Inspired by the shocking true story of the Gunfight at Hide Park, this blazing Western novel by Spur Award–winner Johnny D. Boggs takes readers back to that fateful summer in 1871—when Newton, Kansas, became “the wickedest town in the west” . . . BLOODY NEWTON A decade before the legendary Gunfight at OK Corral, there was a much bloodier showdown with a much bigger body count—and Wichita Herald reporter Cindy Bagwell was there to see it all. At first, the fledgling journalist had no idea why her boss would send her to what hardly even passes for a town. But Texans, including trail boss Gary Hardee and his sons, are bringing longhorns to Kansas. And Newton aims to take over the cattle market. Hardee has his hands full—and that’s before he reaches Newton, where Texans and Kansans don’t get along. Tensions escalate from fisticuffs to brawling to fatal shootings in short order. But that’s just a warm-up. On August 19, 1871, in a gambling room at Tuttle’s dance hall in Hide Park, this powder keg of bad blood and bitterness between two rival groups explodes—with one young reporter, a restaurant owner, and Hardee’s sons caught in the middle . . . This is the story of the deadliest gunfight in the American West. Of the passionate men and women who fought for a piece of the American Dream. And of the ultimate price they’d have to pay . . .
Johnny D. Boggs Book order
Johnny D. Boggs is an award-winning author of the American West and frontier. His works delve into historical themes, capturing the spirit of frontier life. Boggs knew he wanted to be a writer at an early age and has since cultivated a unique style that resonates with readers seeking the adventure and history of the Wild West.






- 2024
- 2023
From nine-time Spur Award–winning Western author Johnny D. Boggs comes the incredible story of the biggest, longest, wildest cattle drive in America’s history—from the heart of Texas to New York City. . . Tom Candy Ponting was no ordinary trail boss. He didn’t smoke, chew, cuss, or even carry a gun. Unlike his competitors, he learned how to herd cows on a farm back in England—and how to handle cowboys in bareknuckle prizefights. But his skills and know-how were really put to the test when he accepts a bet he might live to regret: lead a cattle drive from Texas to New York City. Not one to back down on a dare, Ponting assembles the motliest crew of cowboys ever seen—Texans, Englishmen, Mexicans, Freemen, Cherokee—and charts a course through the unfriendliest country to move seven hundred head of cattle, never easy in the best of times. Along the way, they’ll cross railroads and rustlers, hucksters and hustlers, with detours and dead ends aplenty. But if they succeed, the team will make more than just a whole lot of money. They will make history. . . . Inspired by the real-life adventures of legendary cattleman Tom Candy Ponting, Longhorns East takes readers on an unforgettable journey as big and bold as the American Dream itself.
- 2022
"They sing songs about Matthew Johnson. The hero of dime novels, Matt won national fame during a range war in Idaho when he shot and killed an outlaw -- and former saddle pal. But the past seventeen years have been an alcoholic blur rather than a heroic journey. The West has modernized and practically disappeared when Matt arrives in Denver in 1894 as the newly appointed U.S. marshal for the state of Colorado. The cowboy-turned-lawman inherits a state on the brink of collapse. The silver crash has ruined the economy, railroaders are striking, a range war is looming, corruption is rampant, and a rumored gold strike on the Southern Ute reservation threatens to turn into a bloodbath. Slowly, Matt realizes why he got the job. His supporters figure he'll either stay too drunk to realize what's happening or take their bribes and look the other way. Instead of the hero who stopped a range war, he's usually thought of as a man who murdered his best friend in exchange for the appointment as Idaho's U.S. marshal. What no one has counted on is the fact that there's a special breed of man who will fight with his last breath to regain his dignity and self-respect. If Matt can overcome his demons and past, schoolkids might start singing a new verse to an old song"-- Provided by publisher
- 2022
The Cobbler of Spanish Fort and Other Frontier Stories
- 231 pages
- 9 hours of reading
Set in the vibrant backdrop of Spanish Fort, Texas, during the 1870s, the narrative delves into the life of Big Eddie Hager, whose boot company became a global icon. An old-timer recounts the true story behind the Hager legend to a visiting reporter. This collection features 21 short stories by Johnny D. Boggs, showcasing a range of characters and themes, from a piano's perspective in a frontier family saga to Buffalo Bill Cody's marital struggles and Wild Bill Hickok's unique baseball antics, blending humor and nostalgia in the American West.
