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Twenty-time international award winner John Layne draws from his law enforcement background to craft compelling stories across genres, from historical Westerns to contemporary crime thrillers, while bringing authenticity to both page and screen as an author and actor.
A Rude Reception
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Former Houston homicide detective John Garrison thought becoming police chief in sleepy Bison, Texas would be his ticket to an easy retirement. He thought wrong.
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When the town's first murder in twenty years drops in his lap, Garrison is thrust into a web of oil money and land fraud that stretches across the Permian Basin. Between a hostile council member and a dangerous showdown with his secretary's abusive ex, small-town policing proves anything but quiet. Now he'll need every bit of his big-city experience to bring justice to Bison.
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Perfect for fans of Craig Johnson's Longmire series, this gripping new mystery introduces a complex hero and a town where secrets run as deep as Texas crude.
Praise for John Layne
BOOKLIFE
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In Return to Canyon Creek, Layne has penned a polished tale that celebrates the legacy of the Western, checking all the boxes but adding some special touches. Takeaway: This rousing Western offers spirited shootouts, dustups, and storytelling. Great for fans of Cameron Judd, A.W. Hart.
MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW
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A classic Western novel by an author with full mastery of the genre, John Layne's deftly crafted novel, Gunslingers: A Story of the Old West is an inherently compelling read from beginning to end. While unreservedly recommended for community library Western Fiction collections.
INDIEREADER
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John Layne's prose in Return to Canyon Creek is clear and unadorned, and perfectly suited for this sort of old-school Western with a streamlined plot that offers genre fans plenty of action.
Other Featured Titles
Gunslingers: A Story of the Old West launches the award-winning Luxton Danner series with a bang. When retired U.S. Deputy Marshal Joel Thornton's quiet ranch life erupts in violence, his wounded daughter Elizabeth races to find legendary lawman Ben Chance—the only man who can help save her father and their home from a vengeful fugitive.
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Multiple award-winner including the 2021 International Book Awards Gold in Western Fiction, this cinematic frontier tale kicks off an unforgettable series that brings the Old West roaring to life.​
Book One of the Luxton Danner Series
In this award-winning sequel to Gunslingers, U.S. Deputy Marshal Luxton Danner teams up with Texas Ranger Wes Payne in a gritty tale of frontier justice. Set in 1877, these legendary lawmen must unite a desperate town against the dark forces threatening their slice of Texas, proving once again why they're the only men for the job.
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Winner of the 2021 Eric Hoffer Award Honorable Mention for Historical Fiction and a finalist for multiple international book awards, Red River Reunion brings Layne's masterful touch to an unforgettable chapter in the Luxton Danner series.
Book Two of the Luxton Danner Series
Lawmen Luxton Danner and Wes Payne return in this explosive third installment of John Layne's award-winning series. When ruthless land baron Gilford Knox sets his sights on transforming peaceful Canyon Creek into his personal empire, he unleashes a reign of terror on local ranchers and farmers. Now, with half the town under Knox's iron grip, Danner and Payne ride again—backed by four former Buffalo Soldiers, a sharpshooting farm girl, and a mysterious young gunfighter—in a last-ditch battle to save the soul of Canyon Creek.
Return to Canyon Creek delivers Layne's signature blend of frontier justice and high-stakes action in this thrilling continuation of the Luxton Danner series.
Book Three of the Luxton Danner Series
Recent Appearances
Silver Spur Trade Show
Abilene Texas
Feb. 22 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Feb. 23 from 10 a.m to 4 p.m.
Taylor County Expo
1801 E. South 11th St.
Abilene, TX 79602
G&S Trade Show
Canton Texas
Mar. 8 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Mar. 9 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Canton Civic Center
800 Flea Market Rd.
Canton, TX 75103