Law of the Land: The Trial of Billy the Kid

Guns and Gavel Series #3

by Johnny D. Boggs

After his capture in 1880 by Pat Garrett, Billy the Kid must stand trial and pay the price for the crimes he has committed, from murder to his rides with the Regulators, but Billy has a few surprises in store for the judge and jury. Original.

Genres: Westerns

320 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 6, 2004

About the author

Johnny D. Boggs is a Spur- and Wrangler Award-winning author of the American West and frontier. Born in 1962, Boggs grew up on a farm near Timmonsville, South Carolina, around the old stamping grounds of Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion (chronicled in his frontier novel The Despoilers). He knew he wanted to be a writer at an early age. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico with his wife, Lisa Smith; son, Jack Smith Boggs; and basset hound, June.

Reviews

[Adithya Bharadwaj · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had no exposure to the Wild West, which is so famous in the Western world. Billy the Kid came across as a character in Michael Scott's series, and later there was a follow-up small story on Scatach and Billy the Kid. I stumbled across this book in Blossoms and took it up. It is not a straight line narration and takes up Billy's captures and through trial shows glimpses of the earlier events. The book is an imaginative narration of the trail as the Title suggests. Too many characters are introduced which I personally felt was difficult to follow. I probably will have to read other books as well to get to know the character of Billy better. However, this book was a good intro to the Lincoln country war crimes and The Kid.

[Keith B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought this some years back but somehow missed reading it. Looking at the publication date; I must have bought it when we bought our house and it got put in to a box of books with the move. Anyways...

I have read many books on Billy the Kid but enjoyed this one as it focused on the legal perspective rather than just the action. It also didn't demonize or canonize anyone. (Matt Braun is notorious for doing that.) Having lived close to the area this stuff took place in, really bring it too life for me.

[Jessica Timmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since as long as I can remember I've always been a fan of the western outlaws. The novel of Billy the Kid is another excellent novel that I have read is added to my own shelf of famous outlaws and hero's of the old west. I really enjoyed the novel and the history and non-historical parts of the story. I also highly recommend it to everyone. Long Live The Old West!

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Took a long time to get through. It was slow but interesting to read a different take on the trial part of Bonney. I only recommend this to people who really like Billy the Kid.