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Kilkenny #1
The Rider of Lost Creek
Lance Kilkenny has a debt to pay, and he isn’t about to let the friend who saved his life go down in a range war. But when Kilkenny tries to stop the fighting, he finds there’s more at stake than land or wire. Whoever is stirring up trouble has big ideas for the Live Oak country—and an army of hired guns to back them up. Nita Riordan, the beautiful and fiery owner of the Apple Canyon Saloon, warns Lance that the mysterious man orchestrating the conflict wants him dead. Lance realizes that if he doesn’t watch his step, he’ll pay the debt he owes with his own blood.
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1976
295 people are currently reading
1372 people want to read
About the author
Louis L'Amour
997 books3,494 followersLouis Dearborn L'Amour was an American novelist and short story writer. His books consisted primarily of Western novels, though he called his work "frontier stories". His most widely known Western fiction works include Last of the Breed, Hondo, Shalako, and the Sackett series. L'Amour also wrote historical fiction (The Walking Drum), science fiction (The Haunted Mesa), non-fiction (Frontier), and poetry and short-story collections. Many of his stories were made into films. His books remain popular and most have gone through multiple printings. At the time of his death, almost all of his 105 existing works (89 novels, 14 short-story collections, and two full-length works of nonfiction) were still in print, and he was "one of the world's most popular writers".
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 225 reviews
June 27, 2024
3.5 stars
"Before I ride out of this country I've got two things to do. I'm going to Apple Canyon and I'm going to get the man who has been doing these killings . . . I think we have an ugly, vicious murderer loose on the range, and I intend to find him. And when I find him, he'll hang!" -- the gunslingin' cowpoke protagonist (and freshly deputized Texas Ranger) Lance Kilkenny, page 108
The Rider of Lost Creek was an odd mix of a standard L'Amour novel - two head-strong cattle barons who uneasily co-exist in the same region are upset by a upstart third man moving into their territory to horn in on the plentiful land, and the mood is threatening to spill over into a range war - along with a Christie-styled murder-mystery plot. Set in Texas of the 1870's, loner Lance Kilkenny - that type of honorable cowboy character that one now-maligned comedian would correctly describe as "didn't smoke, didn't drink, didn't kiss no women - just kissed his horse" - rides in to help an old friend, who happens to be that third man mentioned above. Wielding some diplomatic mediator skills, Kilkenny attempts to keep the parties from erupting into a full-blown skirmish while also quickly deducing that an unidentified and possibly demented murderer has been working undetected in the area. While some of the narrative fell a little too perfectly into place during the final chapters, it was refreshing change of pace that the (unusual, for the time period) college-educated Kilkenny often strove to use his brains - though his brawn came in handy when required - to keep the peace.
"Before I ride out of this country I've got two things to do. I'm going to Apple Canyon and I'm going to get the man who has been doing these killings . . . I think we have an ugly, vicious murderer loose on the range, and I intend to find him. And when I find him, he'll hang!" -- the gunslingin' cowpoke protagonist (and freshly deputized Texas Ranger) Lance Kilkenny, page 108
The Rider of Lost Creek was an odd mix of a standard L'Amour novel - two head-strong cattle barons who uneasily co-exist in the same region are upset by a upstart third man moving into their territory to horn in on the plentiful land, and the mood is threatening to spill over into a range war - along with a Christie-styled murder-mystery plot. Set in Texas of the 1870's, loner Lance Kilkenny - that type of honorable cowboy character that one now-maligned comedian would correctly describe as "didn't smoke, didn't drink, didn't kiss no women - just kissed his horse" - rides in to help an old friend, who happens to be that third man mentioned above. Wielding some diplomatic mediator skills, Kilkenny attempts to keep the parties from erupting into a full-blown skirmish while also quickly deducing that an unidentified and possibly demented murderer has been working undetected in the area. While some of the narrative fell a little too perfectly into place during the final chapters, it was refreshing change of pace that the (unusual, for the time period) college-educated Kilkenny often strove to use his brains - though his brawn came in handy when required - to keep the peace.
