A Turtle Roars in Texas


Book Description

Trouble rides through Texas. Detective Al Quinn had hoped to spend his retirement fishing at his lakeside home and taking care of the local deer. That bubble pops when Gladys Sanders, the sixty-year-old co-owner of an organic farm, is found dead by her two sisters, her body displayed like a scarecrow. On the same day, her son is run over in his kayak. Evidence slips away from the scene right under the noses of two deputies, so Sheriff Clayton asks Al to mentor a younger detective. That simple task explodes into raw danger when three rival biker gangs with ties to Mexican cartels start mixing it up in earnest. ICE Agent Jaime Avila tells Al that old turtles ought to leave the fighting to the young. But when the danger involves Al’s brother, Al dives into the heart of the ruckus. Before the war is over, the gangs just might get to hear the turtle roar.




A Shot in the Texas Dark


Book Description

When a full-blooded Cheyenne called the Bone Lady asks Al Quinn to find her missing daughter, Gerta, he readily agrees. However, he soon discovers that there is no trail, no starting point. Forced to grab at glimmers and hunches that lead him to the seamy edge of a hidden child-porn ring, Sheriff Clayton asks Al to cooperate with an undercover FBI agent. Al’s pal Fergie thinks the Bone Lady is one of the scariest women she’s ever met. Not only does the woman work in a butcher shop, but some bodies begin to show up sliced like holiday hams. Each effort to find Gerta leads Al down a new dangerous path, from Russian mafia types to his old foes connected with the Mexican cartels. It may be that this time he just has to take a shot in the dark.




Throw the Texas Dog a Bone


Book Description

Human bones found in a furnace at an animal shelter just outside of Austin cause retired detective Al Quinn to be called in to work the case. Before he leaves the shelter, Al adopts a new companion, Tanner, a dog just two days away from being euthanized. Testing shows that the bones belong to more than one person. Al must deal with a pesky FBI human-trafficking team that butts into the investigation while he is training a new detective. At home, he has a houseful of people when he’d planned to live alone, not to mention his new pet. Add a burglary ring whose members threaten his housemates, along with Tanner, and someone will soon be seeing the dark side of Al Quinn.




Never Look Back in Texas


Book Description

Trouble might be gaining on you… When Al agrees to help Fergie find the missing son of one of their long-ago high school classmates, they head off to a ranch in the valley, where some wide open spaces still remain in Southeast Texas. Al is okay with following Fergie’s lead in the case, for a change, and even with riding horses. But what he doesn’t expect is for the trail to lead them to encounter one of America’s most violent gangs, the Mara Salvatrucha. The MS-13 members are vicious, tattooed career criminals who have devoted their lives to machetes and guns. And this bunch is gearing up to wage war with other gangs—fighting, maiming, killing, and dying over their turfs, colors, and hand signs. Heaven help anyone in their way. But to do their job, Fergie and Al end up squarely in the gang’s path.










Texas Turtles & Crocodilians


Book Description

Texas has a large and diverse turtle population, with forms that are found nowhere else (Cagle’s Map Turtle and the Texas Map Turtle) and wide-ranging species that barely touch the state, including the Painted Turtles and the Rough-footed Mud Turtle. From the Sabine River to El Paso, and from the Rio Grande to the Panhandle, thirty-one native and established exotic turtle species are definitely known in Texas, along with one crocodilian, the American Alligator. Texas Turtles & Crocodilians is the first complete identification guide to all the state’s turtles and to its single alligator. It offers detailed species accounts, range maps, and excellent color photographs to aid in field identification. The authors, two of the state’s most knowledgeable herpetologists, open the book with a broad overview of turtle natural history, conservation biology, observation, and captive maintenance before providing a key to Texas turtles and accounts of the various turtle families and species. Appendices provide brief accounts of species that occurred prehistorically in Texas and non-established exotic species, as well as a table of Texas’ major watersheds and the turtle diversity in each one. Informational resources on Texas turtles and alligators, a map of Texas counties, a glossary, a bibliography, and indexes of common and scientific names complete the volume.




The Musick of the Mocking Birds, the Roar of the Cannon


Book Description

William Winters was unlike most of the young soldiers who answered the Union?s appeal for men in 1861 and 1862. He was different from many of his comrades in age and point of view, and his war service was also out of the ordinary. The last great surge of popular voluntary enlistment swept up Winters, a thirty-two-year-old saddle and harness maker and father of three from Indiana. Like so many others in the Civil War, Winters was a prolific correspondent, and through his letters we have a record of some lesser-known campaigns. Winters served in the siege of Vicksburg and in the Red River Campaign, frequently as a nurse, a role that emphasized for him the darker side of the war. These letters and journal entries show a sensitive man who reflects upon both the loveliness of the southern locales in which he found himself and the hideousness of war.




The Evolution of a State, Or, Recollections of Old Texas Days


Book Description

The author describes his experiences as a blacksmith, tobacco smuggler, soldier, Texas Ranger, and postmaster in Texas




The Men Who Shot Liberty: 60 Rip-Roaring Westerns in One Edition


Book Description

The Men Who Shot Liberty: 60 Rip-Roaring Westerns in One Edition encapsulates an emblematic journey through the rugged landscapes of early American literature, presenting an expansive collection that spans divergent styles and narratives. This anthology is a testament to the enduring allure and complexity of the Western genre, featuring narratives that oscillate between the romanticization of frontier life and the stark realism of the American Wests harsh environs. The collection boasts a range of literary styles, from the gritty realism of Stephen Crane to the romantic adventures of Zane Grey, offering readers an unparalleled exploration of the genre's evolution and thematic diversity. Within its pages, tales of valor, exploration, and survival stand as testaments to a bygone era, together weaving a rich tapestry of American culture and history. The distinguished roster of authors included in this anthology represents a who's who of American literature, each contributing unique insights shaped by their backgrounds, experiences, and the prevailing cultural and literary movements of their time. Writers such as Mark Twain and Willa Cather bring to the collection not only their narrative flair but also their deep engagement with the complexities of American identity and the mythology of the West. Their works, alongside those of their contemporaries, encompass a broad array of perspectives, underlining the Western genres capacity to articulate fundamental aspects of the human condition against the backdrop of Americas frontier landscapes. This anthology serves as an essential volume for those seeking to immerse themselves in the multifaceted narratives of the American West. The Men Who Shot Liberty: 60 Rip-Roaring Westerns in One Edition offers readers a unique opportunity to engage with a wide spectrum of literary voices and styles, each contributing to the rich mosaic of Western mythology. It is a compelling invitation to explore the rugged terrains of human endeavor, resilience, and adventure, making it an indispensable addition to the library of enthusiasts and scholars alike interested in the profound narratives that have shaped American literary tradition.