Ranger's Trail

By: Elmer Kelton

Narrated by: Jonathan Davis

In the spring of 1874 the Ranger companies that protect settlers against Indian raids and outlaw bands are being reorganized and David "Rusty" Shannon is the most sought-after veteran for reenlistment.

But Shannon has new goals for his life: He is in love with Josie Monahan, daughter of the family that adopted him, and he intends to marry Josie and take her to his farm on the Colorado River. Rusty also feels affection and responsibility for Andy Pickard, a headstrong teenager he rescued from captivity among the Comanche—just as Rusty himself was rescued as a red-haired boy decades before.

Then an unspeakable tragedy—the murder of his beloved Josie—changes Rusty's plans for a quiet farmer's life and alters his peace-loving character. Bent on revenge, he relentlessly trails Corey Bascom, son of an outlaw family and the man Rusty believes is Josie's killer.

But the trail Rusty is following may be leading him to the wrong man.

Set in the tumultuous Reconstruction period of Texas history, Ranger's Trail continues Elmer Kelton's chronicles of the origins of the renowned Texas Rangers, told as fiction but historically accurate in every detail and written by a favorite son of Texas.

©2002 Elmer Kelton (P)2006 Recorded Books LLC

Critic reviews

"A master storyteller who offers more than just blood and gunsmoke. The right blend of action, drama, romance, humor, and suspense makes this a handsome addition to his ongoing saga of the Old West." (Publishers Weekly)

Welll written and entertaining

Where does Ranger's Trail rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

IN the top 20%

Have you listened to any of Jonathan Davis’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Only in the Ranger series. The performance is comparable to the others.

If you could take any character from Ranger's Trail out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Andy Pickard.

Good book. Narrated well.

This was a good book as are all of Elmer Kelton's books. It is a good picture of the real wild West and the trials and tribulations that are found their. The Texas Rangers are an amazing bunch and Does a good job with the tellings of ranger stories

Ranger stories

Love the author’s knowledge and capture of Texas history and culture and geography. Great stories, narration was good.

Great Texas Western Story

Great story about post Civil War Texas written by a native Texan. Elmer Kelton is one of the best western writers of all time.