After receiving a widget via NetGalley to read The Blue Horse back in March, I decided to take a chance on the novel, despite the fact that it, one, was not a genre I typically read and two, I hadn’t read the other installments in the series.

Borgia did an excellent job establishing the characters and the setting so us standalone readers weren’t confused. Porter Beck is a nuanced western sheriff, with several key traits that unravel as the plot unfolds, allowing me (and I assume other readers) to forget the stereotypes that have been connected with his choice of career and entrenched in the literary genre itself for over a century. Indeed, I truly enjoyed the surprise moments during which other languages were utilized and his military experience lead to a unique skillset or breakthrough in the case. So too was the mystery of the murders well planned— so much so that I truly didn’t foresee who the killers were.

As a disclaimer, it took me far too many pages to truly become invested in the story, much less interested in reading the novel, as I felt there was some elemental charm missing in the first several chapters that quickly made its presence known by the middle of the novel. As such, I took far too long to read the novel, setting it aside for days and even a few weeks. That said, now having completed The Blue Horse, I do not believe there is a pacing issue, as I originally thought. I think it’s simply due to the fact that this novel, the fourth in the series, was my introduction to the world of Porter Beck and because again, this is not the genre I typically read. Given that disclaimer, however, I do think it would be prudent of Borgos to create a bit more momentum early in the next book to keep readers like myself from abandoning the novel.

One more note: as a teacher, I work with today’s teenagers (middle school and high school students) every day. Therefore, when Rafa was introduced, I kept questioning whether or not the teens of 2020 actually used certain terms that he kept saying. Perhaps my students took to the slang later than others, but I don’t remember my 2020 students saying ‘no cap’ and ‘on God’. For me, my students didn’t start using them until at least 2022.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author/publisher for providing me with a copy. Here’s my honest opinion.

Bruce Borgos is a must read anytime a new book comes out because his stories don’t disappoint. The characters round out the story nicely, and I was pleased see the return of his girlfriend Detective Charlie Blue Horse along with his kick-ass sister Brinley and computer genius Mercy (love her character).

This third in the Porter Beck series has his department investigating several deaths with a backdrop of a wild horse roundup by the Government, protestors, and lithium mining interests in rural Nevada. It’s set as the COVID pandemic is beginning capturing the rural reaction well.

Easily makes my 2025-favorites list.

Another grand adventure for Beck and his crew. When someone shoots down a helicopter pilot during a wild horse round-up, Beck is sure he will find the shooter quickly. Then when the woman who works for the BLM and one of her workers is murdered, Beck isn't so sure things are cut and dried. As Charlie and Beck's relationship progresses, Charlie drops a bomb on Beck. Their lives will be changed. Can Beck, Charlie and the others find the people responsible for the murders?

This is the third book of this great series. Small town Nevada sheriff and his team solving complex crimes. Plenty of twists and turns and action to keep you on your toes. I love this series.

I really enjoy this series, and The Blue Horse is no exception!
Porter Beck is a county sheriff in the high desert of Nevada, near Area 51. Former military and son of the previous sheriff (who is now 90), Beck is skilled, intelligent and thoughtful. He also suffers night blindness, which he is trying to adapt to in a variety of ways, including bringing on a canine deputy, Columbo (Bo), who flunked out of the police dog academy twice but Beck hopes will work out as a seeing eye dog. Beck, Bo, and Beck's second in command are monitoring the controversial round up wild horses by the Bureau of Land Management when a helicopter involved in the process goes down. Beck and Bo realize right away that it wasn't a simple crash: the pilot was shot. When the BLM employee managing the roundup is brutally murdered soon after, Beck brings in the Feds to help him find the killer. The FBI's evidence leads them to two individuals protesting the round-up, but Beck suspects a set-up and is determined to get to the bottom of it. All of this takes place against the back-drop of the earlier days of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is just starting to hit people in Beck's county and laying out some of his team and family. There are a couple of subplots involving Beck's family and personal life that add depth and emotion to the story. Well written and superbly plotted, The Blue Horse explores the controversy surrounding wild horses while providing an action-packed and engaging thriller.
Although this is the 3rd book in the series, I think it can easily be read as a standalone.

