Pardners in Crime: The 10 Best Western Mysteries and Thrillers
Several years ago, I discovered that I love reading Westerns. I have always been a lifelong mystery fan, but I hadn’t branched out into other genres at that point. And then I learned that Westerns and mysteries are two great tastes that taste great together. That’s right: Western mysteries. The crime, the tension, the high-speed horse chases. If you like your crime more on the rural side and want your detectives to wear shiny stars on their vests, I am happy to recommend to you 10 of the best Western mysteries and thrillers to check out.
There are few authors as prolific as James Patterson, who started out in mysteries and has since tried his hand at many other genres. Texas Ranger is his first foray into Western thrillers. It's about lawman Rory Yates, who suddenly finds himself a suspect in his ex-wife's murder and must find the real killer to clear his good name.
Melissa Lenhardt delivers up a satisfying feminist Western about a group of outsiders who band together and take up the outlaw lifestyle after being run off their ranch. Their newfound family goes after a rival gang piece by piece, dismantling and destroying what they have right up to the explosive ending.
And this is a 19th-century treasure hunt on the Gulf Coast. Lucinda Carter is on the run from the Texas brothel where she worked, headed to meet her lover at the site of buried treasure. Nate Cannon is a policeman headed in the same direction on the hunt for a killer. When their paths finally cross, who will come out rich, and who won't make it out alive?
A teen boy accompanies his young sister on a hunt to find the panther responsible for murdering their mother. Set in Texas at the end of the Civil War, this excellent, intense tale of family, revenge, and survival is perfect for fans of True Grit.
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Liberty Hardy is a Book Riot senior contributing editor, co-host of All the Books, a Book of the Month judge, and above all else, a ravenous reader. She resides in Maine with her cats, Millay, Farrokh, and Zevon. You can see pictures of her cats and book hauls on Twitter @MissLiberty and Instagram @franzencomesalive.