Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Rusty & Bug

Rate this book
Clay County Sheriff Rusty Price had been following the two killers since they galloped out of his town but kept out of sight until the sun set. In the low light, he closed the gap and planned to wait until they crawled into their bedrolls to take them down.

But that plan was shattered when they found a campfire and pulled their pistols. He dismounted, grabbed his shotgun and hurried to the scene just as one of them opened fire.

423 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 21, 2022

969 people are currently reading
62 people want to read

About the author

C.J. Petit

104 books220 followers
Most biographies start with birth and then roll through the years as they drift by but that would bore me to death, and I lived through it.

The interesting part of my life began on September 23rd, 1995 as we were driving back to Omaha after watching the Notre Dame - Texas game in South Bend with relatives. The #21 Irish beat the #13 ranked Longhorns 55-27; and in a real oddity, scored points in just about every way conceivable in the game of football. They scored touchdowns on passes and runs, kicked a field goal, intercepted a pass for a TD, returned a punt for a touchdown and even added two points for blocking a Texas extra point.

As we were driving along westbound I-80 somewhere in Illinois in our Jeep Cherokee, I absent-mindedly rubbed the left side of my neck under my chin.

My very astute wife asked, "What's wrong with your neck?"

Now I had been an Air Force medic for twelve years; and as evident in my descriptions of outlaws' agonizing deaths in my stories, have a good working knowledge of anatomy and physiology. But that knowledge is offset by being a guy and thinking that we all live forever. My neck lymph nodes had been enlarged for around three months when my wife asked that question.

I obfuscated as if I was a lawyer and replied, "Um, a few weeks or so." (Note: Twelve or thirteen weeks does qualify as a 'few' weeks if one chooses to be generous.)

"And what did the doctor say?"

"I'll ask him when we get back."

"Yes, you will."

I do not want to make my wife out to be a harpy or a nag, because she is neither. She's an incredibly patient woman who could only put up with so much stupidity by yours truly.

Three days later, after the doctor copped a quick feel of my lymph nodes, he said, "I don't know what it is, but I don't like it," which was an honest, albeit an imprecise diagnosis.

So, we trotted over to a local ENT specialist. She didn't like them either and took me into surgery a few days later where she yanked one out, so the lab could dice it and slice it, then look at it under a microscope.

The pathologist who looked at the cells through his microscope reported his findings as 'lymphoepithelioma'. That meant that it was a secondary tumor and there was a primary tumor somewhere else in my nasopharynx that was the original problem.

Back I went into the operating room where the ENT doctor did an extensive examination and found nothing. She was so sure of her reconnaissance of the back of my throat that she told me that the pathologist was wrong, and it was just a lymphoma.

Now, being a computer geek, even way back in the dark ages of the internet in '95, I did some searching and found that if the primary tumor wasn't found, then the survival rate plummeted to about a fifth of the already lousy survival rate for the advanced Stage IV cancer. My wife and I decided that a second opinion might be a good idea.

Off we went in her Jeep to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota as the lousy weather descended across the Midwest. It's been known to happen, you know.

They had a problem getting the doctor here to release the specimen she'd yanked out of my neck, which I thought was odd because I don't remember selling it and figured I still owned it. Anyway, they eventually got the lymph node, did their own peek and confirmed the pathologist's diagnosis.

It wasn't until Halloween in 1995 that they finally found the original little bugger. It was just a tiny bump in the back of my throat that must have been there for a long time before it sent its friends marching into my lymph nodes.

They wanted to treat the cancer there, but I opted to have it done in Omaha and was sent to the care of Doctor Patrick J. McKenna (a name you may recognize from Max). Doctor Mac was the perfect man for the job as he was very personable, optimistic, had a good sense of humor and wouldn't put up with my constant whining. It helped that he knew his job, too.

(Read the full bio on Amazon)

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
2,511 (66%)
4 stars
897 (23%)
3 stars
254 (6%)
2 stars
61 (1%)
1 star
43 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
12 reviews2 followers
February 5, 2022
amazing Read

CJ Petit is one of the best if not the best western writers I have read every single book he has written and have enjoyed each book. He brings the characters to life and makes them very believable. You feel as if you really know the people he writes about. He shows his respect of women and knowledge of history. Being a horse breeder I appreciate the knowledge he shows of the care of horses. His knowledge of guns, rifles and hand guns is extensive. I would highly recommend his books !
1,392 reviews13 followers
February 11, 2022
Rusty, a small town Sheriff walks tall and carries a big stick! Sound familiar. Definitely is!

