J.A. Johnstone

Introducing a gun-blazing new series from the masters of the classic Western. Meet Jesse Derringer. Troubleshooter for the Union Pacific Railroad. Where there's trouble, there's Derringer. And where there's Derringer, there's shooting . . . On the Fourth of July in 1867, the Union Pacific Railroad announced plans to expand their line into the remote mountains of Dakota Territory. They chose a site near Crow Creek Crossing to be their headquarters and named it Cheyenne. Almost immediately, new residents began to arrive: dreamers and schemers, drifters and grifters, good folks and bad. The owners of Union Pacific knew there'd be problems. Between settling disputes, laying down tracks, and keeping the peace, they'd need a troubleshooter. A reliable man of steely resolve. A concealed weapon . . . His name is Derringer. Like the gun. Arriving by cattle car with two of his beloved horses, Jesse Derringer is not your typical railroad employee. With the eyes of a scout, he looks for trouble before it becomes a problem for the construction crews--and sometimes starts trouble himself. Usually he handles hot-tempered troublemakers with a cool head and steady hand. But then there are problems that are more complicated and it's Derringer's job to defuse them--before they ignite a full-blown bloodbath. Jesse Derringer is about to learn the true definition of trouble-shooting.

Experience the majesty and terror of the Gold Rush... From the acclaimed chroniclers of the Old West comes the epic saga of the great American Gold Rush--and the boldhearted dreamers who made it all happen. . . THEY CALLED THEM THE FORTY-NINERS. In January of 1848, the discovery of gold at Sutters Mill in California sparked a nationwide frenzy, fueling the dreams of Americans from coast to coast. By 1849, hundreds of thousands of fortune hunters from across the globe headed west to stake their claim. Armed with pan or pickaxe, driven by greed or glory, every last one of them was determined to strike it rich--or die trying . . . For Cord Bennett, it was more than a dream. California was his destiny--even if he didn't know it yet. Forced to leave his family farm in the Ozarks, he reluctantly joins his two older brothers on the treacherous journey west. Together, they would endure harsh weather, fierce tribal attacks, and roving outlaws. But their biggest challenge comes when they reach the gold-rich canyon of Rio Oro. This small makeshift town is barely more than a campsite for prospectors--but the men who control it are as ruthless as any big-city crime boss. And twice as deadly. . . This is the story of the men and women who risked their lives to make their fortunes in a boundless land of opportunity. But sometimes, all that glitters is not gold. And soon, Cord Bennett will truly understand that gold can destroy men's souls . . .

"The Fastest Gun in the Territory " returns--and the ultimate showdown begins--in the latest, greatest Jon Gage adventure from the bestselling Johnstones . . . Like any gunslinger with a bloodstained past, Jon Gage needs to keep moving to stay alive. Too many people know the legend of "Texas Lightning"--and too many people want him dead. Trying to keep a low profile, he stops at a supply post in Utah Territory to stock up before hitting the trail. There, he meets a wagon train of farmers from Kansas doing the same. They seem like good, decent folks, but they're about to make a very bad decision. The route they've chosen leads straight through the Chosen Valley. Which is like walking through the Valley of the Shadow of Death . . . Ruled by a notorious and powerful cult--known for their cruel and unusual punishments--the Chosen Valley is worse than a dead end. It's a trap. Especially for a wagon train of farmers, who are easy targets in a brutal ambush by black-robed zealots. Alerted by the gunshots, Gage tries to help the farmers by donning a robe and infiltrating the cult. What he learns shocks him. The cult plans to kill the farmers, steal their supplies, and force their children into slave labor. Gage is not about to let that happen--even if has to take on the entire cult himself. Every one of them has a gun. But none of them are as fast--or as deadly--as Texas Lightning . . .

