Colton Gray, Deputy U.S. Marshal

Johnstone Country. Trust Everyone. But Cut the Cards.

A bold new saga starring Colton Gray, the brazen young deputy marshal from the popular series Old Cowboys Never Die—the story of a one-of-a-kind lawman—and the making of a true Western legend . . .

Colton Gray doesn’t look like your typical deputy marshal. He’s too young and good-looking for a West Texas lawman. At least that’s what his boss thinks. As captain, Marshal John Timmons feels this new kid Colton isn’t up to the job—at least not yet—so he sends him on minor assignments to keep him out of Boot Hill. But to everyone’s surprise, young Colton manages to track down Eli Doolin and Casey Tubbs, the notorious “Old Man Bank Robbers.” Not only that, he claims he gunned them down in a shootout, earning high praise from the West Texas chief marshal’s office. And a legend is born . . .

But there’s a hitch to the story: Colton Gray lied.

Truth is, he never killed Doolin and Tubbs—not after learning the righteous reasons behind their crimes. Instead, he let those good old boys go free, as long as they promised to stop robbing banks. Sure, Colton may have bent the rules a little. But Colton knows he did the right thing. Sometimes a man has to forge his own path on the road to justice—even if that means going outside the law. Or lying to your boss. In his heart of hearts, Colton Gray knows he was born for the job of U.S. deputy marshal. And sometimes that job gets a little dirty . . .

William W. Johnstone is the #1 bestselling Western writer in America and the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of hundreds of books, with over 50 million copies sold. Born in southern Missouri, he was raised with strong moral and family values by his minister father, and tutored by his schoolteacher mother. He left school at fifteen to work in a carnival and then as a deputy sheriff before serving in the army. He went on to become known as "the Greatest Western writer of the 21st Century." Visit him online at WilliamJohnstone.net.

J.A. Johnstone learned to write from the master himself, Uncle William W. Johnstone, who began tutoring J.A. at an early age. After-school hours were often spent retyping manuscripts or researching his massive American Western History library as well as the more modern wars and conflicts. J.A. worked hard and learned, later going on to become the co-author of William W. Johnstone’s many bestselling westerns and thrillers. J.A. Johnstone lives on a ranch in Tennessee and more information is at WilliamJohnstone.net.