Westerns set at Christmastime? Anyone know of any?

[James]

Would you consider Craig Johnson's Longmire mysteries westerns? If so, he just came out with a collection of short stories with the Longmire characters and many of them are Christmas themed. The collection is called "Wait for Signs."


Wait for Signs: Twelve Longmire Stories

[Elisabeth]

I enjoy reading Christmas stories around the holidays too! Since I love reading and writing Westerns too, I've always had it in the back of my head to write a Christmas Western story myself some day...

There's a Max Brand collection that features a good Christmas story—kind of his own twist on the Scrooge-type miser: Wheel of Fortune: A Western Trio. I think there's a Christmas story in The Sacking Of El Dorado, too, called "The Man Who Forgot."

O. Henry also wrote a couple of Western short stories set at Christmas: "Christmas by Injuction" (my personal favorite) and "A Chaparral Christmas Gift." If you don't care for reading online, they're in his collections Heart of the West and Whirligigs.

Not specifically Christmas, but very cold and snowy, are B.M. Bower's The North Wind Do Blow, Shadow Mountain (also a murder mystery) and The Swallowfork Bulls. For children's books, Marguerite Henry's Brighty of the Grand Canyon has some wintry scenes and winds up with a snowbound sequence.

[Kathy]

James wrote: "Would you consider Craig Johnson's Longmire mysteries westerns? If so, he just came out with a collection of short stories with the Longmire characters and many of them are Christmas themed. The co..."

[Kathy]

Love them!

[Rhonda]

Richard wrote: "During the month of December, I always like to read fiction set at Christmastime. Murder mysteries set at Christmas are the easiest to find, I think, and I'll read plenty of those. But does anyone ..."

Rhonda wrote: I remember reading the following book awhile ago and I thought it would be what you are looking for. The book is Christmas in Calico by Jack Curtis. I hope this helps.

[Neil]

I like the Christmas books myself, also, but not always admitting like to watch many Christmas movies each year. Would love to find a good Christmas western.
Think I will give Christmas in Calico a look and see if it looks like something for me. By the way a few years ago I loved, The Christmas Train, nice murder mystery.

[Jaye]

Neil wrote: "I like the Christmas books myself, also, but not always admitting like to watch many Christmas movies each year. Would love to find a good Christmas western.

The Christmas Train. Which one? Below link to list:
https://www.goodreads.com/search?utf8...

[Neil]

David Baldacci's first titled simply, The Christmas Train, was the one I was referring to, didn't realize there were others, should have known, until I went to your link, thanks. Thought it was fun.

[Neil]

Failed to mention this is not really a western, it has the feel of a western to me but is a murder mystery.

[Jaye]

Neil wrote: "David Baldacci's first titled simply, The Christmas Train, was the one I was referring to, didn't realize there were others, should have known, until I went to your link, thanks. Thought it was fun."

It looks like fun. I think I'll go put it on reserve at the library. Thanks.

[Joe]

James wrote: "Would you consider Craig Johnson's Longmire mysteries westerns? If so, he just came out with a collection of short stories with the Longmire characters and many of them are Christmas themed. The co..."

Just finished them...very good! Just got two of the other books in the series to read.

[Neil]

I've read all of the Longmire books, wonderful series. Another Wyoming author C.J. Box writes Joe Pickett (a Wyoming game warden) books. Very good modern western reading.

[Regina]

The husband gave me this one for Christmas, not because I read Harlequin romances (I don't), but because it takes place in a Pony Express station, which is of particular interest to me.

I will be honest, it's not really my thing. If you want a light, quick read, and you just want a little fluff, it's fine. It is what it is: a short little Harlequin book. There's some stuff in there an editor should have caught, and there's not much character development, but then, like I said, it is what it is.

[Neil]

I like the Pony Express stuff myself, too bad this was not a better portrayal of that for you. But the Harlequin line is as the pro athletes say - "It is what it is." Now you have me wanting to read a good Pony Express Book - guess I will go look around.

[James]

So, Richard, did you find a Christmas western that you liked?