The Recommended Reading Order for the Sidewinders Series
The Sidewinders series, created by the prolific Western author William W. Johnstone and continued by his niece J.A. Johnstone, is best read in publication order. Because the characters' relationship, reputations, and ongoing history develop from book to book, following the series sequentially offers the most satisfying experience.
1. Sidewinders (2008)
Bo Creel and Scratch Morton find themselves in the Arizona Territory, caught in the middle of a deadly feud between two rival stagecoach lines. When a beautiful widow complicates the situation, the two aging drifters must rely on their wits and quick draws to survive.
2. Massacre at Whiskey Flats (2008)
Hired as deputies in the lawless town of Whiskey Flats, New Mexico, Scratch and Bo face a vicious gang of outlaws. They soon realize that keeping the peace in a frontier town requires a lot more than just wearing a badge.
3. Cutthroat Canyon (2009)
The duo is hired to defend a gold mine from Mexican banditos in Cutthroat Canyon. However, they soon uncover a deeper plot involving a dangerous woman and double-crosses that put their loyalty to the test.
4. Mankiller, Colorado (2010)
Scratch and Bo ride into Mankiller, Colorado, a mining town dominated by a corrupt syndicate. They must team up with local allies to break the syndicate's grip and restore order.
5. Deadwood Gulch (2011)
The Sidewinders land in South Dakota's famous Deadwood Gulch. Surrounded by greed, gold, and gunslingers, Bo and Scratch must navigate a web of outlaws and local politics to keep themselves out of the graveyard.
6. Texas Bloodshed (2012)
In this high-stakes adventure, the pair are hired to escort a group of mail-order brides across dangerous territory. What should have been a straightforward job quickly turns into a running gunfight across the Texas plains.
7. The Butcher of Bear Creek (2013)
When Bo is falsely arrested for the murder of two saloon girls in Cottonwood, Scratch must clear his partner's name. The investigation reveals a dark family secret and a deadly doppelgänger who looks exactly like Bo.
8. Bleeding Texas (2014)
Bo and Scratch return to Bo's family ranch, the Star C Ranch in Bear Creek, Texas. To defend the ranch and their herd from a ruthless rival determined to drive the family out of business, they assemble a group of veteran, aging cowboys for a final stand.
What to Know Before You Start
The Sidewinders series stands out in the Western genre by focusing on two older, weathered cowboys rather than young, hot-headed gunslingers. While the books feature classic frontier action, they also contain a strong thread of humor and buddy-cop dynamics. Scratch and Bo are practical men who prefer to stay on the right side of the law, but they aren't afraid to bend the rules when justice demands it.
William W. Johnstone passed away in 2004, but his legacy was carried on by J.A. Johnstone. The series began publication in 2008, drawing on William's concepts and collaborative writing style to capture the classic American frontier spirit.
Publication Order vs. Chronological Order
For this series, the publication order and the chronological order are identical. The books flow sequentially from one adventure to the next, tracking the duo's journeys across Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, South Dakota, and Texas. While individual stories are largely self-contained, reading them in order lets you enjoy the evolution of their banter and their growing reputation across the West.