Western

Bloody Sunday

Johnstone, William W., author.

Tracking down the worst outlaws, Luke Jensen finally finds Gloria Jennings, who is accused of murdering two of her husbands, but instead of bringing her to justice, he finds himself helping her face down rival ranchers and other threats as he comes to believe in her innocence.....

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Iron star

Estleman, Loren D., author.

From his youth as a revolutionist to his time as a Deputy U.S. Marshal, aging lawman Iron St. John has become a larger-than-life figure-and in the process, the man has disappeared behind the myth. During his brief, unsuccessful political career, St. John published his memoirs-a sanitized version of his adventures to appeal to the masses. A generation later, the clouded truth of this giant of the Old West has been all but lost. Now, Buck Jones, a pioneering film star, is vying for a cinematic story that will launch his career to incredible heights. He approaches Emmet Rawlings, a retired Pinkerton detective, to set the record of St. John's life straight once and for all. Twenty years ago, Rawlings accompanied St. John on his final manhunt, and in desperate need for the funding a successful book promises, he dives deep into St. John's past-and his own buried memories-to tell the truth about this part-time hero.....

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Stay with the wagons : a pioneer western adventure

Fitz-Gerald, David (Historical fiction writer), author.

Venture deep into the uncharted wilderness and crest the continental divide. Stay with the Wagons is the enthralling third chapter in the Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail series. Dorcas Moon has discarded her mourning dress and yearns for freedom and independence amidst the vast frontier. But a perilous world and a commanding wagon master keep her tethered. Ultimately, it's a brutal bout of fever and ague that confine her to camp. Relentless disasters and beguiling challenges unfold in this installment. A young man is crushed beneath a wagon wheel. Dorcas' son breaks an arm, a grizzly bear attacks the wagon train, and the looming threat of attacking outlaws whips the emigrants into a worried frenzy. How many must perish before they reach the end of the trail? As chaos reigns, her troubled daughter, Rose, disappears once again, leading Dorcas on a perilous quest. Tracking Rose to a sacred site, they encounter a blind seer and a legendary leader, Chief Washakie. Rose's enchantment with Native American adornments sparks Dorcas' concern about an unexpected suitor and raises worries about Rose's age.....

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The first day of eternity

West, Charles, author.

His Crow name was Crazy Wolf. Orphaned after losing his family in an Indian attack, young Cody Hunter found a loving home among the Crow people--and learned the ancient ways of the Crow trackers. His well-honed skills earned him a place in the U.S. Army as a valued scout. But now, after fifteen years of living his life as Crazy Wolf, Cody is ready to face his painful past. He will return to the place that still gives him nightmares--and where the dreams of his father ended in bloodshed... High in the mountains of Montana, Cody finds a stone memorial erected by the survivors of the families slaughtered there. The site of the attack triggers Cody's darkest memories--and leads him to a stunning realization: his father and two brothers did not die on that day. They may still be alive. And he will stop at nothing to find them again. To follow in their footsteps. To track them down on the treacherous journey west. A search this deadly may be the craziest thing Crazy Wolf has ever done. But he is a born Hunter--and he's willing to die that way.......

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Fort Buzzard

Johnstone, William W., author.

They were innocent men, slaughtered in the Rockies. A party of land surveyors who met their grisly fate at the hands of the Crow Indians--or so it seems. Some folks think the story is a lie. And now it's up to U.S. Army Lieutenant Ron Stanton to figure out what really happened up there in those desolate, bloodsoaked mountains. As his guides, Preacher and Jamie McCallister agree to retrace the footsteps of the doomed party--come hell or high water--but first they'll have to pass through a particularly nasty piece of purgatory known as Fort Buzzard. Fort Buzzard--officially Gullickson's Fort--earned its nefarious nickname because of the human vultures it attracts. Namely the brutes and brawlers hired by Gullickson to protect his interests. When a nearby trading post is suddenly attacked--and two young women carried off by Indians--Preacher and McCallister smell a rat. The Crows swear they're not responsible for the attack, the abduction, or the mountain party massacre. Preacher and McCallister believe them--but proving it won't be easy. This road to justice only leads to more dead ends--and the biggest, bloodiest showdown in Rocky Mountain history.....

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Rolling home : a pioneer western adventure

Fitz-Gerald, David (Historical fiction writer), author.

Climb aboard! Don't miss the heart-pounding climax of the Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail series. Rolling Home is the final installment. In the heart of the rolling village, dissent brews as the stubbornest naysayer refuses to continue the journey. With an ominous early snowfall and memories of the ill-fated Donner Party haunting the pioneers, Dorcas Moon faces a new wave of challenges. Just when she believes things can't get worse, a disastrous river crossing claims their wagon and submerges their belongings. As the rolling village approaches the final leg of the journey, the looming threat of outlaws intensifies. The notorious bandit known as The Viper and his ruthless brothers are determined to rob the greenhorns, sell their stock, and kill every last one of them. The pioneers had heard tales of their brutality, but now, with Dorcas' daughter kidnapped and Dorcas captured, everyone is in danger. What will become of Dorcas Moon, her family, and their friends? Will anyone survive the perilous journey? Rejoin the expedition and witness the thrilling end to a gripping saga.....

