Penguin Random House, author portrait placeholder image

J.A. Johnstone

Being the all-around assistant, typist, researcher, and fact checker to one of the most popular western authors of all time, J.A. Johnstone learned from the master, Uncle William W. Johnstone.  

He began tutoring J.A. at an early age. After-school hours were often spent retyping manuscripts or researching his massive American Western history library as well as the more modern wars and conflicts. J.A. worked hard—and learned.

"Every day with Bill was an adventure story in itself. Bill taught me all he could about the art of storytelling. ‘Keep the historical facts accurate,' he would say. ‘Remember the readers, and as your grandfather once told me, I am telling you now: be the best J.A. Johnstone you can be.'"
Shoot or Cut Bait
Preacher's Hell
The Last Ride of the Dirty Creek Gang
Trigger Happy
Thunder of the Mountain Man
A Coffin for Tomahawk
The Texas Hill Country
As Good as Dead
Painting the Town Red
Derringer
The Best of Enemies
Heat Lightning
Everybody Has a Gun
The Man from Blood Gulch
Calamity James
These Men Chose Hell
Cold Dead Cash
I'm Here to Kill You
Hard Men to Kill
Dead Broke, Colorado
The High Country
Shot in the Back
The Dead We Honor
Halfway to Hell
Purgatory Crossing
Leaving Independence
Preacher's Strike
Forty Times a Killer!
The Hanging Party
Bloody Sunday
Blood Bounty of the Mountain Man
Kill Me Tomorrow
The Edge of Nowhere
The Last Wagon Train
Hard Winter
While the Town Slept

Books

Shoot or Cut Bait
Preacher's Hell
The Last Ride of the Dirty Creek Gang
Trigger Happy
Thunder of the Mountain Man
A Coffin for Tomahawk
The Texas Hill Country
As Good as Dead
Painting the Town Red
Derringer
The Best of Enemies
Heat Lightning
Everybody Has a Gun
The Man from Blood Gulch
Calamity James
These Men Chose Hell
Cold Dead Cash
I'm Here to Kill You
Hard Men to Kill
Dead Broke, Colorado
The High Country
Shot in the Back
The Dead We Honor
Halfway to Hell
Purgatory Crossing
Leaving Independence
Preacher's Strike
Forty Times a Killer!
The Hanging Party
Bloody Sunday
Blood Bounty of the Mountain Man
Kill Me Tomorrow
The Edge of Nowhere
The Last Wagon Train
Hard Winter
While the Town Slept