Dusty Richards – författare

Spur Award winner Dusty Richards is back with a brand-new adventure featuring a former Texas Ranger with a talent for finding trouble, even when he stays put… Ex-Ranger Phil Guthrey swore he’d never stop roaming the West, bringing justice to the lawless whenever the situation called. But after cleaning up the criminals of Crook County, Arizona, he finds himself not only elected to be the county sheriff but settling down with a pretty, young girl for a wife. Except keeping the peace in Crook County is less relaxing than Guthrey would have imagined. Border bandits are accustomed to raiding the territory at will, and they’re not too keen on giving up the practice. Between his new wife and a town under constant threat, this former Texas Ranger is about to get more than his fair share of action…

Spur Award–Winning Author: “To read a Dusty Richards novel is to journey back into the Old West with a writer who knows the territory.” —Jory Sherman, author of Trapper''s MoonThe land made him hard.The Byrnes family came to Texas and carved out a place on the land. Three generations who paid in blood and treasure. Children carried off by Comanche. A brother lost to war. Lives shattered. Chet Byrnes was trying to hold the ranch together through one more winter for one more cattle drive when he hanged three horse thieves this side of the Red River—and a blood feud erupted . . .The future made him fight.A family wants revenge—no matter how just the hangings were. From attacks on the Byrnes clan to the killing of livestock, the feud leads to one vicious murder—and then another. But amidst the violence and pain, a man who has seen his youth slip by is about to get one last chance at life and love. If only Chet can end the war he started. If only he can survive this land and the killers who want him dead—at any price . . .“Nobody spins a better western tale. If you want to read how real cowboys lived and worked, then you must read a Dusty Richards novel.” —Mike Kearby, author of Ride the Desperate Trail“Dusty Richards writes a fast-moving story with the flavor of the real West.” —Elmer Kelton, author of Hard Ride

Texas tough, Arizona-bound, and ready for any fight that comes . . . An epic saga by the Spur Award–winning author who writes with “the flavor of the real West” (Elmer Kelton).   With blood and tears, Chet Byrnes built a life in Texas, only to have it shattered by an ill-fated cattle drive and a deadly family feud. Realizing he and his family need to start over in new territory, Chet and his young nephew set out for Arizona, hoping to find a new home.   Chet and Heck cross New Mexico and ride into Arizona. Encountering killers, bandits, a punishing climate, and a harsh, haunting land, they search for the perfect place to settle down. For the sake of his family, Chet will have to risk dying before he can meet the one woman who would make it all worthwhile . . .

“Dusty Richards is the embodiment of the old west. He brings it to life so realistically, you can almost feel the bullets whizzing past your face.” —Storyteller magazine  Never fight a man . . .   Six hundred miles from a railroad head in Texas, Chet Byrnes and a handful of cowboys set out to build a new life on the Arizona frontier. Behind the Byrnes family is a tale of bloodshed and blood feuds. What lies ahead is any kind of future they can scrape together out of a merciless landscape—as long as they're willing to make it on their own.   . . . who has fought his way from Texas.   From a woman who lays claim to Chet’s heart to a land ripe for grazing, the Arizona territory begins to open its arms to the dauntless determination of the Byrnes family. But with every success there rises up a gathering danger. A sheriff who won’t do his job. Trigger happy outlaws competing to kill. And a mysterious rancher hell bent on running a herd across Chet’s land—and forcing the Texan into a war . . .   “Dusty Richards writes. . .with the flavor of the real West.” —Elmer Kelton

Arizona is hard country. Good thing Chet Byrnes is a hard man . . . “Dusty Richards writes . . . with the flavor of the real West.” —Elmer Kelton   Chet Byrnes is building a new life in Arizona Territory as he expands his cattle ranching operation—but trouble just keeps coming. A friend’s young daughter is abducted, and the search leads Chet and his men to the wild town of Tombstone and ultimately south of the border, where everything comes with a price . . . and life is cheap.   As much as Chet longs to stay close to home and his beloved wife, friends and family continue to need his brand of help. He's able to track stagecoach robbers and face down threats to his kin. But the pursuit of a band of ruthless rustlers ends in a devastating tragedy for the Byrnes family . . .   “Dusty takes readers into the real west at full gallop.” —New York Times bestselling author Jodi Thomas   “Dusty Richards is the embodiment of the old west.” —Storyteller magazine