August 4, 2021
All three Kilkenny westerns are my favorite, but the first one The Rider of Lost Creek is still THE BEST and one of the very best western novels I've ever read in my life.
Aside for the Sacketts, Lance Kilkenny is my most favorite hero of Wild West. He perfectly embodied the 'Lone Drifter Gunfighter' persona in the books that Clint Eastwood so wonderfully immortalized in films. But Kilkenny was not "The Man With No Name", because he's not just a nameless, anchorless, mysterious tough guy. He had a legendary name throughout the West, he had a past, He had ties, he had friends who would get his help whenever they needed, and they would also help him in turn. And most of all, even if in the end he was still a lone drifter who just couldn't ignore the call of the wild... a beautiful wonderful woman loved him and waited for him, and someday, somewhere, he will return to that woman to repay her love.
Yes, I'm just a hopeless romantic, and I freaking LOVED the unforgettable relationship of Lance Kilkenny-Nita Riordan!
Aside for the Sacketts, Lance Kilkenny is my most favorite hero of Wild West. He perfectly embodied the 'Lone Drifter Gunfighter' persona in the books that Clint Eastwood so wonderfully immortalized in films. But Kilkenny was not "The Man With No Name", because he's not just a nameless, anchorless, mysterious tough guy. He had a legendary name throughout the West, he had a past, He had ties, he had friends who would get his help whenever they needed, and they would also help him in turn. And most of all, even if in the end he was still a lone drifter who just couldn't ignore the call of the wild... a beautiful wonderful woman loved him and waited for him, and someday, somewhere, he will return to that woman to repay her love.
Yes, I'm just a hopeless romantic, and I freaking LOVED the unforgettable relationship of Lance Kilkenny-Nita Riordan!
August 4, 2018
I’m attempting to read a few of my Fa’s westerns in exchange for him expanding his horizons with my books. I admit I was surprised by the intricacies of the plot, but I was also surprised that the lead female role was an independent entrepreneur and remained so. Overall, it was a compelling read and L’Amour is a much more talented writer than I expected. The indigenous violence I feared also wasn’t present, and while it was your typical “shoot ‘em up”, it was more complex and had more thought put into it than that. Honestly, it wasn’t really a bad read
February 22, 2022
A nice enjoyable quick read. Lance Kilkenny manages to get into a fist fight, shoot several bad guys and save his friends farm. He even manages not to kill the insane guy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2020
This was an enjoyable, fast read as most Louis L'Amour books are. It is an interesting story because I have read at least one short story version of this novel which he kept some parts of and abandoned others. Kilkenny is a bit larger than life compared to L'Amour's other heroes, a man with significantly fewer flaws and more abilities than his typical character.
Kilkenny responds to a request for help from a man he owes his life to, and rides into a messy range war that is developing. He spends most of the book cleverly avoiding and spoiling fights, primarily interested in stopping the range war and finding out who is behind the trouble and what he has to gain.
Overall its pretty well written if a bit certain in its conclusion, and L'Amour included a couple of subplots he disposed of in a few paragraphs abruptly at the end like he'd run out of time and just wanted them out of the way. Still, a very enjoyable and comfortable read.
Kilkenny responds to a request for help from a man he owes his life to, and rides into a messy range war that is developing. He spends most of the book cleverly avoiding and spoiling fights, primarily interested in stopping the range war and finding out who is behind the trouble and what he has to gain.
Overall its pretty well written if a bit certain in its conclusion, and L'Amour included a couple of subplots he disposed of in a few paragraphs abruptly at the end like he'd run out of time and just wanted them out of the way. Still, a very enjoyable and comfortable read.
December 14, 2025
What a fun ride ! A great little novel of the Old West. I enjoy L'Amour - my mom read him a lot. The Rider of Lost Creek is a Lance Kilkenny novel written in 1976. The audio narration is a huge plus, as Jim Gough's rugged voice (which reminds me a bit of Paul Harvey, with a bit more twang) perfectly suits the tale of tough and desperate men and the lonely country they ride.