This is book 3 of the Porter Beck series. Porter is a sheriff in Nevada. During a controversial wild horse round-up (which is being observed by Porter and his team), the helicopter conducting the round-up crashes. Porter and his team set out to investigate and quickly discover that the pilot was shot.

There is a lot going on in this book. It takes place in 2020 and is during the early stages of Covid. Porter's dad is ill. His sister, Brinley, is counseling kids at a camp when one of the boys goes missing and she sets out to find him. They end up in the wrong place at the wrong time. There is lithium mines and wild horses. Porter's girlfriend, Charlie Blue Horse, is a state detective and she comes in to assist with the investigation when Porter's deputy gets Covid. Porter suffers from a disease of the retina that affects his eyesight at night and in poor lighting. He has a lab named Frank Columbo, or Bo, that helps Porter at night when he can't see.

Bruce Borgos didn't come onto my book radar until last year - and that by chance. I am very grateful for that radar blip, because I loved his first two books about Porter Beck, a sheriff in rural Nevada.

Without much bravado, Borgos builds up his stories with subplots and understated humor, and they come together in the end of each book as well-woven tales of suspense and action without falling into the trap of showing off all his research into a historical period or a geographical area.

In this third volume in the Porter Beck series, Borgos leaves more room for the "supporting cast" surrounding Porter Beck, which adds an extra layer of dynamics to the story - and it works really well. The plot is believable - although at times gruesome - and the characters seem authentic and real.

As much as I am grateful for stumbling across Bruce Borgos, I am equally grateful that he is a very productive writer, so I will be impatiently waiting for the next installation in the series.

I have enjoyed this series from the start. With down-to-earth characters, twisting storylines, and even a little romance, this series brings it all together.

Porter Beck is working on what is likely his last case as Sheriff of the county. The novel addresses the issue of wild horses in Nevada and the groups that oppose rounding them up. Several gruesome deaths occur, bringing Beck into the mix, along with his girlfriend, Charlie.

The book is set in late 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. They are not immune to it even there, and several characters deal with the effects of the contagion on top of these murders.

Beck's father is still alive and kicking, and despite having dementia, he remains sharp regarding locations. Brinley is still tough as nails, despite her desire to help kids who are lost and need a little guidance. However, one of these kids bolts from the camp, and they get a little too close to the action that Beck is uncovering. We even see Mercy in this novel. I like her character, she is whip-smart and is able to uncover details quicker via the internet and her hacking capabilities.

This novel, like the first two, is filled with action as they race to uncover the truth. I enjoyed each page of this novel, and wonder what could happen in future novels.

If you decide to check out this series, make sure to start with the first book to gain a better understanding of the characters and the relationships.

We give this book 5 paws up.

In this third book in the 'Porter Beck' series, the Nevada sheriff investigates three murders. The book works as a standalone, but familiarity with the characters is a bonus.

On that note:

Sheriff Porter Beck and his small cadre of officers uphold the law in Lincoln County, Nevada, a vast sparsely populated region that contains Area 51: a U.S. military base synonymous with stories of UFOs and government cover-ups. Previously, Beck was an army intelligence officer and is familiar with many languages, including Russian and French.

Beck has a degenerative eye disease that affects his vision. Beck can see in daylight, but is blind at night, and will eventually be completely sightless. To prepare for his ultimate loss of vision, Beck has a canine named Frank Columbo (Bo), who's being trained as a seeing-eye dog.

Porter's 90-year-old father, Joe Beck, had been sheriff for three decades and is beloved and respected in Lincoln County. Joe is now suffering from dementia, but still likes to mount a horse and ride with Porter on occasion.

Porter's adopted sister Brinley Cummings, who was rescued from an abusive home, is one of the foremost weapons experts in the country. Brinley consults on Hollywood movie sets and does volunteer work with troubled youth.

