Chuckwagon Trail Books In Order

Publication Order of Chuckwagon Trail Books

Chuckwagon Trail Series

William W Johnstone & JA Johnstone

Born in 1938 in Southern Missouri, William W. Johnstone was the youngest of four children. Quitting school at the age of fifteen, he joined a carnival, later in 1957 he returned to finish high school. Working as a deputy sheriff, then a hitch in the army, he came back home and started a to work in radio broadcasting. He worked doing that for sixteen years.

He started writing books in 1970 and eventually was published in late 1979 and became best known for for his western, survivalist, and horror novels. In the early 1980’s he began writing full-time in earnest; he had over two hundred books published with several popular and best-selling series including the Ashes series and the Mountain Man series until he passed away in 2004.

Mr. Johnstone and his heirs have published over 60 different series of stories. They are a combination of his much loved western ranch themed books, of which there are hundreds, and his horror and military/survivalist books were legend widely appreciated and accepted.

J.A. Johnstone, niece and literary heir to William Wallace Johnstone began as the chief typist, researcher, fact checker, and all around assistant to her uncle. She literally learned from a master of story telling.

Mr. Johnstone started tutoring J. A. at a young age. Her after school hours were spent at his elbow, researching and retyping his manuscripts. She learned as she worked hard. J.A. said “Every day with Bill was an adventure story in itself.” “Keep the historical facts accurate”, he would say.

Mr. Johnstone has infused his stories with the learning he got from the early frontier experiences he heard from his grandparents. His love and knowledge of animals, the knives and guns he collected is in his stories. The efforts he made with dedicated accurate research is woven through all his stories.

The Chuckwagon Trail Series kicked off in 2017 with five rugged, western stories in this exciting tale of trail life and trail danger.

Dewey “Mac” McKenzie is on the run. He’s being framed for murder and truth and justice can be in short supply in the old west. Now on the run, he doesn’t know between the pot and the kettle but he talks his way into a spot as a chuckwagon cook.

His coffee is good enough to keep him traveling on the cattle drive. Heading west, he discovers a hidden talent for creating gold from dried beans and salt pork.

His gunsling is as good as his hash-slinging, the true talent needed on a trail. The wild western New Mexico territory trails are fraught with rustlers, hostile Native Americans, dangerous cattle stampedes, and volatile weather that can be the death of all on the trail.

This action-packed western saga is a celebration of the unknown and unsung heroes of the unsettled west. This one, an unassuming chuckwagon cook, with a search for justice.

The Chuckwagon Trail series opens with The Chuckwagon Trail. Deke Northrup is a mean trail hand, handily making enemies of all his men.

Mac learns Deke has plans to double-cross the owner and Mac, a simple trail cook, decides to stand up to the trail boss and his henchman. Mac is outgunned and outnumbered but this brave wagon cook is going to serve up some hot frontier justice, topped with some iced cold vengeance.

In the second book of the series, Die By the Gun, Dewey “Mac” McKenzie saved his hide by joining a cattle drive as a chuckwagon cook. He managed to bolt out of the territory stewing and cooking his way along the long, dangerous drive. Fortunately he was as adept at dodging bullets as he is at cooking.

He’s not in the clear yet. He’s wanted for a murder he didn’t do so he’s still on the run. Mac has enemies and they are hungry for his hide. A gang of hired killers are after him. Ruthless killers are creating their own heat on Mac.

To keep in hiding, he joins another cattle drive, this one on the Goodnight-Loving Trail, even further and deeper in the New Mexico Territory. The trip will be more deadly than the gunslingers on his tail. He can’t catch a break and he has another cranky cuss of a trail boss. The owner’s spoiled son is his crew mate.

This route is more dangerous than the last drive. There are bloodthirsty Comanche at every turn and rustlers who have no hesitation to kill to get what they want. Even worse, Mac’s enemies are gaining on him.

The owner’s spoiled son is kidnapped and Mac feels compelled to leave his sizzling fry pan and jumps into the very hot fire of dangers. Showing tremendous courage in the face of multiple dangers, Mac sets out to rescue the son while trying to stay alive and prove his innocence.