Kilkenny, a solitary man with a strict moral code and maybe the fastest gun hands around, gets caught up in a range war. Lost Creek is a beautiful valley that happens to be a great site for cattle grazing. There are three interests at stake, each of whom have carved out a space for their herds in the valley. But tensions are running high as the practice of fencing is building momentum, and Kilkenny can see that trouble is inevitable. His friend Mort Davis, who once saved his life, is the smallest rancher of the three and has been tenaciously clinging to his corner of the valley. He tells Kilkenny that he can't h0ld out much longer. Kilkenny swears to help him, but the odds against them keep mounting. In addition to the strength of the other ranchers' outfits, two very strange figures enter the high-stakes drama: the son of an acquaintance of Kilkenny has been acting unusually, and it occurs to Kilkenny that he could be the killer behind some recent unsolved and apparently unprovoked murders; also there seems to be a fourth and unseen force acting on the whole drama - someone who has much bigger plans than the control of Lost Creek Valley, someone perhaps behind the barbed wire empire, someone who no one will talk about who must be holed up in that cabin on an apparently impregnable ledge above the town ...
Kilkenny, a solitary man with a strict moral code and maybe the fastest gun hands around, gets caught up in a range war. Lost Creek is a beautiful valley that happens to be a great site for cattle grazing. There are three interests at stake, each of whom have carved out a space for their herds in the valley. But tensions are running high as the practice of fencing is building momentum, and Kilkenny can see that trouble is inevitable. His friend Mort Davis, who once saved his life, is the smallest rancher of the three and has been tenaciously clinging to his corner of the valley. He tells Kilkenny that he can't h0ld out much longer. Kilkenny swears to help him, but the odds against them keep mounting. In addition to the strength of the other ranchers' outfits, two very strange figures enter the high-stakes drama: the son of an acquaintance of Kilkenny has been acting unusually, and it occurs to Kilkenny that he could be the killer behind some recent unsolved and apparently unprovoked murders; also there seems to be a fourth and unseen force acting on the whole drama - someone who has much bigger plans than the control of Lost Creek Valley, someone perhaps behind the barbed wire empire, someone who no one will talk about who must be holed up in that cabin on an apparently impregnable ledge above the town ...
November 7, 2019
After having such great success with several of L'Amour's other books I was very surprised that I didn't care for this one. I really enjoyed the narrator but couldn't connect with any of the characters the way I always have.
March 24, 2022
This was my first ever western. It was like watching a black and white on the TV……. I visualized a lot of this. If you can make me to feel dusty from my couch , then my visualization was up to par.
I give this ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Happy Trails🏇
I give this ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Happy Trails🏇
June 5, 2017
Another great one from L'Amour. Lots of twists and turns at the end.
November 23, 2018
A short and effective Western with plenty of action. George Guidall narrates the audiobook and, as usual, does so with excellence.
August 24, 2020
Louis L'Amour can spin a good yarn. I might come back and read the next Kilkenny book some day.
June 24, 2025
The Kilkenny series are some of my favorite Louis L'Amour books so I was pleased to return to book one, The Rider of Lost Creek, with the splendid Recorded Books audio version narrated by the talented George Guidall.
The Rider of Lost Creek is a combo of a range war western trope with a side of mystery. Lance Kilkenny is the mysterious gunfighter hero who is called upon to help his old friend Mort Davis when two large cattle ranchers decide to edge out the small-time rancher off his land of Lost Creek.
But, it isn't long before Kilkenny figures out there is more to this than a three-sided range war. Someone else is stirring the pot to their own ends and even has his own hired men keeping the three ranches headed for a war in which none of them are looking to be real winners. There's a mysterious watcher at the lonesome border establishment of Apple Canyon along with a woman who makes every man including Lance Kilkenny sit up and notice and there seem to be more killings than the range war or the stranger at Apple Canyon can account for.
I enjoyed the western action, the colorful characters, and the mystery as well as seeing it all through Kilkenny's sage, world-weary eyes. He's good with a gun, but he just wants to be left alone. He refuses to get close to people who can become hostages to fate in a gunfighter's life, and he'll never stick around when the actions over and any idiot looking to make a name for himself can hunt him up and challenge him.
