U.S. Marshal Shorty Thompson Books in Order

The Legend of U.S. Marshal Shorty Thompson

Saddle up for a journey through the untamed American West with U.S. Marshal Shorty Thompson, a pint-sized lawman with a heart as big as the Southwestern sky. Created by native New Mexican author Paul L. Thompson, this massive Western series transports readers to the 1870s through the 1890s, where justice battles lawlessness in dusty frontier towns and rugged canyons. Handpicked by President Rutherford B. Hayes, M.D. "Shorty" Thompson proves that size does not dictate grit, honor, or speed with a Colt .45.

What sets this series apart is its dedication to authenticity. Drawing on fifteen years of research and his own experience riding horses across New Mexico, Paul L. Thompson crafts a vivid world filled with real historical landmarks, authentic Southwestern dialects, and the harsh realities of frontier life—from corrupt officials and ore fraud to cattle rustlers and outlaws.

The Best Starting Point: Where to Begin Shorty's Journey

For readers looking to dive into this massive collection, deciding where to start can be confusing due to a discrepancy in listing orders across retail sites and book directories. While the self-titled book U.S. Marshal Shorty Thompson (published in 2003) is often promoted as the standard introduction to the character's marshal career, the true publishing and chronological starting point is Ride Hard For Rayado (2001). Beginning with Ride Hard For Rayado introduces you to Shorty before he receives his star, establishing his cowboy roots and setting the foundation for his future adventures.

Publication Order vs. Chronological Continuity

For the most part, the U.S. Marshal Shorty Thompson books can be read as standalones. Each novel presents a self-contained case or frontier conflict. However, reading them in publication order is highly recommended for readers who want to watch Shorty's reputation grow, see his relationships develop, and follow recurring allies. It also helps track the real-world timeline of the series' publication, which experienced a massive Kindle digital reissue surge beginning in 2020, with dozens of titles released in a short span.

Crossovers and the Expanded Universe

Shorty Thompson does not ride alone. Author Paul L. Thompson frequently collaborates with other prominent Western novelists, integrating Shorty into a broader tapestry of lawmen. As you navigate the list, keep an eye out for crossovers with characters such as:

• Jubal Stone: Shorty frequently crosses paths with Casey Nash's famous U.S. Marshal character, Jubal Stone, in shared cases.
• Hopper Scranton: In books like U.S. Marshal Shorty Thompson Meets U.S. Marshal Hopper Scranton, the universe expands with direct team-ups.
• Ridge Calder & Ezra Flint: Collaborative works written with authors like Robert Hanlon and Scott McCrea weave Shorty's narrative with other popular lawmen of the Western territories.

The Complete U.S. Marshal Shorty Thompson Reading Order

To make this massive library digestible, we have broken down the 135-book saga into distinct publication eras. Follow this sequence to track Shorty's entire career.

The Classic Era (2001–2013)

This initial run establishes Shorty's origins, his partnership with Buffalo, and his first major assignments across New Mexico and Arizona.

1. Ride Hard For Rayado (2001)
2. Willow Lane (2002)
3. U.S. Marshal Shorty Thompson (2003)
4. Children of the West (2005)
5. The Last Gun In Town (2008)
6. The Long Chase For Justice (2009)
7. Janice McCord (2010)
8. Saddle Mountain (2013)

The 2020 Kindle Explosion

In 2020, the series experienced a massive publishing surge, releasing twenty novels that detailed various side cases, revenge plots, and encounters with lawless towns.

9. Clayton New Mexico (2020)
10. If Hell Ain't Hot Enough (2020)
11. Two Sister's Revenge: Maggie and Helen Stillson (2020)
12. Ms. Deborah Has Been Kidnapped (2020)
13. A Kidnapped Education (2020)
14. Mister I’ll See You Dead (2020)
15. You Get Five Years (2020)
16. Evil With A Gun (2020)
17. Marshal Shorty Turns In His Badge (2020)
18. A Winter Too Cold For Gold (2020)
19. Dead Is All You'll Get (2020)
20. Cora Laredo - One Mad Woman (2020)
21. Billie & Bonnie Coleman - Women To Deal With (2020)
22. Blood, Sweat and Gold (2020)
23. From Texas to Montana (2020)
24. You Think I Shot Him (2020)
25. Please Don't Leave Me (2020)
26. Can Loneliness Last Forever (2020)
27. The Fifth Man (2020)
28. Whiskers McPherson & Gabriel O'Grady (2020)

The 2021–2022 Expansion

During these years, the author detailed more historical territory clashes, encounters with other lawmen, and highly specific regional assignments.

