Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Cowboys Never Die | 2022 | J.A. Johnstone | Buy |
| 2 | Nice Guys Finish Dead | 2023 | J.A. Johnstone | Buy |
Old Cowboys Never Die has one of the more entertaining premises in the Johnstone lineup. Two retired cowboys who should be taking it easy end up on the wrong side of the law by accident. They did not plan on becoming outlaws, but once the money starts flowing and the excitement picks up, they find it hard to go back to their quiet lives. The first book sets up the situation in 2022, and Nice Guys Finish Dead continues the fun in 2023.
The series leans into humor more than most Johnstone Westerns. The two leads are old enough to know better and stubborn enough not to care. There is still plenty of action and gunplay, but the tone is lighter, with the comedy coming from watching two grizzled cowhands try to figure out how to be criminals. For readers who want a Western that does not take itself too seriously, these two books are a good bet.