Bill Brooks Books in Order

Where to Begin with Bill Brooks

With dozens of novels spanning multiple series and biographical standalones, deciding where to start with Bill Brooks can be daunting. Thankfully, there are two ideal paths depending on what kind of Western story you prefer:

• For Series Fans: Start with Blood Storm, the first book in the John Henry Cole series. This is Brooks's most popular and fully realized series, following a gritty deputy U.S. marshal. Reading this series in order allows you to see the progression of Cole's character and the evolving nature of frontier justice.
• For Biographical Fiction Lovers: Start with The Stone Garden. This standalone novel is a lyrical, deeply humanizing retelling of the life of Billy the Kid, and was named one of the top ten Westerns of the decade by Booklist.

John Henry Cole Series Reading Order

The John Henry Cole series follows a deputy U.S. marshal operating out of Fort Smith, Arkansas. It is a gritty, atmospheric look at the moral ambiguities of maintaining law and order on the American frontier. We recommend reading this series in publication order, as it tracks the character's long-term journey:

1. Blood Storm (2012)
2. Frontier Justice (2012)
3. Winter Kill (2013)
4. Ride the Man Down (2013)
5. Men of Violence (2014)
6. Go and Bury Your Dead (2014)

Law for Hire Series Reading Order

This trilogy focuses on historical lawmen, with each book tracking a protagonist who must deal with legendary outlaws and law enforcement figures of the Old West. This series is best read in publication order:

1. Protecting Hickok (2003)
2. Defending Cody (2003)
3. Saving Masterson (2004)

Journey of Jim Glass Series Reading Order

The Journey of Jim Glass series is a character-driven trilogy tracing the trials and tribulations of Jim Glass as he navigates a landscape filled with dangerous strangers and rugged trails. It should be read in chronological order:

1. Rides a Stranger (2006)
2. A Bullet for Billy (2007)
3. The Horses (2009)

Dakota Lawman Series Reading Order

The Dakota Lawman series presents a dark and realistic look at enforcement on the Northern plains. In terms of publication order, all three books were released in 2005, but they are generally read in this sequence:

1. Last Stand at Sweet Sorrow (2005)
2. Killing Mr. Sunday (2005)
3. The Big Gundown (2005)

Ivory and Albert Series

The Ivory and Albert series is a newer addition to Brooks's bibliography, presenting a fresh, youthful perspective on the Western genre. The series revolves around the guileless teenage cowpokes Ivory Cade and Albert Sand:

• The Young Desperados (2018)

Standalone and Biographical Western Novels

In addition to his series, Brooks is widely celebrated for his standalone novels, which often focus on fictionalizing real-life legends of outlaws, lawmen, and historical tragedies. These can be read in any order:

• The Badmen (1992) — Brooks's debut novel.
• Buscadero (1993)
• Longing for Home (1994)
• Moon's Blood (1994)
• The Last Law There Was (1995)
• Old Times (1995)
• Deadwood (1997)
• Pistolero (1998)
• Dust on the Wind (1998)
• Leaving Cheyenne (1998)
• Return to No Man's Land (2000)
• The Stone Garden (2001) — Highly acclaimed retelling of Billy the Kid.
• Pretty Boy (2003) — Biographical fiction centering on the bank robber Pretty Boy Floyd.
• Bonnie and Clyde (2003) — A poignant, emotional reimagining of the famous criminal couple.
• Vengeance Trail (2008)
• The Messenger (2009)
• The Righteous Revenge of Lucy Moon (2015)
• Stolen Horses (2016)
• Bill Doolin (2016) — Focusing on the life of the outlaw leader of the Wild Bunch.
• American Tragedy (2016)
• The Girl With the Flamenco Tattoo (2017)
• Catch Me, Kill Me (2019)
• The Pistoleros (2020)

What to Know Before You Start

Bill Brooks's style is distinct for its lyrical prose mixed with gritty, unvarnished realism. Having spent years working in health care before starting his career at age 50, Brooks brings a mature, earthy perspective to the genre. His characters are rarely clean-cut heroes or pure villains; instead, they are deeply flawed humans trying to survive the harsh frontier. You can expect dry humor, emotional depth, and a deep respect for historical settings throughout his works.