Spur Award–winning author: “Dusty takes readers into the real west at full gallop.” —New York Times bestselling author Jodi Thomas   Ride into an unforgettable tale of valiant courage and bloody conflict from the Western Heritage and Spur award-winning author Dusty Richards . . .  They’ve crossed the line . . .   Chet Byrnes has his hands full taking care of his family and running his ranching operation in Arizona Territory. But he still takes his responsibilities as a deputy US marshal very seriously. Bandits have been crossing the border, cutting a bloody swath of mayhem—stealing horses, robbing banks, and murdering innocent folk—then high-tailing it back to safety in Mexico.   . . . for the last time.   The chief US marshal asks Chet to lead a secret task force to stop the raids and round up the border bandits—dead or alive. But the bandits fight back—putting a five-hundred-dollar bounty on Chet’s head. Now he’s got bushwhackers to deal with, and when he’s led into an ambush, it’s kill or be killed in a life-or-death showdown . . .   “Dusty Richards writes . . . with the flavor of the real West.” —Elmer Kelton

In the thrilling saga from the Western Heritage and Spur Award–winning author, Chet Byrnes stands his ground—with his courage, guns, and blood.   For Chet Byrnes, building a ranching empire means adding new land, hiring good men, finding water, and trying new breeds of cattle. But outlaws and Tucson’s idle rich want to take it all away—and Arizona just may be too lawless to stop it. So while the Byrnes family expands its reach, Chet must do his job hunting down outlaws on either side of the border.   Chet’s cowboys prove to be tireless fighters, going up against former Mexican military men, a powerful family with bad in their blood. Then Chet takes on the most dangerous risk of all: a bloody, all-out shooting war—with everything to lose, and one last enemy to kill . . .   “Dusty takes readers into the real west at full gallop.” —New York Times-bestselling author Jodi Thomas   “Dusty Richards writes . . . with the flavor of the real West.” —Elmer Kelton

Spur Award–winning author: Chet Byrnes brought the spirit of Texas into Arizona Territory—and the guns to back it up . . .  Have gun, will battle . . .   Chet Byrnes has built a ranching empire from the ground up. And he’s defended it with sweat, blood, and a ragtag band of ranch-hand fighters. Now a beautiful young Spanish widow comes into Chet’s life, just as he starts off in search of a lost cattle drive. The search leads into the eye of a sprawling, violent storm.   Chet and his men—and his seductive new woman—end up on a wild ride through Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas, where authorities want to confiscate the beeves for trespassing. With Indians, outlaws, and an oppressive government crossing their path, Chet is on a cowboy’s honeymoon: fighting and shooting all the way back home.   “Dusty Richards writes . . . with the flavor of the real West.” —Elmer Kelton   “Dusty takes readers into the real west at full gallop.” —New York Times-bestselling author Jodi Thomas

"Dusty Richards writes…with the flavor of the real West." --Elmer KeltonThe American frontier comes alive in this blazing saga of Chet Byrnes and his family empire by Western Heritage and Spur award-winning author Dusty Richards…Between The Living And The DeadThe Byrnes family has fought fiercely for its ranching empire. And with success comes the fate of empires: The Brynes have taken in far-flung family members, hired hands and folks looking for another chance at life. The Byrnes clan has taken their fair share of hurt, too, taking on outlaws too deadly and powerful for the law. When a stage is robbed of a fortune in gold, the Byrnes boys set off on a wild race through the wilderness. But who are the men they are chasing? And where have they stashed the gold? In a harsh, unforgiving land, the Byrnes men face a mystery of gold and death--that could explode like a bomb in their hands... "Dusty takes readers into the real west at full gallop." --New York Times bestselling author Jodi Thomas

