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Christmas
Series · 11 books · 2011-2021

Books in series

A Lone Star Christmas book cover
#1

A Lone Star Christmas

2011

It's December 1890. A Texas rancher named Big Jim Conyers has a deal with Scottish-born, Wyoming cattleman named Duff MacAllister. Along with Smoke and Matt Jensen, the party bears down on Dodge, Kansas, to make a cattle drive back to Forth Worth. But before they can get out of Dodge, guns go off and a rich man's son is killed. Soon the drive turns into a deadly pursuit, then a staggering series of clashes with bloodthirsty Indians and trigger-happy rustlers. And the worst is yet to come - the party rides into a devastating blizzard, a storm so fierce that their very survival is at stake. From America's greatest Western author, here is an epic tale of the unforgiving American frontier and how, amidst fierce storms of man and nature, miracles can still happen.
A Rocky Mountain Christmas book cover
#2

A Rocky Mountain Christmas

2012

Three days before Christmas, Matt Jensen is traveling the Denver and Pacific railway when an avalanche slams down onto the train, trapping it in desolate Trout Creek Pass. But it wasnt an act of nature that caused the accident; it was a gang of outlaws attempting to rescue their leader, who is being taken to Red Cliff to be hanged. As Smoke Jensen and Duff MacCallister frantically try to make their way to the scene, Matt struggles to save the survivors, among them a beautiful young woman with a dark past, a merchant seaman turned rancher, and a senator with his very ill young daughter. Starving under a bitter, driving snow in the brutal, unforgiving Rocky Mountains, and surrounded by armed and desperate outlaws, Matt still dreams of making it home for Christmas. But unless fate lends a hand, nobody will.
A Big Sky Christmas book cover
#3

A Big Sky Christmas

2013

Outlaws, snowstorms, rugged terrain—nothing will stop them from making it to Montana Territory in time for Christmas . . . “A masterful storyteller.” — Publishers Weekly From the masters of frontier fiction comes a holiday tale set in the very heart of America—a Western saga of courageous souls coming together, with a little help from the Jensen family . . . In the fall of 1873, a wagon train of immigrants sets off from Kansas City, Missouri, bound for the Montana Territory. Leading the group is newly elected wagonmaster Jamie Ian MacCallister, a giant of a man and frontier legend who swears he can get them there by Christmas—come hell or high snow drifts . . . Plagued by brutally harsh storms and rugged terrain, outlaws and hostile Indians, the journey will be the greatest challenge these pioneers will ever face. But when things look nearly hopeless, help arrives in the form of two unlikely an old mountain man known as Preacher and legendary frontiersman Smoke Jensen. Two hard-willed men who believe in the settlers' dreams with all their hearts—and who will get them to their destination by Christmas. Even if it takes a miracle . . .
A Frontier Christmas book cover
#4

A Frontier Christmas

2014

From two of America's bestselling western writers comes a heart-racing story of frontier justice, pioneer spirit, and one town's last-chance miracle. . . Three weeks before Christmas, the little town of Chug Water in Wyoming Territory is stunned by a brutal crime. The mayor's family has been slaughtered in cold blood on their ranch outside of Raw Hide Butte. As the townsfolk gather to pay their last respects, Duff MacCallister saddles up to go after the killers. He returns with two outlaws—a cold-blooded, nasty pair of snakes, Jesse and T. Bob Cave. But the day before they're sentenced to hang, the Cave brothers escape their fate... Into this holiday hell-storm ride three friendly travelers. Smoke, Sally and Matt Jensen, come to spend Christmas with Duff. But a deadly diphtheria outbreak leaves the town beholden to the mercy of the Cave brothers. It's a desperate bind to be stuck in, but Duff and the Jensens will use every bullet they can find to shoot their way into a bloody but merry Christmas.
A Texas Hill Country Christmas book cover
#5