Porter's girlfriend, Detective Charlotte (Charlie) Blue Horse, is a Paiute woman who works for the Department of Public Safety in Reno, 400 miles from Lincoln County. Charlie lives with her mother and 14-year-old daughter Jules. Charlie also 'fosters' a 17-year-old girl named Mercy, an extraordinary computer hacker who's in unofficial 'witness protection'.

Beck has plans to leave his job as sheriff and become chief of the Investigative Division for the Department of Public Safety, which will allow him to work with his girlfriend Charlie in Reno. When Beck departs, Chief Deputy Tuffy Scruggs - Beck's top officer who looks more like Dick Butkus than Dick Tracey - is slated to become sheriff.

*****

The story opens in September 2020, during the Covid pandemic, and in the midst of a wild horse roundup, or gather, in Lincoln County. The gather is cited as an emergency by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), due to drought. The BLM, under the direction of Jolene Manning, plans to capture and remove almost 1500 stallions, mares, and foals, all in the name of public land management. Ranchers support the gather, since the wild horses compete with their livestock for grass and water. On the other hand, there are dozens of protestors from CANTER (Compassionate Advocates for Natural Terrain and Equine Rights), led by activist Etta Clay. The CANTER demonstrators hold up placards and use bullhorns to hurl insults at BLM employees, cowboys, and helicopter pilots - who chase the horses into canyons, to be loaded on trailers and transported away.

Sheriff Beck and Chief Deputy Scruggs are on horseback observing the gather when a helicopter herding the horses crashes. Porter and Tuffy hurry over and find the pilot dead, shot in the chest by an expert marksman. The cops immediately suspect CANTER, and interview the group's leader Etta Clay, who claims to know nothing about the murder.

The next day, the local BLM director Jolene Manning is killed in the most horrendous fashion imaginable. Nearby, Daniel Cooper Scruggs (Tuffy's cousin) - the driver of a horse trailer - is also dead, shot in the head. Reporters stream in to cover the newsworthy crimes, and Sheriff Beck's team is joined by FBI investigators and Detective Charlie Blue Horse. The prime suspect is CANTER'S Etta Clay, who presumably conspired with accomplices to kill BLM employees rounding up horses.

In the meantime, more is going on in the region.

A Canadian mining company called Longbaugh Lithium has a large lithium mine in Lincoln County, and an investigative journalist nicknamed X-Files (for his investigations into Area 51) is making inquiries for an exposé of the mining operation. This angers the mine owners, who have enough trouble with protestors at their gates.

As all this is going on, markswoman Brinley Cummings is helping chaperone a group of troubled boys from the Lincoln County Youth Center. The boys are camping and hiking in Great Basin National Park as a form of wilderness therapy. The most difficult youth in the group, Rafa Porrazzo, runs away in the middle of the night, and Brinley sets off to catch him. Rafa has a 10-hour head start, the mountainous terrain is difficult, and Brinley has her job cut out for her.

The plot threads come together, including the search for the murderers; the mining operation; and Rafa's flight. In addition, computer hacker Mercy helps out from her home in Reno. The story has infidelity, action, danger, theft, blackmail, death, and destruction.....and canine Bo turns out to be a hero!!

In the midst of all the turmoil, Porter's father Joe Beck and Chief Deputy Tuffy Scruggs are showing signs of Covid, and the virus is spreading fast because most Nevadans refuse to wear masks. (Author Bruce Borgos is getting a little political here, but I don't mind.)

Beck successfully completes the investigation amidst tragedy and sadness, and surprises emerge. At the book's finale, Beck and Charlie Blue Horse have decisions to make, and it will be interesting to see how that plays out.

I like the 'Porter Beck' books because the plots are clever; there are strong female characters; and (most of) the males aren't entitled misogynists.

I'd recommend the book to fans of westerns and thrillers.

Thanks to Netgalley, Bruce Borgos and Minotaur Books for copy of the book.