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Snarling wolf : a pioneer western adventure

Fitz-Gerald, David (Historical fiction writer), author.

The famed Snake River marks the point the wagon master claims that all the greenhorns turn loco. After twelve hundred grueling miles and four relentless months on the trail, the expedition teeters on the brink. Frayed nerves, exhausted patience, and the specter of doom cast a dark cloud over the travelers. At every turn, new dangers emerge. A young man who is like a brother to Dorcas Moon is ravaged in a mountain lion attack. A heat wave grips the dusty, barren plains and spreads sickness. The wolves that lurk in the shadows edge closer. Even the rattlesnakes seem emboldened. Dorcas' daughter, Rose's descent into madness can no longer be ignored. What began as an eerie preoccupation with death takes a shocking turn when Rose reveals her truths. Dorcas is thrust into a realm of disbelief, and her worst fears about Rose's mysterious suitor become a stark reality. As weary emigrants yearn for respite, tales of murderous outlaws spread like wildfire across the prairie. Passing strangers share the latest terrifying news. It's only a matter of when, not if, the notorious highwaymen will strike. Which bend of the mighty snake shelters the feared outlaws?....

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The angry land

Johnstone, William W., author.

"The completion of a new railroad line from Colorado to Texas is a dream come true for Smoke Jensen and the other ranchers of Big Rock. But this dream turns into their worst nightmare when the first herd they load onto the train is stolen by a vicious gang of kill-crazy rustlers. This is no ordinary train robbery. It's an inferno of slaughter that includes the friendly rancher who volunteered to take Smoke's place on the trip. Now Smoke is saddling up and riding out--to get the prairie rats who murdered his friend...Smoke isn't the only one who's after these merciless killers. A pair of undercover lawmen from Texas have managed to infiltrate the gang by pretending to be dangerous outlaws. While Smoke is trying to track down the stolern herd, the undercover lawmen pretend to plot with the gang to rob more cattle trians. But there's a hitch in the lawmen's plan. To make sure they're really on board, the gang wants them to prove their loyalty--by eliminating their biggest threat: Smoke Jensen ..."--Page 4 of cover.....

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Colter's journey

Johnstone, William W., author.

Leaving their Pennsylvania home to forge a new life in the untamed Oregon Territory of 1845, the Colter family is ambushed by a kill crazy gang of cutthroats on the Oregon Trail. Fifteen-year-old Tim Colter manages to escape and hide—only to return and find his parents butchered, his sisters Nancy and Margaret missing, and one last killer waiting for his return. Forced to fight for his life, the young Colter embarks on a perilous journey across a lawless frontier, hoping to save his sisters and salvage the dream they lived for. But first, Tim has to figure out how to survive. Luckily, he finds a new friend in Jed Reno, a grizzled one-eyed trapper who’s lived in the Rockies since the 1820s—and who was attacked by the same gang that ambushed Tim’s family. Together, the mountain man and the greenhorn set out after the marauders, blazing a trail of vengeance that leads them to one of the deadliest men in the territory. With danger at every turn, and death just a heartbeat away, Colter has no choice but to grow up fast—one bullet at a time.......

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Lighten the load : a pioneer western adventure

Fitz-Gerald, David (Historical fiction writer), author.

After a devastating tragedy, Dorcas Moon faces brutal choices in the unforgiving wilderness. An unsolved hometown murder casts a foreboding shadow over the journey. Mounting responsibilities weigh heavy on Dorcas' shoulders while navigating the trail along the Platte River. Family, friends, and neighbors can't seem to get along without her help. The gruesome trail exacts a heavy toll. A sweeping grass fire blazes across the prairie. A doomed wagon careens down a treacherous hill. A fellow traveler is gored to death while hunting buffalo. Each disaster pushes the pioneers to the brink. Amidst the chaos, Dorcas grapples with the realization that she must dump her precious cook stove and her husband's massive safe. The oxen can no longer haul the heavy weight of unnecessary cargo. When her daughter mysteriously disappears while the wagons are at Fort Laramie, Dorcas despairs. She is desperate to help her daughter when the troubled youth is found in the arms of a Brulé man in Spotted Tail's village.....

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Beans, bourbon, and blood

Johnstone, William W., author.

In this explosive new series, Western legend Luke Jensen teams up with chuckwagon cook Dewey "Mac" McKenzie to dish out a steaming plate of hot-blooded justice.......