A Texas Hill Country Christmas

2015

USA Today bestselling “This rollicking Western is full of gunfights, outlaws, and an unforgettable holiday.” — Library Journal As winter descends on the great state of Texas, the Jensen family faces off with renegades, rivals, and one raging storm—in this special yuletide adventure from America’s beloved western storytellers . . . While most folks are busy preparing for Christmas, the tightknit Jensen clan can only hope they’ll make it home. Luke Jensen is in San Antonio tracking down a dangerous outlaw. But when he finds the man leading a wholesome life—as a charity-working Hill Country pastor—Luke agrees to wait until after Christmas to bring him to justice. Meanwhile, Smoke and Sally Jensen head out from Fort Worth by stagecoach, only to be stranded by unrelenting rains—and stalked by a crazed Comanche killer. And in Austin, Ace Jensen falls head over heels in love with a girl he wants to marry. Unfortunately, she’s engaged to one of the outlaw gang that’s gunning for Luke’s bounty. This year, the Jensen family is in for a stormy Christmas they will never forget—and one deadly showdown they may not survive . . .
A Colorado Christmas book cover
#6

A Colorado Christmas

2016

USA Today bestselling This Christmas in Big Rock, the bad guys have a lot more to worry about than coal in their stockings . . . At the Sugarloaf Ranch, Smoke and Sally Jensen prepare to welcome their friend Preacher home for the holidays—unaware that he's trailed by a storm full of trouble. On a mission of vengeance, an old trapper is rescued by Ace and Chance Jensen from ruthless outlaws—and wanted by a driven bounty hunter named Luke Jensen. And, just released from prison, a criminal mastermind assembles a vicious gang of cutthroats to exact his final revenge against his enemy—the sheriff of Big Rock, Colorado . . . With a snowstorm brewing, a community in jeopardy, and a showdown ready to explode, these courageous pioneers are brought together by fate and fury to forge peace on earth. But they're going to have to fight for it. With guns. With grit. With glory. Because this Christmas, the greatest gift of all is . . . staying alive. Raves for Butch Cassidy The Lost Years ! “Johnstone is a masterful storyteller, creating a tale that is fanciful and funny, exciting and surprisingly convincing. This is great fun.” — Publishers Weekly “An entertaining story with lots of plot twists.” — Booklist Raves for Johnstone's Christmas epics! “An exciting visit to the old west of gunfights and cattle drives. Four stars!” — RT Book Reviews on A Rocky Mountain Christmas “This rollicking Western is full of gunfights, outlaws, and an unforgettable holiday."— Library Journal on A Texas Hill Country Christmas
An Arizona Christmas book cover
#7

An Arizona Christmas

2017

It’s a heartwarming holiday of burning revenge and blazing bullets when the Jensen family gathers in Tucson for Christmas in this Western adventure. Like most families, the Jensens gather to celebrate the holidays. This year, since half the clan is scattered across the American West, they’ve decided to split the difference and meet up in Tucson. Matt and Luke will be there, and maybe Ace and Chance, too. That leaves Sally, Preacher, and Smoke Jensen, who’ve reserved three seats on a westbound stage to make sure they don’t miss the festivities. What could possibly go wrong? The first to strike is a sandstorm as blinding and deadly as any northern blizzard. Then comes an Apache ambush, forcing the passengers and drivers to seek shelter in a cave. Even if Smoke and Preacher manage to shoot their way out, they have another big surprise waiting—a ruthless gang of outlaws after the cargo of cash on the stage, happy to slaughter anyone who tries to stop them. If the Jensens hope to save Christmas this year, they’ll need to save their own lives first . . .
A High Sierra Christmas book cover
#8

A High Sierra Christmas

2018

JOHNSTONE JUSTICE. MADE IN AMERICA. A Jensen family holiday takes a dark and dangerous turn—on the infamous Donner Pass—in this thrilling epic adventure from the bestselling Johnstones . . . It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in the High Sierras. But Smoke Jensen and his children, Louis and Denise, won’t let a little snow stop them from heading to Reno for the holidays. There are two ways for them to get there: the long way, going around the Sierra Nevada Mountains, or the short way, going right through them. Smoke decides to take a gamble. They’ll follow the trail that, decades earlier, brought the legendary Donner Party to a gruesome, tragic end . . . And so the journey begins. The Jensens share a stagecoach with a stranger who’s planning to rob a bank. Smoke wants to stop him, as well as his notorious gang of outlaws. But he’s outgunned and outnumbered. And when a blizzard traps them in the mountains, he’s out of luck too. Like the Donner Party before them, the Jensens will be forced to do whatever it takes to survive. This time, they’re hoping history doesn’t repeat itself. But sometimes, the ghosts of the past just won’t stay buried . . . Live Free. Read Hard. www.williamjohnstone.net
A Jensen Family Christmas book cover
#9