George Guidall caught the tone of the book and delivered well on all the male characters. His female characters were a little rough, but not awful. I love how he tells a story.
This was a fab revisit and the book stood the test of time.
The Rider of Lost Creek is a combo of a range war western trope with a side of mystery. Lance Kilkenny is the mysterious gunfighter hero who is called upon to help his old friend Mort Davis when two large cattle ranchers decide to edge out the small-time rancher off his land of Lost Creek.
But, it isn't long before Kilkenny figures out there is more to this than a three-sided range war. Someone else is stirring the pot to their own ends and even has his own hired men keeping the three ranches headed for a war in which none of them are looking to be real winners. There's a mysterious watcher at the lonesome border establishment of Apple Canyon along with a woman who makes every man including Lance Kilkenny sit up and notice and there seem to be more killings than the range war or the stranger at Apple Canyon can account for.
I enjoyed the western action, the colorful characters, and the mystery as well as seeing it all through Kilkenny's sage, world-weary eyes. He's good with a gun, but he just wants to be left alone. He refuses to get close to people who can become hostages to fate in a gunfighter's life, and he'll never stick around when the actions over and any idiot looking to make a name for himself can hunt him up and challenge him.
George Guidall caught the tone of the book and delivered well on all the male characters. His female characters were a little rough, but not awful. I love how he tells a story.
This was a fab revisit and the book stood the test of time.
January 18, 2026
I grew up on Louis L’Amour and reading his books is like literary comfort food for me. This is classic L’Amour with his hero, Kilkenny, who is the main character of three L’Amour novels. This is the first chronologically and introduces Kilkenny and his love interest in all three, Nita. This is essentially a western mystery with murders and late night marauders with a shadowy boss pulling the strings.
April 9, 2022
Louis L’Amour is an incredible writer. He creates characters you want to know more about. As I understand, this is the first in a trilogy. I’ll be reading the next two!
July 26, 2023
I remember discovering a well worn collection of L’Amour’s paperbacks, the pages permeated with coffee and cigarette smoke in my grandfather’s rustic cabin. The pages were yellowed with age, the western covers complete with cowboys, horses, and land yet to be tamed much less settled, telling more about the inner spirit of my grandfather than he would tell you in his own words. I had planned to read at least one of these for so many years, but since it isn’t a genre I usually read I just never have. Until now.
I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator brought the story to life with a rich voice that fit the story to a tee. The story is a simple one the main character feels he owes a debt to a man who is fighting foes on all sides to keep his land. He’s a gunfighter and decides to do what he can to help the situation. There’s everything a good western movie would have. If you like those you will probably like this. My favorite aspect regarding the writing is the pacing. This story moves at a clip and no word is wasted. It’s action packed and a quick easy read. It’s not a super deep novel, but it’s not meant to be.
I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator brought the story to life with a rich voice that fit the story to a tee. The story is a simple one the main character feels he owes a debt to a man who is fighting foes on all sides to keep his land. He’s a gunfighter and decides to do what he can to help the situation. There’s everything a good western movie would have. If you like those you will probably like this. My favorite aspect regarding the writing is the pacing. This story moves at a clip and no word is wasted. It’s action packed and a quick easy read. It’s not a super deep novel, but it’s not meant to be.
April 24, 2020
I can finally say that I've read a Louis L'Amour book! This wasn't a bad western, but I haven't read too much in the genre to compare it to. This standalone follows Lance Kilkenny as he comes into town to hep a friend out. He's known as the fastest gunmen in the west, but most don't even know what he looks like because he never stays in any place long. He discovers that his friend Mort Davis needs help securing a waterhole from two wealthy cattleman who are claiming it as their own. As the bodies start piling up, it appears that a full on range war is about to engulf the whole territory, if only Kilkenny could keep his mind on work and his thoughts off the local saloon owner.Fast paced and quick, there is a small mystery that gives resolved in the end and lots of gunfights and stolen kisses from pretty women. Forgettable but fun.
