The Complete Western Stories of Elmore Leonard

The New York Times-bestselling Grand Master of suspense deftly displays the other side of his genius, with thirty classic western tales of destiny and fatal decision . . . and trust as essential to survival as it is hard-earned.

Trust was rare and precious in the wide-open towns that sprung up like weeds on America’s frontier—with hustlers and hucksters arriving in droves by horse, coach, wagon, and rail, and gunfighters and outlaws working both sides of the law, all too eager to end a man’s life with a well-placed bullet. In this landmark collection of classic westerns that spans more than five decades—including the first story he ever published, “The Trail of the Apache”—Elmore Leonard once again demonstrates the superb talent for language and gripping narrative that have made him one of the most acclaimed and influential writers of our time.

Before he brilliantly traversed the gritty landscapes of underworld Detroit and Miami, Elmore Leonard wrote breathtaking adventures set in America's nineteenth-century western frontier—elevating a popular genre with his now-trademark twisting plots, rich characterizations, and scalpel-sharp dialogue.

No author has ever written more evocatively of the dusty, gutsy heyday of the American West than Elmore Leonard. This complete collection of his thirty-one Western tales will thrill lovers of the genre, his die-hard fans, and everyone in between. From his very first story ever published—"The Trail of the Apache"—through five decades of classic Western tales, The Complete Western Stories of Elmore Leonard demonstrates the superb talent for language and gripping narrative that has made Leonard one of the most acclaimed and influential writers of our time.

“Leonard is the real thing.” - Washington Post Book World

“The man knows how to grab you.” - Entertainment Weekly

“Even the earliest of his western yarns show Leonard to be a master storyteller.” - Los Angeles Times

“Leonard has penned some of the best western fiction ever.” - USA Today