This was my first time reading this author. Although this is the third book in a series, I had no trouble understanding the characters and their relationships- so it can be read as a stand alone. The story takes place during the early days of COVID. The setting is in the western US, and opens with wild horses being rounded up. While observing this, a helicopter that was helping herd from the air, crashes. Porter Beck (the detective) soon discovers that the pilot was actually murdered. Eventually, another murder happens- and the case becomes very twisty! There is also a lot of information about round-ups of wild horses, it is controversial, but Borgos writes objectively on both sides. (I did like the end notes where the author reveals his opinion!). Warning, the information about rounding up wild horses is very informational and factual, and many do not realize how deadly for the horses it can be. However, this is important to the story.

I really liked all the characters. This is a small town/county sheriff and his department running the investigation- which is how it is in a lot of counties in the western US. Porter is likable, and a persistent investigator. His team works well together, and they are quite the unique (in a good way!) bunch. There are responsibilities and family issues that Porter, along with other characters, are trying to balance while working their job. Things get even more interesting when his sister, a protester against the round ups, goes missing. And the twist there!!!!!

This was a unique read for me. It has a "cowboy" feel to it, but with a detective slant. The case and story grabbed me from the first page (honestly- you jump right in from page one). It is well written, with everything coming together. There were times I laughed aloud, but also a few moments where I teared up! I highly recommend this to anyone open to a new kind of mystery, with fantastic characters. I liked it so well I have added the first two to my shelf!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.

This is the third installment in this entertaining series. The series which is set in Nevada, has kind of an old west/Longmire vibe to it. This small, rural sheriff’s office is stretched thin when COVID and two brutal murders interrupt the Bureau of Land Management’s roundup and relocation of wild horses. The investigation leads to questions about how far protesters against the roundup are willing to go in their fight to protect the horses and then there’s the lithium mining company that gives Porter Beck the feeling that something shady is going on with their mining operations. Bruce Borgos has deftly woven the multiple plot threads into a story that keeps readers on the edge of their seats with plenty of twists, suspense and lots of action.

The Blue Horse is book three in the amazing series by Bruce Borgos.
This series is filled with unforgettable characters in a unique setting.
There was the right balance of everything. It has a good storyline, likable characters, easy flow, mystery, wit, thrills, twists and surprises.
The world-building is terrific with fluid and descriptive writing that helps readers envision the scenes.
This is an intriguing, gritty, suspenseful, and action-packed series with compelling characters.
This spell-binding thriller mystery will keep readers engaged from beginning to end. And the twists and surprises will be exactly what readers need to make this story the one they want to pick up next!
A great mystery that has held me captive.

When I was offered the opportunity to read an ARC of The Blue Horse, I wasn’t familiar with the Porter Beck series. But the blurb caught my attention, and I have to say that lately anything that feels like it has even a hint of a Western feel to it gets my attention. Well I’m most definitely glad I took the chance on this one. I loved it and have already downloaded the previous two books. Now I just need to find the time to read them. As I said, I wasn’t familiar with the series prior to starting this one, so I’m more than happy to report it can be read as a standalone with no knowledge of the previous books.

The story opens with Sheriff Beck, his deputy, and his dog, overseeing a controversial horse roundup when a shot rings out and suddenly the helicopter overseeing the event from above comes crashing down. And investigation of the crash site reveals the pilot had been shot, but that was just the first body to drop and just the start of a wonderfully complex police procedural. Fully developed characters, a smart plot, and some great action, kept me entertained from start to finish. As I mentioned I definitely intend to read the rest of the series and any future books, but I would also love to see this get translated to film. I wasn’t familiar with Bruce Borgos before reading this book but he is now solidly on my radar. I’d like to thank St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books, And NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of The Blue Horse.

https://www.amazon.com/review/RBU70MKYO4ORU/ref=pe_123899240_1043597390_SRTC0204BT_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-blue-horse-bruce-borgos/1146576501?ean=9781250373915&bvnotificationId=653a481a-5ccb-11f0-8010-0e3555cea2eb&bvmessageType=REVIEW_APPROVED&bvrecipientDomain=gmail.com#review/351530388

Thank you, Netgalley, Bruce Borgos, and St. Martin's Press for the eARC. A gripping murder mystery with a Wild West/Yellowstone feel, blended seamlessly with detective work and small-town politics. Packed with twists and turns I never saw coming—an intense and suspenseful ride from start to finish.

