Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Riding Shotgun | 2019 | J.A. Johnstone | Buy |
| 2 | Bullet for a Stranger | 2020 | J.A. Johnstone | Buy |
| 3 | The Backstabbers | 2020 | J.A. Johnstone | Buy |
| 4 | A Quiet, Little Town | 2021 | J.A. Johnstone | Buy |
| 5 | Last Stage to El Paso | 2021 | J.A. Johnstone | Buy |
Red Ryan is a five-book Western series built around one of the Old West’s more distinctive occupations: the stagecoach shotgun rider. Red Ryan’s job is to sit beside the driver with a scattergun across his knees and make sure the coach and everyone on it reaches the destination alive. It’s a role that naturally produces conflict, since every trip brings new passengers, new cargo, and new people who want to steal both.
The series ran from 2019 to 2021, starting with Riding Shotgun and ending with Last Stage to El Paso. Each book sends Red on a different run through dangerous territory, and the trouble rarely waits for the road. Bullet for a Stranger and The Backstabbers pile on complications ranging from hired killers to double-crossing passengers, while A Quiet, Little Town proves that the dangers don’t always come from the trail. J.A. Johnstone kept the pacing tight across all five books, making this a solid choice for readers who want their Westerns fast and action-heavy.