Book picks similar to
The First Shot by E.C. Tubb
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Fools Gold (The Chronicles of Lawmaker August Flynn Book 1)
Bill C Cannon - 2017
But the town is so wrapped up in lies, deceit and greed that it's difficult for Flynn to know who's telling the truth. VISIT WWW.RAGINGBULLPUBLISHING.COM AND DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE WESTERN STARTER LIBRARY
Scalp Hunters (Cole Taggart Book 1)
Robert Broomall - 2013
Now he seeks revenge on the men who murdered his Apache family, a band of scalp hunters led by the notorious Colonel Thomas Ballantine.
Riders of the Lone Star: Heck Carson Series Volume 1
John Spiars - 2017
Johnstone, Best-selling western author, John Spiars has created a timeless hero of the old west. The first novel in the Heck Carson Series, Riders of the Lone Star brings the wild and lawless Texas frontier to life. When the Law ain’t enough… He brings Justice. The year is 1852. Settlers on the Texas frontier are at the mercy of hostile Comanche and vicious outlaws, and the only ones holding the line between life and death are a few brave men, known as Texas Rangers. Outnumbered and outgunned, they bring law and order to the untamed land. They face impossible odds with nothing more than grit, determination, and a fast gun. It is this adventure and excitement that lures sixteen-year-old Jesse “Heck” Carson to leave his families ranch to join the fight. Heck quickly learns that this life comes at a price, the cost of which is hardship, danger, and possibly his own life. The bonds of friendship, loyalty, and duty lead him into epic battles that test his courage and resolve, and along the way he learns what it means to wear the star of the Texas Rangers. Excerpts: As fast as he could, he pulled the hammer back and fired, the first Comanche jerked once and hit the ground. The other warrior was no more than two feet away now. Heck wondered if he had another bullet left. Had he fired five or six shots? He couldn’t remember. Saying a silent prayer, Heck pulled the hammer back and looked at his approaching enemy. The point of the warrior’s lance was inches away from his chest when heck pulled the trigger. The barrel of the Walker was almost touching the chest of the charging Indian. Heck heard no sound, but saw the smoke pour out of the barrel and the big warrior dropped to his knees, and fell on top of the young Ranger. Lieutenant Sutter and Corporal Anderson approached the men on horseback, ready to do what had to be done. Looking at the group of riders, however, Sutter immediately recognized he had made a terrible mistake. These men were not military, not even by Southern standards. They were unkempt, filthy, and armed to the teeth. His heart sank as he noticed that most of the detachment were Mexican and their guns were not in their holsters. “What is going on here?” he said, unable to believe what he was seeing. The lead rider smiled and said, “This was even easier than Senor Cortina said it would be. Thank you.” Without saying another word, the man raised his pistol and fired two quick shots, hitting both Lieutenant Sutter and Corporal Anderson between the eyes. The man wheeled around with his rifle as Heck landed on his back, but it was a fruitless gesture. There was a look of pained surprise on the man’s face as Heck covered his mouth and pulled him to the floor. Heck plunged his knife into the man’s chest several times, as he kept his hand over the man’s mouth. After several seconds his muffled cries were silent. John Spiars is the author of the Heck Carson Series. He is a writer and amateur historian with a passion for the history and myths of the "Old West". His hope is to keep alive the western genre for this generation and all of those to come, while both entertaining and educating readers of all ages. He is a native Texan and lives in North Texas with his wife and four children. When not writing western novels, he maintains a blog and Facebook page about Texas history and travel entitled Under the Lone Star.
The Streets of Sundown
John Glasby - 2017
Vengeance. The town of Sundown is in the iron grip of Darby Wicker. A sadistic power-hungry man, Wicker came west after the Confederates were defeated. By the time the Sundown folk realised what a snake he was, it was too late. He had his finger in every pie in town. Not only that, but he murdered the Sheriff in cold blood and appointed the cowardly Sheriff Veldon in his place. Turning his eye to the local ranches, he schemes to buy them all out and cement his monopoly on Sundown. He doesn’t care much if they refuse him – he’ll just burn their ranches to the ground. With Washington convinced the West has been tamed, Wicker knows the US army won’t trouble him and the town will be powerless to stop him. But he doesn’t count on Bret. Hellbent on revenge, Bret’s been hunting Wicker for eight years – and it’s personal. But even he can’t believe how bad things are in Sundown. Sheriff Veldon is as yellow-bellied as they come, letting Wicker’s murderous gunmen do as they please. In fact, the only person Bret trusts in Sundown is Fay Saunders – a singer at the Golden Ace Saloon. For some reason, she wants to see Wicker dead as much as Bret does. Meanwhile, despite Wicker’s attacks on the ranchers, none of the ranches want to form an alliance of sort. It’s a fine mess but Bret knows that if he gives the ranches and decent folk of Sundown some hope that Wicker can be driven away, they’d be on his side. And where better to start cleaning out Wicker’s corruption than on The Streets of Sundown… A classic Western, The Streets of Sundown is a thrilling and gun-toting story.