In the latest installment of his epic Byrnes family saga, Western Heritage and Spur Award-winning author Dusty Richards tells of the blood that was spilled trying to make Arizona Territory a good place to live . . .   Building a ranching empire is one thing, keeping it out of the hands of robbers, kidnappers, murderers, embezzlers, and every no good opportunist crawling through the Arizona desert is a daily grind for Chet Byrnes. He’s just as likely to rescue a stolen daughter as he is to recover rustled cattle on any given day. But with a family to keep safe and enough real target practice to keep his aim deadly, nothing’s going to stop Chet from bringing his ranch into a bold new era. And if that means he’ll have to go to war to run a new telegraph line through the godforsaken territories, he’s got the manpower, the willpower, and the bullets to light up the night with blood . . .   “Dusty takes readers into the real west at full gallop.” —New York Times bestselling author Jodi Thomas

Spur Award–winning author: The telegraph is about to change the American West—and one rancher must battle those who would sabotage his family’s future . . .  The Byrnes family saga continues in this epic novel by Western Heritage and Spur Award-winning Dusty Richards, starting with a trailblazing moment in our nation’s history—and ending in bloodsoaked vengeance . . .   In a landmark feat of innovation, with electric cables stretching from the Colorado River to Gallup, New Mexico, a new telegraph system will connect the settlers of the Arizona Territory to rest of the country—a dream come true for rancher Chet Byrnes and his family. But laying four hundred miles of steel wire can be a deadly task. Chet has to face off with hired henchmen who would kill to sabotage the project. Chet’s nephew JD has his hands full with cutthroat rustlers on the Mexican border. And a pair of outlaws from Chet’s past has come seeking revenge for the hangings of the Reynolds clan—revenge that can only be paid with Byrnes family blood . . .   “Dusty Richards writes . . . with the flavor of the real West.” —Elmer Kelton

Spur Award–winning author: Two half brothers, former Texas Rangers, take their gunfighting skills on the road to secure their family’s future . . .  Western Heritage and Western Writers of America Spur Award–winning author Dusty Richards unleashes the epic beginning to the O’Malley family saga, a new western classic set in the lawless sprawl of an unforgettable Texas . . .   As Civil War bloodies the nation’s ground, Texas Rangers Harp and Long John O’Malley patrol a vast, unguarded range, picking off the Comanche while protecting the families of soldiers off fighting at the front.   Bullet by bullet the O’Malleys distinguish themselves as two of the bravest gunfighters to ever wear the Ranger’s star. At war’s end, the Rangers are disbanded, but Harp and his half-Cherokee brother Long John are not through fighting yet. They sign on with a cattle drive that will take them across the most treacherous and deadly stretch of the American frontier: the long trail from Texas to Sedalia, Missouri. Beset by ruthless enemies inside and outside the camp, Harp and Long John aim dead straight for the future—where a great ranching fortune awaits back in a Texas they will change forever.

A rancher and US marshal battles a corrupt cabal as a new railroad comes to Arizona, in this powerful Western by a Spur Award–winning author.   In the brutal, unforgiving wastes of the Arizona desert, Chet Byrnes built a cattle ranching empire with his bare hands, steel will, and a fast draw. As a US marshal, he risks his life to bring law to a lawless land.   When a new railroad route is planned to pass through Navajo territory, Chet fights to get the Indians a contract to supply the locomotives with coal. But the corrupt politicians in Tucson and D.C. have other ideas. The coal contract means millions, and the ruthless Tucson Ring will do anything to get it—even if it means killing a US marshal. Battling bandits, the railroad, and a corrupt gang of millionaires, Chet won’t back down until the desert is painted red with blood.

A novel in the Spur Award–winning author’s blazing American epic of blood, bullets, and brotherhood . . . “Richards writes . . . with the flavor of the real West.” —Elmer Kelton   Long John O’Malley is only nineteen years old, but he’s no greenhorn. The oldest and boldest of the O’Malley brothers, Long John cut his teeth tangling with Comanche at the tender age of sixteen. He risked his life to rescue a group of captive women settlers—and forged his own destiny as a hero in the making.   Now he’s taking on his biggest challenge yet: riding shotgun on a wagon train across the hostile Nebraska Territory. It’s a treacherous trail, and it’s not long before the young Texan is earning his paycheck by fighting off a tribe of bloodthirsty Sioux. But the real test lies in the journey ahead—a genuine ride to hell and back, from the Rocky Mountains to Sante Fe and all the way home—that will make Long John O’Malley either a living legend . . . or a dead one.