All you need is a rusty nail, a chair leg, an old lantern . . . .

I was absolutely thrilled to receive an advance copy of The Blue Horse, the third book in author Bruce Borgos’ Porter Beck series. Getting another book is like an old friend stopping by to regale you with more thrilling, exciting, almost unbelievably fantastic stories. You are immediately captivated; you can’t look away.

If you haven’t yet read the first two books in the series, you need to do it now. Any of the three books can be read standalone and will be perfectly satisfying, but author Borgos has created not just a fascinating main character but a world that surrounds him; supporting characters, the land and environment, and a look at some amazing – and often amazingly horrifying – things that happen right under our noses without us being aware. Borgos builds and builds, revealing more, adding depth and complexity until you have been expertly reeled in and can’t stop turning pages, can’t help wanting more.

Porter Beck is a sheriff in the Nevada high desert, performing the job his father, now elderly and suffering from dementia, performed for many years before him. Beck left his 20-year Army Intelligence career when he learned he had inherited retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative form of vision loss starting night blindness and ending with total blackout from his mother. Not too compatible with his Army career.

Porter Beck is a small-town sheriff with big-time contacts and skills. And with what’s been thrown at him in his short time on the job, he needs those contacts and skills. Over the course of the first two books he’s dealt with nuclear testing and the hunt for a Russian spy from the 1950’s, smuggling, opioids and overdoses, a military drone targeting people and animals, a teenage hacker, and kidnapping and torture. In book three, The Blue Horse, he’s confronted with the unlikely combination of a wild horse round up, the mafia, a lithium mining business that is deceiving the public and not what it seems and a search in the wilderness for his sister Brinley and a troubled teen.

Author Borgos is taking Porter Beck’s story to places you never would have expected; at the end of book one I wondered where Borgos could take this series if his main character was a sheriff who couldn’t see, but Borgos knew. Beck’s vision is always on his mind. He’s coping well, preparing for the future, training (Deputy Frank Columbo) Bo to be his guide dog; he’s widened the circle of people who know about his condition and asks for help when he needs it. Most of the time. But it still scares and saddens him, he has nightmares, and innocent phrases like “See you later,” can trigger him, and he often pushes the limit of when he should step back and ask for help. He’s a strong man, but no one is invincible.

Although The Blue Horse is very fast-paced, violent, with gruesome murders, and will leave you breathless with all the escalating suspense and danger, it’s also ironic, witty, humorous, emotional and unexpectedly sweet. Family is important to Beck, as is Detective Charlie Blue Horse, his girlfriend. They’ve been together about 14 months but have only seen each other as a couple a handful of times because of their jobs. That will change at the end of the year, though, because Beck is leaving his job as sheriff to work alongside Charlie as the chief of the Investigative Division for the Department of Public Safety. He isn’t worried – yet – that his physical condition will hamper his job performance, but Charlie’s behavior seems a little off recently, and Beck is worried about that. He fears that Charlie has started to think he’s going to be too much of a burden. She already has a demanding job, a mother and daughter to care for as well as teenaged hacker Mercy who now lives with her. Beck wonders when she’s going to come to her senses and realize taking on a someday-to-be-blind man with his elderly father suffering from dementia is not the stuff dreams are made of. But he was drawn to her the very first time he met her; it was obvious way back in the first book. He needs her, but he wants her to be happy more. Borgos shows us more and more of the tender man under the tough sheriff and it’s heartwarming among all the . I thought Porter Beck was such an interesting guy from the start and it becomes truer as the story unfolds.