March 1, 2025
yippee ki aye! riders of the storm.
read again finished 1st march 2025 good read i liked it kilkenny #1 kindle library loaner have read more than two dozen from l'amour enjoyed each one kilkenny is a man who has killed others with a gun and is known for that though few or none know him he comes to the aid of a small rancher amidst a range war instigated at the hand of another the various forces pitted one against the other and as an aside another man whose actions affect the whole and confuse the issue. entertaining story...one could read these and the conflicts they tell and compared them to the modern world and find parallels. we never leave the playground.
read again finished 1st march 2025 good read i liked it kilkenny #1 kindle library loaner have read more than two dozen from l'amour enjoyed each one kilkenny is a man who has killed others with a gun and is known for that though few or none know him he comes to the aid of a small rancher amidst a range war instigated at the hand of another the various forces pitted one against the other and as an aside another man whose actions affect the whole and confuse the issue. entertaining story...one could read these and the conflicts they tell and compared them to the modern world and find parallels. we never leave the playground.
September 27, 2023
I've been accidentally reading this series in backwards order, starting with number 4, then 3. I finally got myself turned around and read the first of L'Amour's Kilkenny books. Unfortunately I did not enjoy it any more than the other volumes.
It is hard for me to determine what satisfaction people who love these books are receiving from them. There is absolutely nothing to the characters and the plots are generic western boilerplate. At least they are short.
It is hard for me to determine what satisfaction people who love these books are receiving from them. There is absolutely nothing to the characters and the plots are generic western boilerplate. At least they are short.
March 9, 2021
It’s thanks to the library adding the audiobook to OverDrive that this one came across my radar sooner rather than later.
This proved to be another enjoyable western story for me. The impression it’s left is that the Kilkenny series will be a good, if not a great, one. I’m not quite sure when I’ll pick up the second book, but there’s no doubting that I’m looking forward to it when I do.
This proved to be another enjoyable western story for me. The impression it’s left is that the Kilkenny series will be a good, if not a great, one. I’m not quite sure when I’ll pick up the second book, but there’s no doubting that I’m looking forward to it when I do.
November 14, 2024
Louis L'Amour is the undisputed king of westerns and I've enjoyed several of them in the past. However, this one wasn't really for me. It was structured more like a Noir than a Western and L'Amour didn't seem super comfortable in that genre. That being said, it was short and sweet so it didn't overstay it's welcome.
January 8, 2021
Lance Kilkenny gets caught in a Texas range war as he tries to repay a debt to a friend. Nita Riodan warns Kilkenny of a mysterious stranger who wants to kill him. Lance is right in the middle of a powder keg ready to explode.
September 6, 2025
The Kilkenny series 02 The Rider of Lost Creek by Louis L'Amour
3.75 Stars
challenging dark mysterious sad tense
Fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters are a main focus: Complicated
I'm not 100% sure that I'm a fan of this author's writing style (atm), but with most series...I find my way to the gems left within the story. I hope that I find THAT in this series.
Lance Kilkenny is a mysterious man. People know his name and reputation, but above that...not much else. He is respected by most, because he's honourable, but to the suspect...he's slandered and doesn't care about them.
In this story, he takes a beating (not just once, but a couple of times). In that, he's endearing. He's stubborn and single-minded. He does what he does, because it needs to be done.
The next book is The Kilkenny series 03 The Mountain Valley War. Will pick it ups...in a few days.
3.75 Stars
challenging dark mysterious sad tense
Fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters are a main focus: Complicated
I'm not 100% sure that I'm a fan of this author's writing style (atm), but with most series...I find my way to the gems left within the story. I hope that I find THAT in this series.
Lance Kilkenny is a mysterious man. People know his name and reputation, but above that...not much else. He is respected by most, because he's honourable, but to the suspect...he's slandered and doesn't care about them.
In this story, he takes a beating (not just once, but a couple of times). In that, he's endearing. He's stubborn and single-minded. He does what he does, because it needs to be done.
The next book is The Kilkenny series 03 The Mountain Valley War. Will pick it ups...in a few days.
August 1, 2017
Some days you just have to read a good ole Louis L'Amour book!