Bloodthirsty hired guns are out to ruin a lawman’s plans for progress in this action-packed Western from the award–winning author of Sharpshooter.

 Born out of the grit, sweat, and drive of a cattle ranching empire, U.S. Marshal Chet Byrnes is turning the savage and lawless Arizona desert into a homeland. To some he’s the hero that the West needs. To others, he’s a moving target. Chet is spearheading a stage line from Gallup to the Colorado River. It’ll be a boon to Navajo trading posts, and lay out the territory for new settlements. Unfortunately, it’s not Gerald Hall’s idea of progress—killing Chet is. The mysterious Texas gambler has hired three kill-crazy assassins—and counting—to bury Chet under a storm of bullets. To turn the tables on a game of revenge, Chet must match the deranged Texan play by play, body by body, and bullet for bullet. Come hell or high water, that stage line is going through—even if it’s forged in blood.

From Western Writers of America Spur Award-winning author Dusty Richards comes a blistering new novel in his O’Malley saga, trailing one family’s epic struggle to live out their dreams on the deadly battleground of the Texas Frontier . . .  Whip Station, a critical stop on the Butterfield stagecoach line, is dead smack in the middle of no-man’s land. The lawless call it an easy target. Joe O’Malley calls it home. If anybody can tame a wild, violent territory, it’s the seasoned frontiersman. So can his family, who have the same pride and honor coursing through their veins.  Helping to plant roots is his son Jackson, a former wrangler married to a steadying force of nature. Joe’s grandchildren have their own brand of grit. The boy—a firebrand with a knife. The girl—book-smart and wicked-wise. But Whip Station is also hunting ground for Mexican revolutionaries, savage Indians, post-war renegade Confederates, and the deadliest outlaws who ever drew a breath. It’s time for the O’Malleys to take aim. With a rawhide-tough will to survive, they’re banding together to protect their future against the most savage odds imaginable.  “Dusty Richards is the embodiment of the Old West.”—Storyteller Magazine

From acclaimed western author Dusty Richards comes an explosive new novel in his O’Malley saga, the powerful story of a strong Texan family caught in the crossfire of rebels, assassins, and history itself . . .  It begins with a spectacular train robbery—a brilliantly planned, brutally executed heist masterminded by a shadowy gang of conspirators with far deadlier motives than money or gold. Their mission: to steal the train’s shipment of powerful explosives. Their goal: to assassinate Mexico’s legendary resistance leader Benito Juarez—at a small stagecoach station owned and operated by the O’Malley family . . .   As a lifelong patriot himself, Joe O’Malley understands the struggle for freedom. As a proud Texan, he knows the importance of fighting for your land and your liberty. But as patriarch of the O’Malley clan, he also believes that his family comes first—and that any outsider who brings their war into his home will have to face another deadly force of resistance…named the O’Malleys.  “Dusty Richards is the embodiment of the Old West.”—Storyteller Magazine

First in Spur Award and Will Rogers Medallion Award-winning author Dusty Richards’ newest action-packed western series, The Fighting Harrigans of the Frontier.   From the Spur Award-winning author begins a new western saga with Westbound, chronicling the adventures of the Harrigan family as they brave crossing the American West, fighting to survive in the dangerous wilderness—and against even deadlier people—to forge a better life for themselves.   Mackworth “Mack” Harrigan’s family legacy burned to the ground in the spring of 1849. The Ohio mill that brought them prosperity was now cinder and ash, and his ruthless father perished in the flames along with their fortune. If the Harrigans have a future, it lies out west in open country where they can build whatever lives they choose. Mack knows his wife Ell, and their children Kane, Meghan, and Fitch are more than capable of overcoming the challenges of their journey.   For the untamed frontier is full of seriously deadly battles. From a rough river voyage to wagon train travel across desert lands plagued by dust storms, the Harrigans encounter desperados and merciless killers who view them as little more than prey. And as Mack and his family adapt to their merciless surroundings, they realize they must enforce their own laws and dispense their own justice. . .