29. Marshal Shorty Please Help Us (2021)
30. Gold And Silver: A Robber's Paradise (2021)
31. Rough Trip Back to Boise (2021)
32. Almost The Fastest Gun (2021)
33. Shorty Thompson: U.S. Marshal (2022)
34. Malpais (2022)
35. Silver of the Black Range (2022)
36. Trouble In Tascosa (2022)
37. One Good Deed Before I Die (2022)
38. A Mother's Wrath (2022)
39. White Oaks: A Town With No Law (2022)
40. Wanted: Kill Shorty Thompson: Five Thousand Dollars (2022)
41. Brothers of the West (2022)
42. Young Jessie Owens (2022)
43. When Preaching Is Hell (2022)
44. Women In The West Did Survive (2022)
45. Montrose Colorado (2022)
46. Elijah 'Longhorn' Thompson (2022)
47. Wells Fargo Is Easy To Rob (2022)
48. I'll See You Both Dead (2022)
49. The Wrong Man Again (2022)
50. The Young Trackers (2022)
51. This Mountain Is Mine (2022)
52. Grandpa and The Kid (2022)
53. The Dead Trail (2022)
54. Molly Muldoon Kills Her First Man (2022)
55. A Bit Of Crooked Law (2022)
56. Caught One Crooked Banker (2022)
57. Cimarron River: Rustlers Hideout (2022)
58. Keith Aurzada: Lawyer Gunfighter (2022)
59. The Last Man (2022)
60. A Bad Decision (2022)
61. Six Years Wait For A Showdown (2022)
62. She's Alive, Not For Long (2022)
63. Mister You Was Shot In The Head (2022)
64. I Sentence You To Twenty Years (2022)
65. We're Going To Die Ain't We Danny (2022)
66. You Shot Me Once, Never Again! (2022)
67. One Sweet Kiss Can Kill You (2022)
68. Animas City - A Town to Forget (2022)
69. Don’t Ever Make Old Men Mad (2022)
70. Kill Every Witness (2022)
71. Deputy U.S. Marshal Betty McCabe (2022)
72. U.S. Marshal Shorty Thompson Meets U.S. Marshal Hopper Scranton (2022)
73. The Long Hunt (2022)
74. Before I Die (2022)
75. Killing Of Outlaws (2022)
76. The Martin Boys (2022)
77. Cowboy Cody Strickland (2022)
78. Janice McCord Rides Again (2022)
79. James P. Retzer: Dentist: New Mexico, Territory (2022)
80. Doug Brown And Shelly Hampton (2022)
81. David Graham - The New Gun (2022)
82. Milo Tillie (2022)
83. The Road To Chama (2022)
84. William Colby U.S. Marshal Retired (2022)
85. Young Outlaws (2022)
86. Hang Shorty in Leadville, Colorado (2022)
87. Love Is One Shadow Away (2022)
88. Little Toby Smith (2022)
89. Killers and Outlaws (2022)
90. Revenge of the Bullet (2022)
91. Black Pearls, Blue Diamonds And Bullets (2022)
92. A Very Long Time Before Cowboys (2022)
93. The Devil Will Get You (2022)
94. Long Trail To Nowhere (2022)
95. It Takes More Than Bullets (2022)
96. Keep The Gold - We Keep Our Ranch (2022)
97. When Winter Winds Blow (2022)
98. You Ain't Worth Killin' (2022)
99. Take Aim - Shoot Straight (2022)
100. I'll Hunt You Down (2022)
101. One Crooked Town (2022)
102. Yer in the Wrong Town Mister (2022)
103. In the Middle of the Colfax County War (2022)
104. The Wherry Gang Saves Christmas (2022)
105. Tillie Jane From Hillsboro (2022)
106. Death is All That's Left (2022)
107. Pure Raw Justice (2022)
108. No Justice for the Innocent (2022)
109. Deputy Sheriff John Dunow (2022)
110. Blood Over The Horizon (2022)
111. I Know Who Back Shot Mister Fred (2022)
112. The Widow Martha Camden (2022)
113. A Friend Was Robbed And Murdered: Western Adventure (2022)
114. A Dead Man's Trail (2022)
115. Thunder On The Mountain (2022)
116. The Name Is Savage... Dorothy Savage (2022)

The Modern Era (2023–Present)

Shorty's adventures continue at a rapid pace, taking him to international territories and facing high-stakes political targets.

117. The Day Lottie McDade Was Shot (2023)
118. White Oaks - A Town With No Law (2023)
119. Ma'am I'll Kill You As Quick As I Did Him (2023)
120. The Fastest Horse (2023)
121. My Land Stay Off Or Die (2023)
122. Thirty Miles From Nowhere (2023)
123. The Life Of Sally Ward (2023)
124. Liars and Crooks (2023)
125. A Long Train Ride Home (2023)
126. Too Young To Kill (2023)
127. Kill That Senator (2023)
128. Sent To England (2023)
129. When Time Ran Out (2024)
130. When Hell Rode Into Town (2024)
131. He’ll Hang Before Sundown (2024)
132. Out Of Town By Sundown (2024)
133. That's No Reason To Die (2024)
134. Wrong Family To Mess With (2024)
135. You Won't Die Tonight (2024)