A cattle baron seeking to expand his empire targets a Texas town only to run across a pair of lawmen who can't be bought--and prefer to deal in lead--in the latest rip-roaring, action-packed Tinhorn Western from national bestselling authors William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone. TINHORN, TEXAS. HOSTILE TERRITORY. To wealthy rancher Ira Dunellen, the frontier prairie land surrounding his spread is his for the taking. His cattle need room to roam and the one-horse town of Tinhorn, Texas is standing in his way. On the bank of the Neches River, the small community of merchants is just wasting a precious resource that Dunellen's growing range needs. As stray cattle wander into town, followed by rowdy cowboys, Sheriff Flint Moran and partner Buck Jackson start corralling up any man or beast disrepecting the citizenry and breaking the law. It's clear Tinhorn's lawdogs are running rabid, so Dunellen hires deadly gunslinger Cash Kelly to put them down. But unknown to Dunellen, Cash has a score to settle with Flint. Bullets are going to fly. And the dirt streets of Tinhorn will be soaked in blood . . .

In this blazing new series from the bestselling Johnstones, the sole survivor of a bloody massacre turns his rage to bounty hunting--and a new Western legend is born. . . . They call him Ghost. A hard man with a hard past, Garret "Ghost" McCoy will never forget the day his family was brutally attacked by vicious marauders. It forced him to grow up fast, get tough even faster, and sharpen every skill to survive--by gun, by knife, or by fist. A true loner and silent stalker, Ghost is the kind of no-nonsense bounty hunter who always gets his man. Dead or alive. But it's only a matter of time before his reputation catches up with him--in a dusty dead-end town called Coyote Flats . . . It starts with a killing. Three murderous cattle rustlers with a bounty on their heads reach the end of the line on the streets of Coyote Flats--where Ghost guns them down in a shootout. Impressed by the bounty hunter's gun skills, the leader of a local outlaw gang makes Ghost an offer he can't refuse. But Ghost refuses anyway. Which ticks off the outlaw--and draws the attention of another leader of another outlaw gang. Like it or not, Ghost is stuck in the middle of a gang war between two fierce rivals. But there's something about the second gang that's different. Something familiar . . . They're the marauders who killed Ghost's family. And now they're about to get Ghosted.

The Greatest Western Writers of the 21st Century return to Fort Misery--where the lowliest dregs of the U.S. ARMY defend the driest patch of lawless desert against the gnarliest killers in the wild, wild West. Sometimes it takes a bad man with gun to stop another bad man with a gun . . . They're not what you'd call "the good guys." They're a mangy pack of despicable deserters, thieves, mutineers, and worse. But as condemned soldiers in an overstretched army, they were given a choice: death by hanging or serving out their time in a hell on earth. These men chose hell. Located at the farthest edge of the Yuma Desert, Fort Grierson is a magnet for trouble. Vicious attacks by marauding Apaches and gunslinging outlaws are practically a daily occurrence--and the men holding down the fort are hardly any better. Hence the nickname Fort Misery.

The unbelievable, untold story of Jesse James's other brother... In this rollicking stand-alone novel from the bestselling Johnstones, fact and fiction collide in the jaw-dropping story of Jesse James' little-known, disaster-prone brother. They call him Calamity--for a reason. Calvin Amadeus James, aka Calamity, isn't an outlaw like his notorious brothers Jesse and Frank. He's worse--due to the bad luck that follows him everywhere he goes. Every job he takes--from army scout to gambler to cowboy and rail worker--ends in catastrophe. No matter what he does, Calamity James always seems to be on the wrong side of history . . . The Great Chicago Fire of 1871? Calamity placed the lantern next to the cow that kicked it over. The gunfight at O.K. Corral? Calamity stirred up trouble in Tombstone right before it all went down. The fateful saloon shooting of Wild Bill Hickcock? Blame it on Calamity James. Some folks say he's even responsible for Custer's last stand at Little Big Horn--but Calamity swears it ain't true. He's just a magnet for bad luck who's trying to find his good luck charm--a pretty little dancehall girl known as Clumsy Catherine. But somehere along the way, he foolishly joins the James-Younger Gang with his outlaw brothers. And that's when Calamity's infamous bad luck gets a whole lot worse . . .