REDEMPTION: Thirty-Sixth in a Series of Jess Williams Westerns (A Jess Williams Western Book 36)
Robert J. Thomas - 2015
On his way to Wooster, Texas, he runs into some of Rudy Stalling’s men and one of them, Earl Lancaster, accidentally implies that Hangston works for Mr. Stalling. Jess tells Lancaster that if Hangston doesn’t come to Wooster to meet his fate, he’d come out to Stalling’s place and kill him and whoever got in his way.Rudy Stalling gives Hangston two choices. Either turn himself into the law in Wooster, or make a run for it. Hangston strangely decides to turn himself into the law, knowing Jess’s reputation. After Hangston breaks out of jail, with the help of two of Rudy Stalling’s lead men, Jess goes after Hangston, but Stalling wants him to take Lancaster with him to make sure he finds out who helped Hangston break out of jail. Jess, having his reasons, allows Lancaster to accompany him.Meanwhile, the rustlers who have been stealing Stalling’s cattle are identified during a gunfight between Stalling’s men and the McLowrey brothers and their gang of thieves. Stalling hires Jess to hunt down the McLowrey brothers and Lancaster, who never seemed to fit in as a hired gun, agrees to go along with Jess on the hunt.During the chase, Lancaster slowly begins to change his ways and tries to find redemption for himself, vowing never to hire his gun out again. Jess doesn’t entirely trust him and doesn’t believe he can redeem himself.The hunt for the McLowrey brothers turns out to be a bloody and dangerous one with a trail of bodies left along the way. They've taken over the town of Ferguson, Texas, and Jess has to find a way to get to them without harming any of the innocent townsfolk living there.
They Called Him Cav: Reloaded
William Coury - 2014
He has long since passed away, but his book remains, gathering dust on my shelf when it should have been entertaining good folks like you. So here it is at last: a western with heart written on an old manual typewriter. The story takes place in the badlands of West Texas (where he lived), and is chock-full of all the sprawling drama, heartache, triumph, tragedy, and gun-slinging grit one could desire. The cover of the book is adapted from an oil painting brushed by our father back in 77—one of many. I remember it hanging on the wall when I was a kid. I believe it was his favorite, so thought it only fitting that it be the cover. Now, finally, after all these years, our dad will get the recognition he deserves for both his writing and his painting. I sure hope he can see what's going on down here, 'cause I know it would make him smile. So take a deep breath, and let the troubles of the modern world slip away as you journey back to a simpler time (two simpler times, actually), the old west, and the 1940's....
Wade Garrison's Promise
Richard Greene - 2010
When Emmett Spears is gunned down by four killers in cold blood in a saloon in Harper, Colorado, his best friend makes a promise at Emmett's burial to get revenge. Sarah Talbert loves Wade and begs him not to go, but Wade made a promise he has to keep. Armed with a pistol, and a Sharps .50 caliber rifle, he sets out to find the four men. The journey takes him, two aging sheriffs and an Indian across Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and into Mexico following a trail of violence and death that Wade may never recover from.
Ragged Ridge Creek
Ash Lingam - 2017
He was framed by Pedro Mendez for murder and the burning of the town of Ragged Ridge Creek, in Southern Texas. As he seeks to find a way to prove his innocence he meets up with his old Pard, James Butler Hickok, and a new romance with a south of the border beauty, Blanca Flores on the trail of his escape to the Indian Territories. Rustlers, Bounty Hunters, Renegades, Texan Outlaws, Kiowa & Comanche Indians. All factors in this Rangers battle for Justice. This Old West gunfighter on the road to hell in a true western adventure. Vol. 1 of the Ridge Creek Trilogy.
Sand River
James Vaughan - 2017
He grew up at a wild time and did what he had to do to survive. The law took one view of it; he took another. And the law wouldn’t get off his back. He did time, broke out of prison. He went north, hoping to leave the past behind. But the past followed him. And now there were murder charges. Whichever way he turned, trouble was right there. This is his account of what happened. Jack was born in Charleston in 1861. His parents died early of cholera and his guardian died when he was fifteen, leaving him penniless and alone. He went west and got work as a cattle drover. He shot an outlaw who was trying to rob him. Another outlaw, named Ibbetson, got away alive. Later, he ran across a cowboy called Skeeter on a cattle drive. They met again in a saloon and Skeeter asked him to help drive a herd of horses. Jack didn’t know they were stolen. He was arrested, went to jail. During his trial, he broke out of the courthouse with another inmate, who shot a courthouse constable. After that, a rope was waiting. He went north and got work on a ranch called Sand River. For a while it looked like he’d outrun trouble. He did the job and stayed clean. But up there, range wars were being fought. Ranchers hired range detectives to handle trouble. To some, they were hired killers. One of them was Ibbetson. When they met again, Jack knew it wouldn’t end well. His past had arrived.
The Rider of Golden Bar
William Patterson White - 1922
This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.
