J.D. Hardin Books In Order

Publication Order of Doc and Raider Books

Publication Order of Raider Books

J.D. Hardin is an author of some well-known western series. While he is not a real person, he is the creation as the result of the combination of a few authors. The authors that have been able to use this name and write under the pen name J. D. Hardin includes Victor Milan, Donald Bain, and Neal Barrett Jr.

Hardin is the author of a few series with many books in them. This includes the Western genre Doc and Raider series, which consists of dozens of books including The Spirit and the Flesh, San Juan Shootout, and Colorado Silver Queen among many others. Hardin has also penned the popular Raider series, which takes place without Doc. This includes the first book of the series, Raider, and the follow up to that, Sixgun Circus. There are forty-two books in this series and the series ends with the last novel in the series, End of the Trail.

Raider is the first book in this series and was published in 1987 by Berkley Publishers. The main character in this book, of course, is Raider, for whom the novel is named. He is a Pinkerton agent with a set of skills and sharp enough to take on any situation. When the Doc Weatherbee has a situation he is dealing with in the form of a woman and revenge, Raider is more than willing to help him out. It turns out that she is a former lover of his and is doing her best to take her former beau down.

Terrified of being ruined by this woman, Weatherbee has a savior in Raider. The ex is doing her best to involve him in a deadly scandal. If it all turns out like she wants, the Doc could lose everything. But fortunately, he has someone like Raider on his side.

Sixgun Circus is the sequel to Raider in the Raider series and was also published in 1987 by Berkley Publishers. Raider is back again and this time he has a new assignment. He is tasked with protecting a circus in the West. But at first what seems like security detail turns into a job involving burglary. A strongbox has been stolen and he is forced to investigate not only that but a series of other events too.

Not only is the box gone, but Raider as a Pinkerton agent investigates a kidnapping and a murder too. A big top circus has combined with a wild west show to put on some entertainment for the locals like they have never seen the like of before. But when someone is kidnapped and theft, as well as a killing, goes down, it appears that there’s more going on behind the curtain than in front of it.

This operation is anything but on the level, and in all of his years of service, even Raider can say that he has never seen anything like it. He’s dealt with plenty of shady operations in his time, but never one as deeply shady at this one. He has to deal with an aging gunslinger as well as the beautiful women at the circus and more, and they all seem like they are involved in whatever is going on here– or at least complicit based on lack of knowledge.

So what’s the big deal about the strongbox being stolen in the first place? Well, the big thing about this box that is causing all of the fuss is that it was filled with gold. Gold that was on the payroll. If the stealing of this box weren’t enough, of course, there’s also a kidnapping and a killing that has gone down. Are all circuses this shady?

Raider has never seen a wild west show or a circus that is this out of control. At the same time, he has to wonder who had the motive and the ability to steal an entire box full of gold right from out under the noses of the people who run these shows. It could be someone on the outside– but who would know about the gold in the first place? Is it some random person not connected to the show that stumbled upon the riches of a lifetime, or is this a job that was pulled off from the inside?

Pick up Sixgun Circus online or at libraries and retailers as well as the occasionally used bookstore and find out what Raider gets up to! Will he be able to catch the person responsible for kidnapping and murder? Can he track down the stolen box of gold and deliver it back to the right people (or keep it for himself)? You’ll have to check out this book to find out.

An exciting book that is full of twists and turns, the reader will love seeing Raider try and solve this mystery. What started out as the man helping an elderly Judge figure out what’s happening to his missing cattle turns into a theft and a case that is intriguing just as much as it is disturbing. The circus has officially come to town, and it’s brought a pretty huge mess along with it.

With all types of interesting characters included in this book, it’s tough to tell who did it! Raider is experiencing much the same problem. As he races to figure out who the murderer and the thief are– and whether they are the one and the same person– the game is on. But will the person who is responsible for all of this be able to stop Raider in his tracks before he gets even close to figuring out who the guilty party is?

The whole case starts off with the stolen box of the payroll gold but quickly evolves into something else. But even if this has been taken and there is chaos behind the scenes, the whole show has to go on. Despite the fact that someone is doing their best to make sure that the show doesn’t happen entirely– and it appears that they will stop at nothing in order to make sure that their plan is carried out.