Old Dogs

Lucky Five, Book 1

By: Ron Schwab

Narrated by: Chris Brinkley

Winner of the Western Fictioneers Peacemaker Award for Best Western Novel and Finalist of the Will Rogers Medallion Award for Western Fiction.

Jack Wills and his longtime friend and saddle partner of nearly forty years, Rudolph Kilgore, assumed they had long ago outrun their last Comanche war party. Tending to the Lucky Five Ranch with Thor, Jack's twelve-year-old dog, at their side was now a more appealing way to spend their remaining years than the decades of close calls they experienced.

But a mysterious rider approaching the Lucky Five will change everything for Jack and Rudy, and their peaceful lives will be uprooted by the revelation of a long-kept secret that prompts one last quest for the "old dogs."

Adventure abounds in Ron Schwab's latest Western novel that will leave you laughing, crying, and in suspense until the very end.

©2021 Ron Schwab (P)2025 Podium Audio

Good story

I used to read a lot of non-fiction. But after my husband died a few years ago, I found it hard to stay focused on that kind of book. Over time, I drifted toward science fiction, mysteries and westerns. It reminded me of how popular westerns were in the 1940s and 1950s. While looking for something new to listen to, I noticed how few writers are still working in this genre. It feels like a loss because a well told historical western can be such a comforting way to spend an afternoon.

I recently discovered a new series called Lucky Five, and the first book is “Old Dogs”. This is not an action heavy story. Instead, it reflects on growing older and on the love we share with family, friends and animals, especially a loyal dog. It is gentle, warm and easy to listen to. This was my first book by Ron Schwab, an award-winning western writer, and I was surprised I had not come across his work before.

I listened to the audiobook on Audible. The recording is eight hours long, and Chris Brinkley gives a thoughtful and steady narration that suits the tone of the story.