A bold new saga starring Colton Gray, the brazen young deputy marshal from the popular series Old Cowboys Never Die--the story of a one-of-a-kind lawman--and the making of a true Western legend . . . Colton Gray doesn't look like your typical deputy marshal. He's too young and good-looking for a West Texas lawman. At least that's what his boss thinks. As captain, Marshal John Timmons feels this new kid Colton isn't up to the job--at least not yet--so he sends him on minor assignments to keep him out of Boot Hill. But to everyone's surprise, young Colton manages to track down Eli Doolin and Casey Tubbs, the notorious "Old Man Bank Robbers." Not only that, he claims he gunned them down in a shootout, earning high praise from the West Texas chief marshal's office. And a legend is born . . . But there's a hitch to the story: Colton Gray lied. Truth is, he never killed Doolin and Tubbs--not after learning the righteous reasons behind their crimes. Instead, he let those good old boys go free, as long as they promised to stop robbing banks. Sure, Colton may have bent the rules a little. But Colton knows he did the right thing. Sometimes a man has to forge his own path on the road to justice--even if that means going outside the law. Or lying to your boss. In his heart of hearts, Colton Gray knows he was born for the job of U.S. deputy marshal. And sometimes that job gets a little dirty . . .

"In this blazing new series, William W. and J.A. Johnstone tell the tale of a man who became a myth--and a myth that became a legend. This is the epic story of Nathan Stark, Army Scout... They slaughtered his family. Killed his young bride. And ever since that tragic day, Nathan Stark has devoted his life to fighting the hostile tribes who massacred those he loved. As a civilian scout for the Army, he's served with such famous commanders as Custer and Crook. He's battled against such notorious war chiefs as Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull. Among the fiercest natives of the untamed West, Nathan Stark is a living legend--one that must be destroyed... Against his better judgment, Nathan agrees to be teamed up with a rival Crow scout named Moses Red Buffalo. Their mission: to forge a trail deep into Indian territory under the command of a bloodthirsty army colonel. But the mission is not what it seems. If Stark and Red Buffalo want to stay alive, they'll have to work together as a team--if they don't kill each other first..."

"In this hot-blooded new series from the bestselling Johnstones, a small town deputy sheriff with nothing to do decides to go looking for treasure ... and winds up with six cutthroat killers out for his blood. JOHNSTONE COUNTRY. GET TOUGH OR GET OUT OF THE WAY. As the deputy sheriff in a small Missouri town, "Slick" Parker Jones doesn't have much to do except get drunk and chase saloon girls. Life is pretty dull in Rory's Junction--until Slick sees the wanted poster for a notorious train robber. Parker's never met an actual outlaw before. He's never faced any real dangers, to be honest. But when that wanted man staggers into Parker's nightly watering hole--half dead, with a hole in his gut and a bloody map in his hand--the young deputy's life takes a wild turn ... quite possibly fatal. It starts with the dying man's final words: "The gold." Which leads Slick Parker to one conclusion: The map leads to the stolen gold from the outlaw's latest, greatest train robbery. Instead of calling the marshal, Parker decides to hunt for the gold himself, earn his badge the old-fashioned way, and become the kind of lawman he always knew he could be. There's just one problem. Parker isn't the only one searching for the gold. A vicious gang of six barbaric killers are looking for it, too--and they're gunning for the man with the map. By the time Parker realizes what he's up against, it's too late. He's already halfway to hell. ..."

Based on real events and the true history of the legendary King Ranch in South Texas, this riveting historical adventure evokes the reality of life on the Texas frontier, as one pioneering family battles to carve out their own piece of the American West while preparing for the deadliest conflict in U.S. history . . . Civil War is brewing. Everything is about to change. Based on true events. When Regis Royle dreams, he dreams big. And since everything's bigger in Texas, his dream is to make the Royle Ranch the biggest cattle supplier in the country. Problem is, the country is splitting apart, people are taking sides, and everyone's gearing up for a full-blown War Between the States. Regis's kid brother, Shepley, has enlisted in the Army. His trusted foreman "Bone" McGraw has left to rejoin the Texas Rangers. And the rail lines have been rerouted for the war effort. Which means Regis has to transport his cows the hard way: a cattle drive . . . This will be one hellish journey he'll never forget. If he survives. With only a skeleton crew of ranch hands, Regis takes the lead to drive the cattle northward--facing more perils than he ever imagined. He and his men are attacked by a brutal, thieving band of Apache, Comanche, Kiowa, and half-breeds. They're plagued by violent storms, relentless heat, stampeding herds, and poisonous snakes. When Regis gets separated from his men, he fears he's reached the end of the line. But giving up is not an option. A Texan knows he has to keep fighting--even in America's darkest hour--to keep the dream alive . . . JOHNSTONE COUNTRY. A TEXAN'S DREAM. OR A TEXAN'S NIGHTMARE