After I finish a Porter Beck book I want another one right away, but then I realize how amazing it is that author Borgos can provide the varied, complex content, masterful quality of writing, and strong plot with such detail and depth in the short time between books. The Blue Horse was a gripping, satisfying read, making me cry “oh my gosh” at something so entirely unexpected a character did, burst into tears in fear for another character and laugh until I was wheezing at some of the things Borgos has his characters think and say. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for providing an advance copy of The Blue Horse via NetGalley. Author Bruce Borgos’ position as one of my all-time favorite authors is secure. Read this series and join me in eagerly waiting to see what’s in store for Porter Beck next. And smile at the fact that Borgos and his wife have a golden retriever named Charlie Blue Horse. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.

We're back with Sheriff Beck in rural Lincoln County, Nevada, for an exciting tale of intrigue and suspense. This is my third novel in this series and I loved returning to this fictional world.

This one, however, is confusing in the timeline of the series. In the previous book, Beck meets Charlie Blue Horse. This book takes place four years prior, and Beck and Charlie are in a relationship.

And Mercy, who we met in Shades of Mercy, is somehow in their lives four years earlier? I never did figure out the rationalization for setting this one in the past, except for the potential of reminding people about the craziness when Covid first happened.

The math doesn’t work for me, and the inconsistencies pulled me out of the story repeatedly and made it a 3.5 star read. Otherwise, it was a riveting, compelling story with authentic, vivid characters.

This is the third book in the Porter Beck series. It’s an entertaining mystery/suspense. Porter and his deputy, Tuffy, are perplexed by the crash of a helicopter. Why was it used in the round-up of wild horses. So many questions and twists. The plot is intriguing and edge of your seat exciting. A great read.

Brilliant Murder Mystery!!

I’m finding out I need to pursue further Porter Beck mysteries. This is number three in the series. Prior happenings are apparent, but I never felt lost - just interested. This is an edge-of-your-seat murder mystery set in the high desert of Nevada. It centers on the BLM wild horse round up - shows what I feel is a realistic view without being preachy. Those involved in the round up are being picked off. There are groups protesting events, how far are they willing to go?

Flashbacks to when COVID was rampant, as it affects those in the story. Descriptions of playing my favorite board/card game cribbage. Life's challenges, relationships, family, a very special service dog and very clever investigative methods.
I highly recommend this story/series.

The Blue Horse is the third book in the Porter Beck series by Bruce Borgos and is a great addition to the series.

Sheriff Porter Beck is back in another page-turning mystery. When the pilot of a helicopter driving a round-up of wild horses is shot and killed, Beck is thrust into the middle of a politically charged issue. Then the woman coordinating the round-up for the Bureau of Land Management is savagely murdered. Detective Charlie Blue Horse arrives to help with the investigation, which leads them to a Canadian Lithium mining operation near the round-up area. Meanwhile, Brinley is leading a group of troubled kids in a wilderness program, when one of them bolts one night. When Brinley catches up to him, they're just outside the mine—in the wrong place, at the wrong time.

With all these things going on, the plot moves quickly and there are multiple suspects. The scenes change smoothly from one point of view to the next, while keeping Beck's voice centerstage. Borgos always brings something interesting to his stories, and this one was no different.

All in all, this was a great addition to the series. If you like a little romance with your suspense, a close-knit family, and lots of red herrings, then definitely give these books a try!

Thank you to @Minotaur_Books and @NetGalley for a digital and physical copy for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.

Real Rating: 3.5* of five

Third in a series means the author's doing something right. In this entry, he's got the right combustible mix of environmentalism, corporate shenanigans, personal tsurres, and the usual pressures of fielding the high-profile cases of his department. Oh, and girlfriend stuff, too.

Tense, well-plotted, and solidly satisfying read. Not one that transcends genre, but definitely a top-tier example of it.

Minotaur Books needs $29 if you expect to read a hardcover. I'd spend it.