A Jensen Family Christmas

2019

AN AMERICAN FAMILY. A JOHNSTONE TRADITION. The legendary members of the Jensen family gather together at the Sugarloaf Ranch for one Christmas homecoming they’ll never forget—if they live through it . . . Smoke Jensen looks forward to spending a quiet holiday with the family. But an unexpected arrival from south of the border has him reaching for his guns, defending his land—and risking everything he loves . . . Sally Jensen strikes up a friendship with a lovely Mexican woman—who turns out to be married to the mysterious stranger plotting to steal her ranch . . . Ace and Chance prepare to fight a gang of outlaws trying to kill the man who raised them—but they’re going to need the help of the father they never knew . . . Luke Jensen rescues three young children orphaned in a shootout—and heads home for a surprise reunion with children of his own . . . Preacher catches the eye of a beautiful and beguiling widow—but he can’t decide if she wants to marry him, kill him, or both . . . Every Christmas season, the Jensens pray for peace on earth. But then, for the Jensen family, danger is just another holiday tradition. Live Free. Read Hard.
A MacCallister Christmas book cover
#10

A MacCallister Christmas

2020

A New York Times Bestseller Christmas is approaching and Duff MacCallister expects visitors on his Sky Meadow Ranch this holiday season. His cousin, Falcon, is coming as well as the Twins, Andrew and Rosanna, who are taking a break from their acting tour to come to the Wyoming territory. But before any of his relatives arrive, Duff runs afoul of four outlaw brothers who have come to Chugwater to rob the bank.
A Death Valley Christmas book cover
#11

A Death Valley Christmas

2021

From William W. and J.A. Johnstone, the bestselling masters of the American West, comes a special holiday entry in the Jensen family saga. This time, they’re risking their lives for peace on earth—and for a piece of hell called Death Valley . . . A JENSEN CHRISTMAS SHOWDOWN A JOHNSTONE TRADITION Ace and Chance Jensen usually spend Christmas at the Sugarloaf Ranch. But this year, the brothers are heading to Death Valley to claim Chance’s prize in a poker the deed to a silver mine. Sure, the mine is probably dried up and worthless, but what they don’t realize is that half the deed belongs to a ruthless outlaw named Foxx, a rich vein of silver hasn’t been tapped yet, and another wealthy mine owner is trying to crush the competition—by killing every miner in the valley . . . The Jensen boys didn’t plan on a Christmas gunfight. But when they show up at the mine—and learn that a charity worker is using the silver to fund an orphanage—Ace and Chance can’t help but get into the holiday spirit. ’Tis the season of giving, after all. But instead of gifts, they’re swapping bullets. And instead of Santa Claus, there’s a surprise visitor coming to town. A man named Luke Jensen—Ace and Chance’s gunslinging father—and he’s here to spread peace and joy. With a double-barreled dose of holiday cheer—gunsmoke. Live Free. Read Hard.

Author

William W. Johnstone
William W. Johnstone
Author · 500 books

William Wallace Johnstone was a prolific American author, mostly of western, horror and survivalist novels. Born and raised in southern Missouri, Johnstone was the youngest of four children. His father was a minister and his mother a school teacher. He quit school when he was fifteen and worked in a carnival and as a deputy sheriff. He later served in the Army and, upon returning to civilian life, worked in radio broadcasting for 16 years. Johnstone started his writing career in 1970, but did not have any works published until 1979 (The Devil's Kiss) and became a full-time writer in 1980. He wrote close to two hundred books in numerous genres, including suspense and horror. His main publication series were Mountain Man, The First Mountain Man, Ashes and Eagles and his own personal favorite novel was The Last of the Dog Team (1980). He also authored two novels under the pseudonym William Mason. Johnstone had lived for many years in Shreveport, Louisiana, yet died in Knoxville, TN, at the age of 65. J. A. Johnstone is continuing William W. Johnstone's series.

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