists and turns. The recurring characters in this series are fantastic, and I appreciate how they collaborate and care for one another. Set in 2020, as COVID-19 begins to impact the country, the depiction of events during this time is very accurate. I highly recommend this series. While you don't need to read the first two books before diving into this one, it is likely more enjoyable if you do. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing an advanced reader copy for my honest review.

Sheriff Beck’s Territory Is Under Attack

Wild horses have freely roamed this area for eons, now somebody wants them gone. During the roundup a group of protesters interrupt the process and a man involved in herding the horses is killed. When sheriff Beck investigates the death he finds some evidence but nothing that points him to a suspect. Things get more difficult when another person is brutally murdered while transporting horses away from the disputed land. Who is responsible for these murders? The answer will have you guessing until the very end. Then you’ll be looking forward to the next book in the series. I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley, this is my honest review.