Definitely another five star masterpiece by one of the most intriguing Author's I have had the opportunity to follow! Mr. Petit certainly goes above and beyond in his successful descriptive storylines that will certainly touch everyone's heartstrings! No slow downs throughout this compelling western masterpiece, as Rusty finds a young boy confronted by a couple of "wanna be" tough guys, who quickly taken care of! Things begin to fall in place and Bug immediately becomes part of Rusty's housekeepers and friends!
Outstanding storylines that successfully maintains your undivided attention immediately and never wavers from the very beginning until the final paragraph has been read! Too, the character selections could not have been any better selected for their commanding assignments throughout this polarizing series of unending western folklore masterpiece!
Most definitely recommend this polarizing series of believeable old American western frontier
excitement series of unending gunfighting excursion to everyone, but especially to you dyed in the wool western folklore enthusiasts! Too, there are ongoing family-friendly series of outstandingly compilation of unending that will successfully appease you non-western enthusiasts, as well!!!😃
Profile Image for Paul Brown.
Author 8 books68 followers
August 7, 2023
Petit is a prolific writer with many great titles to pick from. Rusty & Bug is a wonderful bond between a man and a boy. The true meaning of family is revealed here, with clever plot lines offering powerful messages about life and human bonding. Easy fast read. Compelling characters. Nice balance of action, emotion, and thought. Dialogue flows well, too. PKB
Profile Image for john o'reilly.
222 reviews
February 1, 2022
glued again ,dinner in the bin

Love this guy his stories are so full of intriguing facts and of interesting people I must be a fast reader so these books seam to be so small in page numbers ,just checked and with this book I have read 84 of CJ Petit books and still wanting more ,get your skates on Sir I await your next one or two.
371 reviews2 followers
January 31, 2022
Rusty and Bug

A heart-warming family story of love. Enjoyed the way circumstances that Rusty found Big who was a brave and intelligent 8 year old boy. Rusty being an honest and hard-working lawman who had lost his first love ten years ago. Lots of humor and love. Thanks, Chris Petit for wonderful story as usual.
173 reviews4 followers
January 24, 2022
Enjoyable!

I always look forward to Mr. Petits books. I am checking to see if he has another one ready. His story lines are interesting. I feel like he's sitting right by me telling me the story. Cannot wait for next one!
103 reviews2 followers
February 2, 2022
Heartwarming Western!

Another great C.J. Petit story !
A sheriff rescues a brave right year old boy and ends up adopting him. There's a few spots that, as a mom, brought happy tears to my eyes.
Of course it has the requisite bad guys, gun fights with a few wounds, and good guys saving the day needed in a western.

I'd rate this book PG-13, only because people die and there are a couple hangings, although none of these are descriptively gory. There is very mild language (hardly considered as language these days), and mature subjects discussed obliquely.

I heartily recommend this story.

(Read with Kindle Unlimited subscription.)
4 reviews
January 23, 2022
A master storyteller

In a day and age when there is so much bad news. It is refreshing to read of basic human values and inspiring story's that emphasize love and a positive outlook on life. Keep them coming.
14 reviews
March 9, 2022
It’s difficult to know where to begin rating this book there are so many issues wrong with it. However the first thing that should be addressed is that this author needs to seriously invest in a good editor. There were so many editorial errors I lost count. Second issue is that the author goes out of his way to make a historical statement that is blatantly incorrect, especially when referring to guns, rifles and ammunitions. His descriptions of people and places are completely lacking. The characters are weak and unrealistic and the story is reminiscent of a sappy Hollywood movie from the 1930’s era. I only continued reading hoping the story or the people would finally show something worth the time, but it didn’t get any better. Don’t bother with this boring, sappy book.

304 reviews3 followers
May 9, 2022
Another wonderful C J Petit book!

This is a sad, exciting and refreshing sorry centered around three lives. An orphan boy that wondered who his mother was and why his mother had abandoned him. A woman that was lied to numerous times by her evil father, being told the love of her life had been killed and that she had smothered her illegitimate son to death. A widower man who thought the love of his life had suddenly married another man from New York and moved away, then rescuing a runaway orphan boy that had so many characteristics and looks like himself. Almost 10 years passed before "fate" began to reveal many mysteries. This book is an amazing hard to put down read.
1,254 reviews3 followers
September 5, 2023
Western Romance

A young man named Rusty lost everything
after the Civil war, but he was smart and a go getter. He became the Sheriff of the town he lived in. While looking for some outlaws that shot a man in his town, Rusty met an eight year old boy that was fighting with the outlaws over a rabbit he cooked. Rusty captured the outlaws and brought the young boy, Bobby home with him. Bobby changed everything in Rustys life.
I am never disappointed in a CJ Petit book. Rusty and Bug was read by my husband too, Rusty and Bug is the first book my husband read by CJ Petit, Now he is hooked and reading Hunting Pearl.
399 reviews4 followers
February 18, 2022
Almost too good to be true—almost.

When someone can stumble onto an 8 year old boy that is runaway from an orphanage and he is his real son— why that would be a miracle!
Or —it could be an answer to a prayer of a young boy. Loved this story. C. J. Petit’s books contain adversity and strife but there is always a good ending. I read for enjoyment and I don’t need affairs, deceit and darkness. I have read 70 of your books and love them all.
Profile Image for Jim Buchanan.
160 reviews2 followers
Currently reading
March 16, 2022
Vengeful

Many times in life folks who are very self centered can be so jealous of others that their actions are downright mean. Judge Byrne has that problem but it doesn't stop the love between his daughter Leah and Rusty surviving forced years apart. The path that is woven for reunion involves a lot of different real time emotions and brings appreciation of Mr. Petit to a whole new level.
129 reviews4 followers
May 29, 2022
What a surprise book is Rusty &Bug!

