The frontier comes alive in the saga of Chet Byrnes and his family empire, by the Spur Award–winning author who writes "with the flavor of the real West" (Elmer Kelton).

Between the living and the dead . . .

The Byrnes family has fought fiercely for its ranching empire. And with success comes the fate of empires: The Brynes have taken in far-flung family members, hired hands, and folks looking for another chance at life. The Byrnes clan has taken their fair share of hurt, too, taking on outlaws too deadly and powerful for the law.

When a stage is robbed of a fortune in gold, the Byrnes boys set off on a wild race through the wilderness. But who are the men they are chasing? And where have they stashed the gold? In a harsh, unforgiving land, the Byrnes men face a mystery of gold and death—that could explode like a bomb in their hands . . .

"Dusty takes readers into the real west at full gallop." —New York Times bestselling author Jodi Thomas