Shootout in Dodge City

Carrigan Brothers #1

by Cameron Judd

BROTHERS IN ARMS Joseph and Liam Carrigan may have the same strong Irish blood running in their veins, but the similarity ends there. Where Joseph is level-headed and forthright, Liam is temperamental and roguish. After fighting on opposing sides in the Civil War, they reunite to head west in search of a better life and an enigmatic, long-lost uncle who disappeared years earlier. But their journey will not be an easy one. Not only must they contend with the dangers of both man and nature on the untamed frontier, but also with the never-ending sibling rivalry that once tore them apart -- and a menacing, shadowy figure who's on their trail, marking the Carrigan brothers' every move, waiting for the moment to strike.... From Cameron Judd, the Spur Award­nominated author of The Overmountain Men and Crockett of Tennessee, comes a new series steeped in the traditions of the Old courage, honor, and nonstop adventure. MORE THAN ONE MILLION CAMERON JUDD TITLES IN PRINT!

Genres: Westerns

256 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 8, 2003

About the author

Cameron Judd (AKA: Tobias Cole) is a bestselling author of over forty historical and Western novels, including The Canebrake Men and Crockett of Tennessee. A former award-winning journalist, he continues to write his acclaimed column “Clips to Keep” and lives with his family in Greene County, Tennessee.

Reviews

[Jeff Tankersley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Joseph and Liam Carrigan are brothers, struggling to survive in the post-Civil War West and often at personal odds, as brothers are, when they find themselves in Dodge City looking for a long-lost uncle. The cleverly responsible Joseph and the recklessly ill-mannered Liam have failed in combined ventures thus far, including a disastrous cattle drive in which they ended up with fewer dollars than they started with, and see this uncle-finding mission as kind of a karmic way to lift this hex of failure that has been haunting them all their lives.

Trouble from their pasts follows them to Dodge in the form of an enemy Liam engaged in combat during the Civil War, and in the form of a grudge-holding back-shooter who is out for revenge after he was kicked off their cattle drive.

Rather than reading this one, I listened to the audiobook version via Hoopla narrated by Pete Bradbury and it is an entertaining listen.

Verdict: "Shootout in Dodge City" (2003) is kind of a weirdly-wholesome, tropey weekend western adventure.

Jeff's Rating: 2 / 5 (Okay)
movie rating if made into a movie: PG-13

[HornFan2 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've previously read this one, it's the first book in a three book series about the Carrigan brothers and it's one were I wish that Judd would have added more books to the series.

It's about two Irish brothers, Liam and Joseph who are different as night and day. They have their differences, arguments but being blood they stick together and they're also searching for a long lost Uncle.

The story takes place in Dodge City, Kansas, were one brother works in a Wagon Yard, the other in the Livery barn and also is a deputy sheriff. They are trying to recoup traveling funds, after a failed cattle drive.

They both survive, attempts on their lives by backshooters. Liam also finds redemption after recognizing a man that he shoot during the Civil War, which left him permanently disfigured and in the end, gets forgiveness.

Liam also helps the family, by inspiring their wayward daughter Lilly, who's a whore to return home and be with her family.

Any of Cameron's books are excellent, several series are historical, from the Civil War era and well worth it too read. The cool thing with e-books, is that several of his series long out of print, extremely hard to find and expensive when you find them, are now easily available.

[John Cusimano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story

I am sorry I couldn't give this story 6 stars! The ending was especially good. A rather unusual type of circumstance!