Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Kerrigans | 2014 | J.A. Johnstone | Buy |
| 2 | The Lawless | 2015 | J.A. Johnstone | Buy |
| 3 | Journey into Violence | 2016 | J.A. Johnstone | Buy |
| 4 | Hate Thy Neighbor | 2017 | J.A. Johnstone | Buy |
| 5 | The Devil to Pay | 2018 | J.A. Johnstone | Buy |
The Kerrigans series centers on Kate Kerrigan, a Texas ranching matriarch who keeps her family and her land together through grit and stubbornness. Kate is an Irish immigrant who took over the ranch after losing her husband, and she is not about to let anyone push her off her property. The series ran five books from 2014 to 2018, starting with the self-titled The Kerrigans.
The books follow Kate and her family as they deal with land disputes, cattle thieves, and the general lawlessness of frontier Texas. The Lawless and Journey into Violence are among the follow-up titles. What sets this series apart in the Johnstone catalog is the female lead. Kate is not a sidekick or a love interest; she is the boss. The series gives her room to be as tough and capable as any of Johnstone’s male protagonists, and the Texas ranching setting provides a strong backdrop for the family drama and frontier action.