The Best Starting Point for D.M. Haggard's Westerns
D.M. Haggard has quickly built a reputation for gritty, fast-paced Western adventures that honor historical figures and rugged frontier life. Because his books are organized into distinct, character-driven series, the best way to read his work is series-by-series, following the publication order within each sequence. If you are new to his writing, we recommend starting with one of these three entry points:
- For Mountain Man Survival: Start with Buck Jackson: Mountain Man. It is his debut mountain man adventure and serves as a perfect introduction to his style of raw survival, wild landscapes, and frontier justice.
- For Classic Law Enforcement: Start with Pursuit, the first book in the Jake Walker: Texas Ranger series. This is ideal if you prefer tales of the Old West focused on lawmen, tracking, and high-stakes showdowns.
- For Long-Form Character Growth: Start with Cody Dakota: Mountain Man. Inspired by legendary mountain men, this expansive series offers a deep look at a gunsmith navigating the dangerous Colorado Territory.
Buck Jackson: Mountain Man Series Order
This series introduces readers to Buck Jackson, a tough-as-nails frontiersman who deals with hostile terrain, wild predators, and lawless men. It is best to read these six books in order as they follow Buck's ongoing adventures in the wilderness.
- Buck Jackson: Mountain Man (2020)
- Buck Jackson: Mountain Man 2 (2020)
- Buck Jackson: Mountain Man 3 (2021)
- Buck Jackson: Mountain Man 4 (2021)
- Journey (2021)
- Mountain Life (2021)
Cody Dakota: Mountain Man Series Order
Following a gunsmith who flees to the Colorado Rockies, the Cody Dakota series is Haggard's longest running saga. The narrative builds closely on Cody's encounters, his relationships with local tribes, and his fight for survival, making strict chronological order highly recommended.
- Cody Dakota: Mountain Man (2022)
- Unexpected Encounter (2022)
- Colorado Rockies (2023)
- Deadly Justice (2023)
- Survival (2023)
- Open Wounds (2023)
- Goin' Home (2023)
- Shadow Dwellers (2024)
- The Hunted (2024)
- Predator And Prey (2024)
- The Dakota Legacy (2024)
Wilder Hawk: Mountain Man Series Order
Featuring Wilder Hawk—a mountain man of mixed Jicarilla Apache and white heritage—this series dives deep into themes of cultural identity, survival, vengeance, and building a life in the untamed wilderness.
- Mountain Bound (2021)
- Yellow Stone (2021)
- Savages (2021)
- Blood Trail (2021)
- Beasts (2022)
- Butcher Mountain (2022)
- Stone Cold (2022)
Jake Walker: Texas Ranger Series Order
If you prefer historical Texas Rangers over mountain men, this five-book series delivers. It follows Jake Walker as he patrols the frontier, hunts outlaws, and brings order to the Old West.
- Pursuit (2019)
- Ambush (2020)
- Revolt (2020)
- Justice of the Old West (2020)
- Trailblazers (2020)
Dusty McCoy Series Order
A shorter but highly intense four-book series focusing on Dusty McCoy's struggles on the trail against outlaws and harsh environments.
- A Deadly Trail (2022)
- Dead Meat (2022)
- Massacre (2022)
- Dusty McCoy (2022)
What to Know Before You Start
Haggard's Pseudonym and Family-Friendly Projects
D.M. Haggard is the pen name of D.M. Horridge. Under his real name and in collaboration with his father, Don Horridge, he writes The Amazing Adventures of Two Boys, a children's book series inspired by stories his father told around the fire. Haggard donates all proceeds from these children's publications to global children's ministries.
Historical Accuracy and Tone
Haggard's adult Westerns are characterized by historical authenticity, drawing on his personal experience working on family ranches in Texas. While they feature violence and grit appropriate to the setting, they also carry underlying themes of community, unity, and working together to protect the land and its heritage.
Avoid Author Confusion
When searching for his books, be careful not to confuse D.M. Haggard with the famous Victorian-era adventure writer H. Rider Haggard (author of King Solomon's Mines). They write in entirely different genres and eras.