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Blood bounty of the mountain man

Johnstone, William W., author.

Reece Quaid doesn't want to be known as "The Man Who Killed Smoke Jensen." But when the legendary mountain man shows up in the middle of a stagecoach robbery, Quaid has no choice but to shoot him. He didn't even know his victim was the famous Smoke Jensen -- until he goes through his pockets and finds his papers. That's when Quaid comes up with a plan. Since he resembles Smoke, he'll simply assume his identy. Rob some banks. Hold up more stagecoaches. And shoot anyone who tries to stop him. Soon the whole world will be asking... Has Smoke Jensen gone bad? There's just one problem: Smoke is still alive. Rescued by a lovely stranger and recovering from the head wound, he's still a bit blurry about what happened -- and who he even is. The only name he can come up with is that of a fictional bandit, which only adds to the confusion. Soon, the law is on the lookout for two outlaws now. But by the time Smoke comes to his senses, it may be too late. His lookalike is wanted for murder. His trail is getting bloodier every day. And Smoke is gearing up for the craziest showdown of his life -- with a force of nature called Smoke Jensen... ....

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Dry road to nowhere

Johnstone, William W., author.

The Civil War is over. But Wyoming Territory is still a battleground for the native tribes who live there. Most folks avoid the area like the plague. But not former Texas Ranger Butch Keeler and his saloon fight buddy Tucker Cobb. They figured Wyoming would be the perfect place to launch the Frontier Overland Company—a rough-and-ready stagecoach operation that dares to go where others fear to tread. Butch and Cobb aren’t afraid of much—but their next stagecoach trip could change all that. And it just might be their last . . .The passengers are good people: Colonel McBride, who’s delivering much-needed supplies to Fort Washington, and his lovely niece, who wants to visit her dying father. Even though the road to get there is overrun with armed Lakota, Cheyenne, and other deadly threats, Butch and Cobb are determined to help an old friend. Problem is, their worst enemy—a power-hungry business rival and self-described “King”—is out there. Waiting for them. Laying a trap to destroy their operation. And plotting to burn everything to the ground. Over Butch and Cobb’s dead bodies . . .....

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The familiar stranger

Kelton, Elmer, creator.

Hewey Calloway, one of the best-loved cowboys in all of Western fiction, returns in this novel of his middling years, as he looks for work -- but not too much work -- in 1904 West Texas. Hewey Calloway had intending to pass straight through Durango, Colorado, en route to visit a friend several miles northeast of the city. He had left his home range about a year before, with a herd of young horses. It was supposed to be a relatively straightforward affair; deliver the horses, collect the payment, and return home with the money. Things got out of hand, however, and there he was in Durango a year later with plans to go north rather than south. Oh, well, he thought, he had always wanted to see new country. It isn't long before his travels lead him to a cabin on a rainy night. There he meets a young man, sick as a dog, who weakly tries to send him off. And for good reason: the man has smallpox, and soon enough, Hewey catches the deadly disease. The man cares for him in turn, and it's just as he is feeling better that the man disappears. The next morning a Pinkerton detective turns up with posse, looking for a wanted bank robber. As he travels north, Hewey seems to run in with both the young man who tended to him, as well as the detective. But something seems off about the Pinkerton detective, and Hewey keeps his mouth shut. When he reuinites with his friend Hanley, they do everything they can to get to the bottom of the mystery that threatens both theirs and this young man's life.....

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Beans, bourbon, and blood

Johnstone, William W., author.

The sight of a rotting corpse hanging from a noose is enough to stop any man in his tracks—and Luke Jensen is no exception. Sure, he could just keep riding through. He’s got a prisoner to deliver, after all. But when a group of men show up with another prisoner for another hanging, Luke can’t turn his back—especially when the condemned man keeps swearing he’s innocent. Right up to the moment he’s hung by the neck till he’s dead . . .Welcome to Hannigan’s Hill, Wyoming. Better known as Hangman’s Hill. Luke’s pretty shaken up by what he’s seen and decides to stay the night, get some rest and grab some grub. The town marshal agrees to lock up Luke’s prisoner while Luke heads to a local saloon and restaurant called Mac’s Place. The pub’s owner—a former chuckwagon cook named Dewey “Mac” McKensie—serves up a bellyfull of chow and an earful of gossip. According to Mac, the whole stinking town is run by corrupt cattle baron Ezra Hannigan. Ezra owns practically everything. Including the town marshal. And anyone who gets in his way ends up swinging from a rope . . . Mac might be just an excellent cook. But he’s got a ferocious appetite for justice—and a fearsome new friend in Luke Jensen. Together, they could end Hannigan’s reign of terror. But when Hannigan calls in his hired guns, it’ll be their necks on the line . . . or dancing from the end of a rope.....

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