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Ethan Payne #2
Trail Town
Ethan Payne has drifted across the rugged American West, hungry to settle. From the wilds of the Missouri to the jungles of Panama, he left his destiny to the gods, and left Gil Stark--his best frined-turned-outlaw--to the devil. Now, acting as Abilene's fiercely respected marshal, Payne's finally found a place to stand tall. Until a woman in need of salvation triggers and impulse like a bullet to the heart.
Addicted to life's sordid pleasures, Julie Cathcott has arrived, unwanted and unexpected, from Payne's past. To Payne, she's a woman worth saving. Even if it means crossing swords with the town fathers, and being cast out forever from a place he called home. But the past isn't through with Payne. In the shadow of Miss Julie's own private hell, Gil Stark is waiting. Once fate plays these kinds of games, it can turn any man into a killer.
Addicted to life's sordid pleasures, Julie Cathcott has arrived, unwanted and unexpected, from Payne's past. To Payne, she's a woman worth saving. Even if it means crossing swords with the town fathers, and being cast out forever from a place he called home. But the past isn't through with Payne. In the shadow of Miss Julie's own private hell, Gil Stark is waiting. Once fate plays these kinds of games, it can turn any man into a killer.
236 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 15, 2002
About the author
Jason Manning
76 books13 followersJASON MANNING was born and continues to live in Texas. An avid reader and history buff from an early age, he favored the works of C.S. Forester, Jack London, Bret Harte, Ernest Haycox, John Steinbeck and William Faulkner. He started writing short stories when he was twelve. He is currently writing his 54th novel, to be published in 2016 by St. Martin's Press.
His first book, Killer Gray, was published in 1979; he did not write his second novel, Gunsmoke on the Sierra Line, until ten years later; it was published in 1989 by Zebra Books. He wrote five more titles for Zebra, Revenge in Little Texas, Texas Helltown and Showdown at Seven Springs among them. From 1990 until 1996 he wrote fourteen novels for HarperCollins using the pseudonym "Hank Edwards," including Gun Glory, Lawless Land, Lady Outlaw and Steel Justice in The Judge series, and the stand-alones Ride for Rimfire, Thirteen Notches, Apache Sundown and Gray Warrior. He also wrote two other westerns for HarperCollins under the pen name "Dale Colter." Beginning in 1993, Dutton Signet began publishing Manning's longer historical/western novels, such as High Country, Green River Rendezvous, Flintlock, Promised Land, American Blood, The Black Jacks, The Marauders; the six Gordon Hawkes novels -- among them Mountain Massacre and Mountain Courage; and the six Barlow novels -- The Long Hunters, War Lovers and Apache Shadow among them. In addition, he wrote six westerns for St. Martin's Press -- the Ethan Payne trilogy (Frontier Road, Trail Town and Last Chance), and the Westerners series of biographical novels: Gun Justice, The Outlaw Trail and Gunmaster. In November 2016 his newest western, Christmas in the Lone Star State, will be published by St. Martin's Press.
As an historian, Manning has taught at Stephen F. Austin State University, Southern Illinois University, and Montgomery College in Texas. His website The Eighties Club is widely regarded as an excellent resource on the history and pop culture of the 1980s. He has been active in wildlife conservation with a particular interest in wolf recovery. And, most importantly, he is the father of three remarkable children -- Nick, Connor and Grace.
His first book, Killer Gray, was published in 1979; he did not write his second novel, Gunsmoke on the Sierra Line, until ten years later; it was published in 1989 by Zebra Books. He wrote five more titles for Zebra, Revenge in Little Texas, Texas Helltown and Showdown at Seven Springs among them. From 1990 until 1996 he wrote fourteen novels for HarperCollins using the pseudonym "Hank Edwards," including Gun Glory, Lawless Land, Lady Outlaw and Steel Justice in The Judge series, and the stand-alones Ride for Rimfire, Thirteen Notches, Apache Sundown and Gray Warrior. He also wrote two other westerns for HarperCollins under the pen name "Dale Colter." Beginning in 1993, Dutton Signet began publishing Manning's longer historical/western novels, such as High Country, Green River Rendezvous, Flintlock, Promised Land, American Blood, The Black Jacks, The Marauders; the six Gordon Hawkes novels -- among them Mountain Massacre and Mountain Courage; and the six Barlow novels -- The Long Hunters, War Lovers and Apache Shadow among them. In addition, he wrote six westerns for St. Martin's Press -- the Ethan Payne trilogy (Frontier Road, Trail Town and Last Chance), and the Westerners series of biographical novels: Gun Justice, The Outlaw Trail and Gunmaster. In November 2016 his newest western, Christmas in the Lone Star State, will be published by St. Martin's Press.
As an historian, Manning has taught at Stephen F. Austin State University, Southern Illinois University, and Montgomery College in Texas. His website The Eighties Club is widely regarded as an excellent resource on the history and pop culture of the 1980s. He has been active in wildlife conservation with a particular interest in wolf recovery. And, most importantly, he is the father of three remarkable children -- Nick, Connor and Grace.
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November 26, 2022
Ethan Payne has always remained on the good side of the law. He pulls into Abilene and with the death of the Sheriff, he gets the job. His first job is to see that the Texan who killed the Sheriff pays for the crime. He has friends on the wrong side of the tracks but for Abilene to prosper he needs to walk a fine line. The first story takes up about half the book, then the rest is an old love falling on hard times.
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