Summer of the Eagles (Jess Hazzard Series Book 1)
Jackie Clay - 2015
As he rides through the gates of the hellhole called the Wyoming Territorial Prison, Jess Hazzard's only desire is to get far away from people as fast as possible. Sitting atop the old, worn-out sorrel they gave him, he has only his meager gear, his guns, and his reputation. Loathed for being half Apache, feared for his lightning-fast draw and deadly aim, and distrusted wherever he rides, he heads for the mountains to rest his soul and avoid the trouble that has dogged him his whole life. Little does he know his horse and a wounded man will soon set him on a new trail, one that will force him to question his beliefs, and survive being shot, beaten, blinded, and more as life challenges him in ways he never imagined possible. Summer of the Eagles is a story of perseverance and stamina, of a man determined to overcome his past and make his dream of a future a reality.
Devlin's Ride
Carson McCloud - 2016
A quiet spot to settle down. He's found the perfect place on the edge of Eastern Oregon's high desert. At the base of the rolling Ochoco Mountains there's a canyon with a steady spring called the Clearwater. Clearwater offers rich grazing for Nate's herd and room to grow. But perfection comes at a cost. Nate isn't the only one who has plans for the Clearwater. Rhett Baron and his crew of gunhands will stop at nothing to take the spring. Nate may have gotten to the water first, but can he keep it? In the tradition of Louis L'Amour and Zane Grey comes Devlin's Ride by Carson McCloud.
Rocky Mountain Reckoning
Kurt James
What the Verdugo brothers did not count on is that Lucas Eldridge is a dangerous man that is not to be trifled with. For over two years Lucas is a man driven to exact justice and revenge from the bandit brothers that took everything he ever wanted and everything he ever loved when his wife died at their hands. In a pursuit through the Colorado Rocky Mountain wilderness that cover towns such as Breckenridge, Como, and Silver Plume and across the "Great Divide" Lucas sole purpose for living is to take the life from the Verdugos and condemn them to the depths of Hell. Lucas has become a hard and haunted man until he rescues the beautiful redheaded, green eyed Devon King the sister of a surveyor working for the Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad from Jose the youngest of the Verdugo brothers on top of Boreas Pass. Devon King is everything that Lucas departed wife was and his heart knows it, but his hatred for the Verdugos leaves no room for love. Or does it? Follow Lucas Eldridge in his western adventure as he battles the Verdugos and other outlaw's, mountain lions, wolves and the deadly cold and snow of a Colorado winter in the high country of the Rocky Mountains in his quest for justice and finally love.
Lawdog: The Life and Times of Hayden Tilden
J. Lee Butts - 2001
Lee Butts! Legendary as the meanest, most fearless lawdog of the Old West, Hayden Tilden sometimes blurs the line between U.S. Marshal and hired assassin. His adventures all began with one murderous, cold-blooded bastard: Saginaw Bob Magruder. The depraved killer butchered Tilden’s entire family and hurled the young man into a ruthless, bloody crusade for vengeance and a career as a U. S. Marshal. Tracking down Magruder will be just the beginning of Tilden’s adventures, bringing his own brand of justice to the wild and lawless West. “Lawdog has it all. I couldn’t put it down.” —Jack Ballas, author of A Town Afraid “Lawdog should assume its rightful place beside other Western classics.” —Peter Brandvold, bestselling author of Once Hell Freezes Over About the Author: J. Lee Butts is the author of 22 published books and numerous magazine articles and short works. His book Brotherhood of Blood was runner-up for the Western Writers of America Spur Award in 2005. He’s worn many hats over the years (teacher, administrator, pool manager, IBM supervisor, and western author), and he and his late wife lived everywhere from Los Angeles to Dallas. Currently he’s hanging those hats back in White Hall, Arkansas.
The Loner
Clinton Spurr - 2017
In his thirst for revenge, he hunted not just their killers but every killer who had a price on his head. It’s not long before his way of life sickens him, but when he tries to start afresh and leave his way of life behind him, he realises that it’s already too late. Everywhere he went he was known as the bounty hunter with badmen slinging lead his way and whole communities questioning his motives and character. In an attempt to escape this judgement, Clint tries to lose himself in the vast hinterland of the West, and eventually arrives at the Arrowhead ranch in Kansas. It was there that he realised that he was not the only one to suffer from the violence of the times. There’s a woman and a boy who need a man, and Branch himself has two aching voids in his wearied heart. He can only hope that things will work out for once as he fights big odds with impassive courage and a fast gun. Or will his quest for justice ultimately cost him his life…? Either way Branch is hell-bent on a quest that will send him into legend either as a hero, or The Loner... Praise for Clinton Spurr ‘A classic gun-toting adventure that will transport you straight back to the old west’ – bestselling author Tom Casey Clinton Spurr (1928), is one of fifty pseudonyms for British author, Donald S. Rowland, who was born in Norfolk, England. Rowland is married with three children, and previously had a variety of jobs, including film projectionist and Senior Clerk and Local Government Officer. It was only in 1964 that he dedicated his time to writing full-time and has since written a variety of novels, from science-fiction to westerns.