The latest installment in Spur Award and Will Rogers Medallion Award-winning author Dusty Richards’ newest action-packed western series, The Fighting Harrigans of the Frontier.   Spring, 1850. After a brutally long winter in the Rockies, Mack Harrigan and his growing family have learned to manage the harsh realities of frontier life. Their new friends, the Shoshone, have taught them the skills they need to survive in this rugged land, from tracking and hunting to fishing and foraging. But the skills they need most are those of the Shoshone warrior—when their camp is attacked by an enemy tribe. . . .   Sometimes there is a need for violence. This is one of those times.   The attackers are merciless. They crush the skulls of their victims. Slice off their scalps. And kidnap children as prisoners of war. The Harrigans are horrified by the bloodshed and brutality of the attack—and are determined to fight back alongside the Shoshone. But their mission to save the children will ultimately send the battling Harrigans even deeper into the wild frontier. Farther west than most dare to travel. And closer to finding the American dream—if they survive. . . .

A man embarks on a hazardous journey for both body and soul in this Ralph Compton western...Ed Wright earned his reputation as a capable and principled man from years of driving cattle—and from wearing a Ranger’s badge. The Texan wants nothing more than to drown his memories in bottle after bottle of whiskey.   Unita Nance is the owner of the Bar U Ranch, having inherited the spread after her husband’s death. She needs Ed to drive her stock from Texas to Newton, Kansas and won’t take no for an answer.   Pulled out of his inebriated retirement against his will, Ed discovers that there are those who don’t want him riding herd any more than he does—and will stop at nothing to keep him off the trail…   More Than Six Million Ralph Compton Books In Print!

There''s no such thing as safe passage in this western in Ralph Compton''s USA Today bestselling series.Ben McCullough was once an officer in the Confederate Army. Now, he’s a rancher in the Texas hill country, hoping to earn enough money to settle down and marry. With eight hundred head of cattle to drive north, Ben is relying on his ex-sergeant, Hap, to watch over the bunch of greenhorns he’s recruited to help.   These young cowboys have their work cut out for them as they confront the dangers of cattle driving. But stampedes, raging rivers, and nature’s worst elements are nothing compared to the threat that awaits them—a gang of outlaws determined to rustle the herd…More Than Six Million Ralph Compton Books In Print!

The trail to riches is lined with danger in this Ralph Compton western...  The ranchers of Frio Springs are praying that Sam Ketchum will succeed in driving their cattle to the richer markets of Nebraska.  Sure, there’s no one more reliable. But ghosts still haunt Sam from his last drive—and the road north has only become tougher. Comanches and cattle thieves lie hidden in the brush, poised to ambush, and notorious gunslingers lurk in every town along the way.  And to make matters worse, the Wagner brothers have picked a fight back home, sparking a deadly family feud that Sam may have to settle before the trail finally ends…More Than Six Million Ralph Compton Books In Print!

In this western in Ralph Compton''s USA Today bestselling series, a Civil War veteran learns the fight isn''t over... Captain Jack Starr served the Confederate cause with honor for four years. The Texas town of Lost Dog Creek promised an opportunity for the war veteran to rebuild his life—and a woman to share it with. But not everyone is willing to roll out the welcome wagon for Jack.   Hiram Sawyer has designs on every inch of cattle range in the surrounding territory and he isn’t about to let some ex-reb steal the heart of the widow whose ranch he covets. With men on both sides of the law willing to do his bidding, Sawyer begins a campaign to destroy Jack.   But he’s just declared war on the wrong man…More Than Six Million Ralph Compton Books In Print!From the Paperback edition.

From Dusty Richards, winner of the 2007 Spur Award for The Horse Creek Incident, comes a brand-new series about a former Texas Ranger out to enforce the law, no matter where he goes… When the Texas Legislature decided to stop paying its rangers, Phil Guthrey knew it was time to move on to greener pastures. As he rides into Arizona Territory, he finds a slew of criminals running free—thanks to Crook County’s no-good sheriff. With reports of rape, arson, theft, fatal shootouts, and foul play, Guthrey decides to make it his mission to rehabilitate Crook County, not to mention capture the heart of the spunky Cally Bridges. As Guthrey sets out to bring to justice the men terrorizing his new home, he knows he must ultimately find a way to uproot Sheriff Killion if he wants to clean up the county for good. The fight will be long and hard, but for a former Texas Ranger like Guthrey, getting your hands dirty is just part of the job…