The Forty-Niners Series

From the legendary Greatest Western Writers of the 21st Century, this is the story of how gold fever turned one small mining camp into a bustling boomtown—with a highly explosive mix of dreamers, schemers, and gun-crazy killers. . .

Cord Bennett staked his claim in the gold-rich Rio Oro Canyon in 1849 at the dawn of the California Gold Rush. That’s when all hell broke loose. What started as a makeshift mining camp is now a full-blown boomtown—fueled by greed, plagued by grifters, and overrun by opportunists of every stripe. As town marshal, Cord has the unenviable job of keeping the peace. Which is easier said than done. Here in Rio Oro City, brawls can break out at any moment—whether it’s a ruthless rivalry between competing saloons or an all-out turf war between miners and timberjacks. And when money’s at stake, brawls can turn deadly real fast . . .

In other words, Cord Bennett has his work cut out for him. His new deputy, a massive Englishman named “Boom Boom” Blackstone, packs his punches with blasting powder. The new church pastor is as handy with his fists as he is with a Bible. And Kat Olmsted, the sister of Cord’s sweetheart Glory,  is fighting to save her saloon from a hostile takeover. But that’s nothing compared to Cord’s latest challenge.  A mysterious cadre of gunmen have arrived in town—and they didn’t come for the gold. They came for vengeance. Cold, calculating, and cutthroat, they were hired for one reason and one reason only: To kill Cord Bennett . . .

JOHNSTONE COUNTRY. THERE’S GOLD IN THEM THAR HILLS.

From the acclaimed chroniclers of the Old West comes the epic saga of the great American Gold Rush—and the boldhearted dreamers who made it all happen. . .

THEY CALLED THEM THE FORTY-NINERS.

In January of 1848, the discovery of gold at Sutters Mill in California sparked a nationwide frenzy, fueling the dreams of Americans from coast to coast. By 1849, hundreds of thousands of fortune hunters from across the globe headed west to stake their claim. Armed with pan or pickaxe, driven by greed or glory, every last one of them was determined to strike it rich—or die trying. . . .

For Cord Bennett, it was more than a dream. California was his destiny—even if he didn’t know it yet. Forced to leave his family farm in the Ozarks, he reluctantly joins his two older brothers on the treacherous journey west. Together, they would endure harsh weather, fierce tribal attacks, and roving outlaws. But their biggest challenge comes when they reach the gold-rich canyon of Rio Oro. This small makeshift town is barely more than a campsite for prospectors—but the men who control it are as ruthless as any big-city criminals. And twice as deadly . . .

This is the story of the men and women who risked their lives to make their fortunes in a boundless land of opportunity. But sometimes, all that glitters is not gold. And where there’s gold, there’s gunfire . . .

JOHNSTONE’S AMERICA. THE GOLD STANDARD.