A Rude Reception
A John Garrison Mystery
RELEASE DATE: APRIL 25, 2024
He probably should have known better, but a man can dream, can’t he?
Barely a day had passed before former Houston homicide detective, John Garrison, begins to second-guess his decision to un-retire and take the position of police chief in small-town Bison, Texas. Expecting calm seas to bolster his retirement dreams, he finds nothing but rough waters.
The town’s first homicide in twenty years propels Garrison back into the high-stress world he tried to leave behind in Houston. The ensuing investigation leads him on an intricate journey through the vast oil-producing land of the Permian Basin, connecting the murder to an oil-rich land fraud conspiracy.
Add to that a cynical council member and a deadly encounter with his secretary’s estranged and abusive husband, and Garrison finds himself challenged in new ways. Still, he battles through the myriad of obstacles to prove his capabilities and bring justice to his new town.
For fans captivated by Craig Johnson’s Longmire series (and those seeking similar reads), this exhilarating new series promises to immerse you in its compelling characters and keep you guessing what new mystery might roll into town.
The Luxton Danner Series
A Western Fiction Trilogy Like No Other
John Layne’s classic Western trilogy introduces two more memorable gunslinging characters to the genre. United States Deputy Marshal Luxton Danner is a surprisingly well-educated lawman from Fort Smith, while Texas Ranger Wes Payne is “saddle smart” and quick on the draw.
In Gunslingers, A Story of the Old West, Danner and Payne are brought together in a chance meeting, then join forces on a quest to assist a young woman in pursuing the outlaw gang that ambushed her father and stole the family’s cattle and horses. The dangerous mission follows the men through rugged Texas countryside where ruthless bandits and renegade Indians look to foil their pursuit of Western justice.
In the Fall of 1877, outlaws found the settlements along the Texas side of the Red River to be easy targets for pillaging. Unbeknownst to each other, Danner and Payne are dispatched to the banks of the watery border between Texas and the Indian Territory to aid in protecting the settlements. Their second meeting thrusts the story of Red River Reunion into action, leading the duo on their most harrowing mission yet. Realizing they are under siege by more than just a renegade band of outlaws, Danner and Payne call upon the people of Range to unite to save their town. The ensuing battle may destroy one of the towns they were sent to protect.
In the third installment of the Luxton Danner Series, Danner and Payne are summoned by an old friend with a plea to Return to Canyon Creek and quell the efforts of a ruthless land baron’s attempt to conquer the town. Anticipating a formidable foe, Danner recruits a third gunslinger and a quartet of former Buffalo Soldiers to join him in their defense of Canyon Creek. Upon the defender’s arrival, Danner and Payne grudgingly accept the assistance of a young lady gunfighter whose family’s ranch has fallen victim to the land baron’s nefarious tactics. Together, Danner and Payne lead their group of defenders into an epic confrontation between good and evil on the Texas frontier.
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