I didn't know what to expect of this book , except it was written by a writer that I trusted me
Sure enough it was book I couldn't put it down.. The plot was spellbinding.. Th characters were so much fun and inspiring.. A good righteous law man finds God does reward His children. I do enjoy the gun fights & the knowledge and respect of the use of guns. He also teaches his friends..
Thanks again Mr Pettit..
140 reviews4 followers
June 23, 2022
Lovely

What a lovely story! Petit's stories never lack excitement, but they also don't indulge in false drama, "twists" that seem based on unnecessarily withheld information, overdone emotional outbursts, or titillating sex scenes. His heros tend to be strait talking people with deeply held values and little pretense. And that is just the way this author writes. Definitely my kind of guy, and my kind of story.
69 reviews2 followers
January 23, 2022
Keeps churning

Have to be honest, this was not one of the best. Once it became apparent who Bugs father was the story crawled toward the expected reveal and HEA. That being said CJP keeps entertaining his readers once a month for the bargain price of .99. I will keep buying and reading as long as he keeps writing.
136 reviews1 follower
February 6, 2022
Bobby

The beginning of this book started out with a eight year old boy trying to keep his cooked rabbit from two bad men. Refusing to give it to them at first then running into the bush after throwing the rabbit at them. The Sheriff came to his rescue and started Bobby into a new and better life. Another good book!!
149 reviews1 follower
February 9, 2022
This was the first of C.J. Petit's books that I found to be boring during large segments of the story. For me, that was surprising, because most of his books are interesting from start to finish. There was a feel-good story, but I can think of several authors that would have done it better. They wouldn't have any bad guys in the story, and this one did for short intervals.
7 reviews
March 10, 2022
As always, a great story and great characters!

C.J. Petit has a gift for telling stories and creating warm and interesting characters. However, there is great need for a proof reader: Using the wrong character's name, including a name that isn't a character at all, leaving additional or repetitive words in sentences definitely distracts from the overall joy of the story.
Profile Image for Bill Oehler.
39 reviews
March 27, 2022
Saturday Matinee

This book wouldn't let me put it down. I think Mr. Petit you should think about making this into a Movie. It reads like it's almost a screen play already! Enjoyed it and every book I've read of yours! I can only give this 5 stars but I think this one deserves 10 stars!
Profile Image for Connie Skief.
911 reviews4 followers
April 1, 2022
Sheriff Rusty accidentally takes down criminals and finds what is missing in his life.

Reminds me of the movie August Rush, but so much better. Great read! Providence at work in all these lives. Highly recommended for all readers. The triple wedding is great. The judge was terrible to everyone. I don't know if I would have forgiven the aunt and uncle, hard times of not.
238 reviews4 followers
April 15, 2022
One of Petit’s best

Another home run…not sure how he is able to produce so many interesting stories in such a short timeframe, but this one definitely did not disappoint. Fascinating from the start to the very end. Really appreciate the way his stories always include an epilogue, telling the reader that little bit extra in the lives of his characters. Well done!
53 reviews
July 25, 2022
Excellent twist and turns!

Another really good read. However, I found myself aggravated numerous times by bad grammer, characters names mixed up, which would disrupt my following the story. I professionally "proof read" for other authors, and it makes for a much more enjoyable read! Otherwise I'd have given it 5 stars.
Profile Image for Vicki Plemmons.
6 reviews
August 11, 2022
This was my favorite

The first time I enjoyed this book, and the second time I enjoyed it more. I could see how Bug would have the courage to do what he did, when his real father was discovered. Reading it twice was just as enjoyable as the first time. Thank you Mr. Petit.
Vicki
11 reviews
December 20, 2022
Amazing

I have thoroughly enjoyed every C.J. Petit offering so much that I have read each title twice. I love that you never close a book without knowing how there life continued after the story. I look forward to each new books a child awaits Christmas. Thank You Mr. Petit! Rusty and Bug will make a crusty ole veteran teary eyes, at least it did this one.
34 reviews
January 24, 2022
Solid Western Lawmen Story🏜

Lots of lawman action against Bad Guys (lawmen 10 bad guys 0). Also a beautifully written family love story with interesting characters and beautiful horses 🐎 and firearms throughout.
8 reviews1 follower
January 27, 2022
Another hard to put down story from Mr. petit

If you. Like action novels with a little roman c e mixed in you will really enjoy this book.
Looking forward to more from this author.

44 reviews
January 28, 2022
Heartwarming & adventure

I could see where this story was going very early in the book. The twists and turns in this tale to arrive at the happy ending kept me riveted and turning the pages to the very end. Really enjoyed this book.
6 reviews
January 29, 2022
Rusty & Bug

I am not a fan of romantic books but i must admit mr Petit i thoroughly enjoyed this one , i am getting hooked on your westerns and look forward to reading more

Angus ?
26 reviews1 follower
January 30, 2022
an amazing story……

An amazing story by an amazing author with an amazing history (despite his current health). God bless the cowboy. If you aren’t following his Facebook page, you should. If you haven’t read his bio, you should. Did I mention amazing? :)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.