Dead Man’s Hand by John V. Madormo

Item: Dead Man's Hand
Rating: 5
Author: karenbaron

Posted August 28, 2025 by karenbaron in Children's, Review, Science Fiction, Series / 0 Comments

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Dead Man's Hand

by John V. Madormo

Series: Abilene Kid #1
Series Rating:

Published by Wise Wolf Books on April 29, 2025
Setting: Abilene, Kansas
Genres: Middle Grade Time Travel Adventure
Pages: 266
Format: Kindle
Source: the Author
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Get Your Copy at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Google, BookShop.org

AN EPIC YA WESTERN TIME-TRAVEL ADVENTURE BEGINS…

Twelve-year-old Dominick Dalesandro is obsessed with the Old West—outlaws, lawmen, and dusty frontier towns. But when a mysterious library book transports him back to 1888 Abilene, Kansas, history is no longer just a subject he studies…it’s a world he must survive.

Sheriff Amos "Lone Wolf" Malone has chosen Dominick as his apprentice, giving him the chance to live out his Wild West dreams under a new name: Pete Moss. But adventure quickly turns to danger when Pete learns that the sheriff is doomed to die in just one month. Determined to change history, Pete must navigate gunfights, town secrets, and a daring rescue mission—all while trying to stop a fate that the sheriff refuses to outrun.

As the stakes rise, Pete faces an impossible choice: save the kidnapped children he’s sworn to find or prevent the sheriff’s tragic end. One decision could change the past forever—but at what cost?

Perfect for fans of time-travel adventures and YA Westerns, The Abilene Kid: Dead Man’s Hand delivers heart-pounding action, historical intrigue, and an unforgettable hero. Ride into the past and join the adventure today! Grab your copy now and step into the Wild West!

Dead Man’s Hand by John V. Madormo tells the story of Dominick Dalesandro, who lives his dream of being in the Wild West.

Is the Old Wild West everything that Dom dreamt it would be?

Dominick Dalesandro/Pete Moss

Dominick Dalesandro just finished the sixth grade in his middle school in Chicago. He is fascinated by the Old West, especially the lawmen of those times. The one he likes the most is Amos “Lone Wolf” Malone. Dom gets the chance of a lifetime when Amos comes to him out of a book to bring him back and make him his apprentice, with the goal of one day taking over as the Sheriff of Abilene. He jumps at the chance, especially with a goal in mind. I like Dom as he is a good kid, and he seems to thrive in certain aspects of being in the Wild West. The other thing I like is how people look at him strangely when he introduces himself under his new name, Pete Moss.

The Adventure

Dom, also known as Pete, had quite an adventure traveling back to the old Wild West in 1888, Abilene, Kansas. Pete had several interesting encounters while helping out the sheriff before their most complicated case to date was brought to their attention. Two missing kids, a sister and brother duo taken off their fields, and Amos and Pete were put on the case. I had a feeling I knew who it was after giving it some thought for a while. I am quite surprised that I was right, as sometimes the obvious answer isn’t always the correct one. Seeing how Pete found them was terrific. Mr. Madormo did an excellent job of diverting attention away from the person who actually committed the deed.

Five Stars

My rating for Dead Man’s Hand by John V. Madormo is five stars. It’s the start of an excellent series by Mr. Madormo about a modern-day preteen traveling back in time to 1888 to help out Sheriff Amos Malone as a sheriff’s apprentice. I was having so much fun reading this book.

Abilene Kid Series

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Dead Man’s Hand by John V. Madormo.

Until the next time,

Happy Reading!

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About John V. Madormo

John Madormo, Chicago area author/screenwriter has created a body of work that has attracted the attention of publishers and motion picture producers. John has signed multiple publishing contracts and has sold a family comedy screenplay to a Los Angeles production company.

Author of a four-book middle-grade mystery series with Penguin Books for Young Readers. Charlie Collier, Snoop for Hire is a tale about a 12-year-old private detective who sets up shop in his parents’ garage and solves cases for fellow sixth-grade classmates. Book #1 – “The Homemade Stuffing Caper” was released in 2012. Book #2 – “The Camp Phoenix Caper” debuted in 2013. Book #3 – “The Copycat Caper” hit bookstore shelves in 2014. And Book #4 – “The Buried Treasure Caper,” was released in 2017. The book series has been embraced by educators on a national scale:
Author of a four-book middle-grade western series with Wolfpack Publishing (Las Vegas, NV). The first book in the series, “The Abilene Kid–Dead Man’s Hand” debuted in April, 2025. Books #2 – “The Abilene Kid–Boot Hill Curse” was released in May, 2025. Book #3 – “The Abilene Kid–Sacred Relics” was released in June, 2025. Book #4 – “The Abilene Kid–Sweet Revenge” will debut in August, 2025. The series follows 12-year-old Dominick Dalesandro who is obsessed with Amos “Lone Wolf” Malone, the sheriff of Abilene, KS. The decorated lawman is so moved by Dominick’s devotion that he appears to the youngster and invites him back to 1888 to become his successor.
Author of a two-book middle-grade science fiction series with Lawley Publishing (Phoenix, AZ). Book #1 – “Crash Crawford, Accidental Astronaut: Journey to Proxima Centauri B” will be released in the fall of 2025. Book #2 – “Crash Crawford, Accidental Astronaut: Journey to Gliese 667 Cc” will debut in the spring of 2026.
Author of a two-book middle-grade series with Zumaya Publications (Austin, TX). “The Adventures of Rutherford, Canine Comic” debuted in the fall of 2020. Book 2 will be released in the fall of 2025. Rutherford, Canine Comic, the first book in the series, features the exploits of a basset hound whose only goal in life is to become a family watchdog. But when an accident on a dark dirt road leaves Rutherford with two broken legs, his dreams of protecting the hearth soon fade. He reluctantly accepts the fact that he must now find a new career—one that will pay the bills. Rutherford turns to the glitz and glamour of the stage, and a career as a stand-up comedian.
Author of a two-book young adult series with The Wild Rose Press (Adams Basin, NY). “The Summer of Guinevere” debuted in April of 2019, and the sequel, “The Autumn of Andie” was released in August of 2020. This series follows the exploits of Paulie Passero, a shy, misunderstood teen who has never had the courage to ask a girl out on a date, and who longs for a lasting relationship.

John sold a family comedy screenplay, “Coach Dracula”, to Dog & Rooster Productions, Studio City, CA. He optioned a family comedy screenplay, “Two-Faced!”, to Doris Roberts (“Everybody Loves Raymond”) Enterprises. Ms. Roberts and her manager/son, Michael Cannata, held the rights for three years. John completed a screenplay adaptation of the young adult novel, “The Ghost of Lizard Light” by Elvira Woodruff, for Flatiron Films, producers of the 2000 release “Pay It Forward” starring Kevin Spacey and Helen Hunt.

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