U.S. Marshal Shorty Thompson Books In Order

Publication Order of U.S. Marshal Shorty Thompson Books

U.S. Marshal Shorty Thompson (Series by Paul L. Thompson)
Paul L. Thompson writes the “U.S. Marshal Shorty Thompson” series of western novels. Saddle up and ride the same wild lonesome trials that US Marshall Shorty Thompson did in the 1870s through the 1890s.

Narrated in the authentically seasoned dialect of a southwestern storyteller, these books are a tribute to the heartbreaking and thrilling hardships of our nation’s western history. Accurately reconstructing the sweeping landscapes of the old west, these novels document the times and the historical locations largely ignored by writers that have never even been there. Paul’s actually been there, and you’ll feel as though you were too.

“Shorty Thompson: US Marshall” is the first novel in the “U.S. Marshal Shorty Thompson” series and was released in 2001. The 1870s. As opposed to the myths from popular culture, not everyone was swaggering around with six-irons strapped down and leading lives filled with mayhem. However there were the exceptions, who were just as evil, deadly, and bloody as the legends portray. And so were the law that handled these outlaws.

With one eye toward the Arizona Territories perhaps or New Mexico, MD Shorty Thompson is a young cowboy that looks for winters warmer than those of the deep-in-your-bones cold of the Texas plains. However north of the old Republic’s border Thompson runs afoul of killers and cattle rustlers. The ensuing ordeal lands this young Texan in Wyoming where he crosses paths with the stolen cattle’s illegal new owner, this retired Army General that’s more crooked than the hind leg of a dog. However crooked or not, the Army fort nearby carries more weight than local law enforcement and they’re solidly behind the retired General. So in hopes of finding justice with just a bit more backbone, Thompson strikes out for Washington DC.

However instead of getting justice, Thompson becomes a justice himself when President Rutherford Hayes sees the Marshall that he was looking for in this gutsy Texan. In order to get the justice he seeks, Thompson has to fight these cattle rustlers of the whole Wyoming and New Mexico territories, all as he wears his tin star target.

“Silver of the Black Range” is the second novel in the “U.S. Marshal Shorty Thompson” series and was released in 2002. President Hayes sent Shorty Thompson a message while he was at old Fort Tularosa, New Mexico Territory. He was to investigate why so many mine owners are winding up dead. Also while he was there, learn why ore samples aren’t matching the ore quality when it gets to US Government Mints in California and Nevada.

During his investigation, as he rides down Burns Gulch, Shorty gets shot in the head and is in a coma for more than a month. He comes to and has no memory of why he’s there or who he even is.

“Willow Lane” is the third novel in the “U.S. Marshal Shorty Thompson” series and was released in 2003. Land stealers and cattle rustlers get overly greedy after they take over this tiny Spanish village and use the town people as their slaves in their own gold and silver mines. Greed for some other family’s ranch leads to a murder, while Manco Dillon believes he’s above the law. He’s got plenty of outlaws with him to take over any piece of property in the New Mexico Territory. However Dillon’s downfall starts with two small kids, who just so happened to run into US Marshal Shorty Thompson.

This young lady named Willow Lane returns home from school back east and finds that her brothers and dad have gone missing. The Dillon gang has taken the Lane ranch over. With Shorty’s help, all hell’s about to break loose. Men are going to die.

This flash flood in Mogollon almost ends Shorty’s life, after he gets knocked into the swollen waters of the Main Street drainage ditch and gets washed a mile or so downstream. This is a bruised and waterlogged little US Marshal.

Dillon was now attempting to expand his operations. Stealing the gold mines around Mogollon is going to add to his power rather nicely. At least he is attempting to. He needs more men to work these jumped claims of his. Shanghaiing men from Mogollon saloons supply all of the cheap labor that he needs for success.

“Trouble in Tascosa” is the fifth novel in the “U.S. Marshal Shorty Thompson” series and was released in 2003. Shorty Thompson’s oversized ranch partner, Buffalo, talked Shorty into allowing him come along with him on this assignment he had in West Texas. James (Buffalo) Blackburn could be just as stubborn as a sick mule over just about everything.

President Hayes sent a wire to Shorty that just had to be delivered by the Butterfield Stage Lines, telling him he had to head to Tascosa and round up a few rustlers and land grabbers. This nagging feeling came over Buffalo to tag along, not realizing that this could lead them to his wife’s killers. Law or no law, nothing is going to keep Buffalo from beating them into a bloody pulp and ripping them apart. He waited far too long to get his hands on these two lowlife murdering polecats.

The local ranchers near Tascosa had waited just long enough for the Texas Rangers to arrive, and Washington didn’t seem to care too much. Now they’d take the matter into their own hands. Far too much blood had been spilled in and around Tascosa and all of it was theirs. With each and every rancher and farmer in the Panhandle using their guns, things would soon change. King or no damn King, a bunch of men were going to die. Crooked law was about to be stopped. This huge showdown was coming to Tascosa.

“Malpais” is the seventh novel in the “U.S. Marshal Shorty Thompson” series and was released in 2003. In the mold of guys like Bat Masterson and Wyatt Earp, Shorty is just the sort of Short on stature yet tall on guts. Handpicked by President Rutherford B. Hayes, he’s one of the best.

And since US Marshals of the 1870s handle desperadoes this means just about everyone does appear to be using those strapped down dragoons and wreaking havoc. For Marshal MD Thompson, it’s just the life of a lawman.