"The Greatest Historical Western Writers of the 21st Century, William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone, bring to life the harrowing journeys of the fearless pioneers who braved the Oregon Trail--and lived to tell the tale ... Independence, Missouri, 1865. Seasoned wagon master Virgil Grissom prepares to lead a new group of families westward across the Oregon Trail. Among them are struggling farmer Matt Moran, his wife Katie, and their three small children. In spite of the long, treacherous journey ahead, Grissom is confident that this solid, hard-working farmer and his family are tough enough to endure the harsh elements, the rugged terrain, and the occasional run-in with hostile tribes. But he's not so sure about the farmer's younger brother, Clay, who plans to catch up with them along the trail. Alone. Which has Grissom worried ... On the Oregon Trail, a lone man is dead man. Clay Moran fought hard in the Civil War, serving as lieutenant in the US Calvary. Now that Robert E. Lee has surrendered, Clay is free to head west with his brother's family. Problem is, the wagon train has left Independence already--and Clay has to go it alone. Luckily, the army let him keep his horse. But when a couple of bushwhackers steal that horse and all his money, he's left high and dry. If Clay hopes to catch up with the wagon train, he'll have to rely on his wits. His guts. And every skill he learned in the war. Along the way, he'll have to do things a man should never have to do--just to survive ..."

In this action-packed new series, a rascally pair of prospectors run for their lives from a gun-toting posse--and discover a million ways to die in San Francisco's criminal underworld . . . Charlie Dawson and his partner Clem don't consider themselves bad guys. But they definitely made a bad error in judgment on a gold mine deal--turns out there was no gold--and ended up in a shootout with some very angry claim jumpers. Now a man is dead and a posse is in hot pursuit of Charlie and Clem. The unlucky pair hightail it to San Francisco, where they try to blend into the notorious red-light district known as Barbary Coast. Another bad decision on their part . . . San Francisco is one wild place. Horses get stolen, folks get shanghaied, and Charlie and Clem get offers from some very shady characters with money to burn, so the boys can't refuse. A big boss banker wants to hire them to find a crate that was lost in a train derailment. Inside is a priceless golden spike created for the opening ceremony of a new rail line. Sounds like easy money to Charlie and Clem. Problem is, they're not the only ones looking for it. A vicious gang of outlaws, a cold-blooded gunman--and a scheming femme fatale--are on a direct collision course with the hard-to-kill duo . . . And they're all heading for one very dead end. JOHNSTONE COUNTRY. WHERE DYING IS EASY AND LIVING IS HARD...

Welcome to Dead Broke, Colorado. Where all that glitters is not gold--it's silver. Where miners and grifters get rich or go broke. And where the money flows like blood . . . JOHNSTONE COUNTRY. COLORADO OR BUST. The town got its unusual name when a pair of brokedown prospectors accidentally dropped a stick of dynamite in the Rockies--and unwittingly unearthed a massive vein of silver. One of the two men dropped dead from excitement. The other one named the place "Dead Broke" in honor of his dead broke companion and declared himself mayor of a brand-new mining town. Mayor Allane Auchenleck--better known as Nugget--put Dead Broke on the map. But when the silver market takes an unexpected nosedive, the bustling boomtown goes bust . . . And all hell breaks loose. Almost overnight, Dead Broke turns into a lawless hotbed of angry out-of-work miners and out-for-blood merchants. In desperation, Mayor Nugget considers a few hairbrained schemes like bringing in mail-order brides, building ice castles to attract tourists, even planting other minerals in the mines to fool investors. But Dead Broke needs law and order, so Nugget sends for top gun Mick MacMicking. Of course, a notorious gambler named Connor Boyle has other plans--and with his band of hired guns he plans to blow Dead Broke off the map to get what he wants. For this town to survive, Nugget, Mick, a drunken lawman, and a woman gambler will have to put the dead back in Dead Broke . . . and some cool-hand killers in the ground.