- 2021
Fire Mountain and Other Survival Stories: A Five Star Quartet
- 415 pages
- 15 hours of reading
""The Buffalo Trace" by Larry D. Sweazy. Hallie Mae Edson and her brother, Tom, join the newly formed Indiana Territorial Rangers. When another Ranger disappears, Hallie comes face to face with danger in a way she has never faced before. She not only hasto save the Ranger, but herself, with skills, will, and courage she didn't know she had. "Two Old Comanches" by Johnny D. Boggs Imprisoned in a dark, damp and inhospitable Army post in St. Augustine, Florida, an aging Comanche warrior and his sick, old best friend attempt a desperate escape and even more arduous trek back to their homeland. "Fire Mountain" by Michael Zimmer A ragtag crew of muleskinners hired to deliver a pack train of badly needed supplies to a high country community finds itself caughtbetween a mountain on fire above them and, behind them, a band of killers determined to prevent them from succeeding. With the flames closing in and lead starting to fly, their odds for survival are rapidly dwindling. But the killers hadn't counted on how mule-headed a muleskinner can be. "Bloodline" by Matthew P. Mayo One beating too many causes a kicked-cur, half-breed youth to flee the wrath of Bull Barr, his brute of a grandfather, who blames the boy for his ceaseless poor luck. But the relentless old man hunts the boy without mercy. He cannot let him live, for the boy knows too many family secrets"--
- 2021
Buckskin, Bloomers, and Me
- 230 pages
- 9 hours of reading
- 2021
Matthew Johnson, U.S. Marshal: A Circle V Western
- 500 pages
- 18 hours of reading
"They sing songs about Matthew Johnson. The hero of dime novels, Matt won national fame during a range war in Idaho when he shot and killed an outlaw - and former saddle pal. But the past seventeen years have been an alcoholic blur rather than a heroic journey. Gone are the days when he was a free-wheeling cowboy, swapping poems with his best friend on the cattle ranges. The West has modernized - and practically disappeared - when Matt arrives in Denver in 1894 as the newly appointed U.S. marshal for the state of Colorado. The cowboy-turned-lawman inherits a state on the brink of collapse. The silver crash has ruined the economy, railroaders are striking, a range war is looming, corruption is rampant, and a rumored gold strike on the Southern Ute reservation threatens to turn into a bloodbath. Slowly, Matt realizes why he got the job. His supporters figure that the man who killed Jeff Hancock will either stay too drunk to realize what's happening or take their bribes and look the other way. After all, the songs being sung about Matthew Johnson these days are more insulting than glorifying. Instead of the hero who stopped a range war, he's usually thought of as a man who murdered his best friend in exchange for the appointment as Idaho's U.S. marshal. And he hasn't been sober in years. What no one has counted on is the love of a woman who has had her own share of hard times and bad decisions. Or the fact that there's a special breed of man who will fight with his last breath to regain his dignity and self-respect. If Matt can overcome his demons and past, schoolkids might start singing a new verse to an old song"-- Provided by publisher
- 2020
- 2020
" For a quarter of a century, Five Star Publishing, an imprint of Gale/Cengage, has offered readers the best in new voices, as well as many beloved authors, in the traditional Western and American frontier fiction genres. Hobnail and Other Frontier Stories, edited by Hazel Rumney, features seventeen brand-new stories that will delight historical fiction fans. These stories capture the spirit of freedom and individualism in the evolving 19th century American frontier. These epic narratives are organized by timeframe to offer readers a panoramic view of pioneers who faced life-changing challenges in settings that are in stark contrast to civilized society. Ranging from high-action traditional Westerns to introspective historical dramas set in the American West, readers will discover previously untold stories about the tenacious individuals who shaped the iconic American West. In this anthology, you'll enjoy stories by New York Times bestselling and award-winning authors such as Loren D. Estleman, Johnny D. Boggs, Rod Miller, Patrick Dearen, John D. Nesbitt, W. Michael Farmer, Richard Prosch, Harper Courtland, James D. Crownover, Vonn McKee, Paul Colt, L. J. Martin, Greg Hunt, Wallace J. Swenson, John Neely Davis, Lonnie Whitaker, Steven Howell Wilson. Hobnail and Other Frontier Stories is a great addition to your Western fiction library. "
- 2020
Multiple award-winning author Johnny D. Boggs, one of the most respected and popular writers of Western fiction, brings to life the harsh reality of cattle drives in a powerful, trailblazing adventure inspired by the harrowing true story of the1866 cattle drive from Texas to Montana--and the legendary man who dared the impossible...The Civil War is over. The future of the American West is up for grabs. Any man crazy enough to lead a herd of Texas longhorns to the north stands to make a fortune--and make history. That man would be Nelson Story. A bold entrepreneur and miner, he knows a golden opportunity when he sees one. But it won't be easy. Cowboys and bandits have guns, farmers have sick livestock, and the Army's have their own reasons to stop the drive. Even worse, Story's top hand is an ornery Confederate veteran who used to be his enemy. But all that is nothing compared to the punishing weather, the deadly stampedes--and the bloodthirsty wrath of the Sioux...This is the incredible saga of a man named Story. A true legend of the Old West. And the ever-beating heart of the American Dream.