Frank Roderus Books In Order

Publication Order of Billy Ray Books

Publication Order of Bowen & Baile Books

Publication Order of Harrison Wilke Trilogy Books

Publication Order of Heller Thriller Books

Publication Order of Nightwalker Books

Publication Order of Rivers West Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Anthologies

Frank Roderus
Frank Roderus, born September 21, 1942, wrote his first story (a western) when he was just five years old. It was incredibly terrible, as may be expected, yet his mother still kept the spell-checked and typed short story tucked away until the day she died. Terrible or not, he never wanted to do anything else. He began writing fiction full-time in the year 1980 and never looked back.

Frank became a newspaper reporter, later on, believing that books are written by authors which he was not. He kept on trying to write, however, and eventually did it just wrong enough to learn how to get things right. That first sale, a young adult novel that was published by Independence Press, was more than three decades and a good many books ago.

During his time as a journalist, the Colorado Press Association awarded Frank the Sweepstakes Award, their highest honor, for the best news story of 1980. The Western Writers of America twice named Frank the recipient of their prestigious Spur Award.

Frank died at the age of 73 on December 17, 2015.

“Leaving Kansas” is the first novel in the “Tenderfoot” series and was released in the year 1983. Harrison Wilke is entirely sick of Redbluff, Kansas. The town’s a boring dead end, and is filled with unlettered roughnecks. Stewart, his uncle and from whom he stands to inherit the Running W Ranch, cannot stand him. Harrison does not even have enough cash to get himself to the big city, where he truly belongs. There are, however, a few bright spots.

Things start looking up when Uncle Stewart vanishes and is feared dead while chasing some rustlers. Then Harrison invests four thousand dollars in a very secret and lucrative deal. Of course Harrison “borrowed” this money from Uncle Stewart’s safe. And Harrison also appears to be winning at love. Although, things have been known to come crashing down.

“Reaching Colorado” is the second novel in the “Tenderfoot” series and was released in the year 1984. Tenderfoot Harrison Wilke wondered about those three men: avoiding the town, heavily armed, carrying some gold coin in their saddlebags. Surly. Alert. Surly. And arrogant. Robbers, is what Harrison believed they were, they must have knocked over a train or a bank.

Harrison pondered the money in the saddlebags as he worked. He hadn’t a clue how much was there or where it could have come from. However, he was convinced that these three unpleasant guys had come by into possession of it dishonestly. Question was, what should he or could he really do about it? While his hands moved at the routine of tasks of dishwashing, he was starting to work up an idea.

“Finding Nevada” is the third novel in the “Tenderfoot” series and was released in the year 1985. Harrison leaves Colorado and heads to Nevada. John J. Trohoe, Harrison’s oldest and best friend, died in a mysterious accident, and John J.’s will names Harrison as the sole inheritor of the estate. The estate is a disputed mine called the Amelia One, which has not yet proved profitable. However a group of California investors who claim that they hold the title think that it could be incredibly profitable indeed.

For the first time in years, he feels a freedom that he thought he had forgotten about. John J. taught him everything he knew about riding the “rods” under boxcars, and now Harrison’s returning by that means in order to accept his legacy.

“The Oil Rig” is the first novel in the “Carl Heller” series and was released in the year 1984. Carl Heller, a maverick son of the new West, is a man that you can turn to when your life is in danger. Assuming you are able to get him off of his butt. Born in the Colorado high country he is a full time drinker and a part time rancher that savors a laid-back approach to living life.

Heller is also a law school dropout with a mind for justice that is just as hard as the Colorado Rockies with a mile-wide stubborn streak. He hires himself out to hopeless cases, jumping into action when some big guy puts the squeeze to some little guy, or gal. Whether he is tracking down a killer, biking in the wilderness, out hustling some high-tech con man, or falling for some lady’s charms Heller fights hard and plays even harder. Wise-talking, a fast thinker, and with a body that is able to dish out and absorb a lot of punishment: this is the combination that has kept him alive. So far, anyway.

“The Rain Rustlers” is the second novel in the “Carl Heller” series and was released in the year 1984. It was the type of problem that only a friend of Heller’s seemed to get tangled up in. Some mystery men were stealing the most precious survival resource in the dry grass country. Water.

These aren’t any ordinary thieves, though. These rain rustlers take the water right out of the skies with a secret cloud seeding operation that threatened to wipe everyone out of the San Luis Valley. Heller believed it was only a joke, at first, however he quit laughing when the club-wielding pachuco ambushed him and reduced his bike to scrap metal and his side to quite the ugly bruise. Now he is returning with his Smith & Wesson, his jeep, and the help of one loving lady pilot. Ready to rain down all kinds of trouble of his own.

“Bowen & Baile” is the first novel in the “Bowen & Baile” series and was released in the year 2012. The end of life for one family member means a return to an old way of life for Howard Bowen. He gave up hunting men down years ago, however there is not anybody else that he would trust with this job.

Then he meets Edward Baile, a greenhorn, who is equally determined to see that justice be done. He carries a brand new weapon called a Mauser. Bowen agrees Baile is able to tag along with him and together they hit the unknown trail, looking for five guilty men. Is this hunt going to mark a turning point in each of their lives, or bring on their deaths?