This one happens to be the place where I first saw the name Destry (the name of my firstborn son--who was quite disappointed that he was only a minor character who was killed off). "Destry was a wonderful fellow. Everyone liked him, and that's what made his murder so strange. He was a very good man with a gun, and one of the best riders and ropers around. Everyone made a lot of Des, but he was a very regular fellow in spite of it" (129).
"This is a violent time. But if only bad men could use guns the world would be in a sorry state. We need such men as you, men who know when to use and when not to use guns, men who will carry them not as a threat but as a protection for themselves and others" (160).
This one happens to be the place where I first saw the name Destry (the name of my firstborn son--who was quite disappointed that he was only a minor character who was killed off). "Destry was a wonderful fellow. Everyone liked him, and that's what made his murder so strange. He was a very good man with a gun, and one of the best riders and ropers around. Everyone made a lot of Des, but he was a very regular fellow in spite of it" (129).
"This is a violent time. But if only bad men could use guns the world would be in a sorry state. We need such men as you, men who know when to use and when not to use guns, men who will carry them not as a threat but as a protection for themselves and others" (160).
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August 31, 2025This novel features a smorgasbord of standard Western characters – the mysterious lone gunman with a sense of justice, grizzled ranchers, tough-minded love interests, cantankerous ruffians, and they all get mixed up in the kind of adventures one would expect, standoffs of all sorts, with plenty of gun battles and tavern brawls. There’s some intrigue in the plot twists here and there, but basically, you’re getting an archetypal western. Fortunately, that’s what I wanted, so I was happy to go along for the ride for the expected tropes. L'Amour was well experienced in this genre, and his writing style is an excellent match for this material.
December 15, 2021
I thought L'Amour would be a good author to pick up at this time of the year, a time when everything is too busy and crazy and I did not want to dive into a large, complex,intricate novel, a palette cleanser if you will. I do not read westerns all that often but when the mood strikes it's a good thing to dive into - the Western is the mythology of the States, the history, the legends, the tales.
This one introduces us to Kilkenny, our hero gunslinger. He's in town to stop a range war and while he's at it maybe he can solve the mystery of all the unsolved deaths.
Yes, every character is paper thin and yes, you know exactly how this was going to end within the first chapter but L'Amour is such a good writer that it's an enjoyable book anyway (Yes my rating of three stars means I liked the book, it was good).
This one introduces us to Kilkenny, our hero gunslinger. He's in town to stop a range war and while he's at it maybe he can solve the mystery of all the unsolved deaths.
Yes, every character is paper thin and yes, you know exactly how this was going to end within the first chapter but L'Amour is such a good writer that it's an enjoyable book anyway (Yes my rating of three stars means I liked the book, it was good).
March 30, 2021
I can't believe I never read these Louis L'Amour books until now, this doubles as my review for Hondo which is pretty much a perfect western story. They really are fine pageturners. You can feel the pace of them but it doesn't make it any less fun to see the denouement coming, feel the slow burn, and watch the good guy ride off into the sunset. Once upon a time I looked down my nose at this sort of thing, but now I am less of a snob and ok with just enjoying a book. If you like fist fights, gunplay, horses, range wars, and homicidal maniacs, this one (The Rider) is a can't miss.
August 5, 2021
One of Louis L’Amour’s best. Plenty of action in a time where justice wasn’t necessarily delivered by law. Kilkenny, the main protagonist, is a tough and deadly gunslinger who let's out justice when it's needed, but he’s also a fair and likeable character.
One line in the book was so humorous, I laughed out loud. (He also can put a haughty woman in place, just by the use of some well chosen words!) However, this book is not comedy, it classifies as true western grit from a bygone era.
One line in the book was so humorous, I laughed out loud. (He also can put a haughty woman in place, just by the use of some well chosen words!) However, this book is not comedy, it classifies as true western grit from a bygone era.
January 8, 2022
Okay, the level of writing is probably more like three stars, but I gave it four because it was so entertaining. I used to wonder about the old dime novels that older books refer to, and I'm pretty sure I now know what they were like.
May 11, 2022
It's Louis L'Amour. Gunfights, fistfights, and the good guys win in the end.
February 28, 2025
This was mid
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