C. Wayne Winkle Books in Order

Where to Start with C. Wayne Winkle

With well over a hundred publications under his belt, finding a starting point in C. Wayne Winkle's catalog can feel like navigating an unmarked trail. For most readers, the absolute best place to begin is with the Frank Bannon Series (sometimes spelled Frank Brannon in retailer listings). Starting with his debut novel, The Fixer (2020), this trilogy introduces Winkle's signature style: a reluctant hero driven by personal tragedy, fast-paced action, and strong moral themes. It is a tight, satisfying introduction to his storytelling that does not require committing to a massive saga.

If you prefer a longer adventure right off the bat, the Clint Earley Western Books or the Reno Gates Western Series are excellent secondary starting points. Both feature veteran lawmen and drifters traversing the rugged landscapes of the Old West, written with the classic, comforting tone reminiscent of Louis L'Amour.

The Frank Bannon Series

This is the series that launched C. Wayne Winkle's career as a retired-psychologist-turned-author. It follows a rancher who is forced to take up the badge and seek justice after a devastating personal loss. The books should be read in strict publication order:

1. The Fixer (2020)
2. The Reluctant Marshal (2021)
3. Frank and the Princess (2021)

Reno Gates Western Series (And the John Tailer Bishop Crossover)

The Reno Gates series is one of Winkle's most popular sequences, featuring a classic wandering hero who frequently finds himself in the middle of local conflicts. If you plan to read this series, pay close attention to book four, Dangerous Deception, which acts as a major crossover event with another of Winkle's prominent protagonists, John Tailer Bishop.

1. Reno Gates (2023)
2. The Witness (2023)
3. Ride for Justice (2023)
4. Dangerous Deception (2024) (Featuring John Tailer Bishop)
5. Long Ride Home (2024)

John Tailer Bishop Western Books

Focusing on high-stakes frontier survival, gold rushes, and Apache territory conflicts, this series is another cornerstone of Winkle's bibliography. For the complete story, read these in publication order, and consider reading the Reno Gates crossover after Book 5 or 6:

1. A Dangerous Beginning (2023)
2. Bloodshed in Antelope Spring (2023)
3. The Deadly Lure Of Gold (2023)
4. Betrayal In Apache Country (2023)
5. Bloodshed In The San Juans (2023)
6. Hidden Danger, Bloody Rescue (2023)
7. The Secret (2023)
8. Murder In Tin Cup (2023)

Clint Earley Western Books

Clint Earley's adventures span across the American West, from Idaho to California. This ten-book series moves at a breakneck pace and is best enjoyed in the order of Clint's travels:

1. Clint Earley: Long Ridin’ Man (2022)
2. On The Hunt In Idaho (2022)
3. Nevada Ambush (2022)
4. Shoot-Out In New Mexico (2022)
5. Gunfight In California (2022)
6. Dangerous Homecoming (2022)
7. Rescue In The Salmon Mountains (2022)
8. Unfinished Business On Unfamiliar Ground (2022)
9. Facing A Dangerous Future (2022)
10. Dangerous Chase After A Killer (2022)

Wiley Judd Western Books

For readers who enjoy a darker, chase-focused storyline, the Wiley Judd series offers a continuous narrative of hunt-or-be-hunted survival:

1. Judd's Journey (2021)
2. Contract For A Killer (2021)
3. A Hunt To The Death (2021)
4. Danger In The High Lonesome (2021)
5. Range War At Medicine Bow (2021)
6. Revenge In The Absarokas (2022)

The Stirling Family Saga

If you prefer sweeping historical family dynamics over lone-wanderer stories, Winkle's Stirling Family books follow the struggles and betrayals of a family establishing their legacy in Texas:

1. Gone To Texas (2023)
2. The Sons of Elias Stirling (2024)
3. Stormy Beginnings On The Guadalupe (2024)
4. Change and Betrayal On The Guadalupe (2024)

Other Multi-Book Series and Standalones

Winkle has also written several shorter sequences and standalones that can easily be read as quick detours between his larger sagas:

Gideon Parnell Westerns

• The Beginning (2021)
• Chase Across New Mexico (2021)
• Hunting An Arizona Killer (2021)
• Following The Corrigan Duo (2021)
• Stolen California Gold (2021)

Nathan Gage Books

• Trouble on the Western Plains (2020)
• Nathan Gage And The Missing Woman (2020)
• Guns Across The Arizona Desert (2020)
• Nathan Gage And The Raid On Eagle Bluff (2021)

Tennyson St. John: The Searcher

• The Searcher (2020)
• The Searcher - Book 2 (2020)
• The Searcher - Book 3 (2020)
• The Searcher - Book 4 (2020)
• The Searcher - Book 5 (2020)

Chronological Caveats and Reading Advice

Fortunately for readers, C. Wayne Winkle writes his books to be relatively straightforward. Almost all of his series follow a linear timeline matching their publication order. However, because he writes fast-paced adventures under Dusty Saddle Publishing, books within the same series often launch within months of each other. Standalone titles like One Last Chase (2011) and The Snatcher (2014) represent his earliest works and feature a slightly different pacing compared to his post-2020 output. Standalones can be read at any point as they do not affect the continuity of his main lawman universes.