Faraday Series

 Rails into Hell

A Faraday Western

By

Robert Vaughan

Brent Towns

Preorder here! 

This is my second Faraday book, the first being The Buffalo Train. The other books in this series were written by various authors, including James Reasoner and Robert Vaughan.

Set during the 19th-century railroad boom, these stories delve into sabotage, murder, espionage, and political intrigue tied to the steel rails stretching across the continent.

Faraday’s agents, often undercover, navigate hostile terrain, corrupt officials, and deadly ambushes while safeguarding the railroads' interests.

Each book is a standalone story, unconnected to the others, making it easy to pick up the series at any point.

My first book, The Buffalo Train, is based on historical facts with a good dose of fiction. The Buffalo Train was a real concept, a stunt devised by Joseph McCoy to attract buyers back to Dodge City.

McCoy organized a trainload of live buffalo, elk, deer, and other wild animals to be shipped eastward—reportedly to Chicago—as a dramatic display of the railroads’ capacity and the frontier’s abundance. His goal was to reignite buyer enthusiasm and draw attention back to Dodge City, which had started losing prominence as cattle routes shifted and competition from other cow towns intensified.

This wasn’t just a spectacle—it was strategic marketing. McCoy understood how the romance of the frontier could be leveraged to boost business. By showcasing exotic wildlife alongside cattle, he made Dodge City seem like the vibrant heart of the Wild West, brimming with opportunity and untapped resources.

This premise inspired me, and I ran with it.

Now with the second one, I've returned to what feels like a more classic 50s movie vibe, featuring an undercover agent who used to be a hired gun, a range war, and a murderer determined to derail the railroad's progress.  

Blurb: The railroad’s arrival promised progress, but in Sagebrush Creek, it came riding on a tide of blood.

A surveyor lies dead, murdered to halt the iron rails’ advance. Matthew Faraday knows one man who can uncover the truth—former gunfighter Jack Quade. But Faraday’s reasons aren’t entirely about justice. Trouble’s brewing in the hills: a range war with Quade’s estranged father, Vince, at its heart.

Years ago, Vince Quade disavowed his son. Now Jack must face a father who wants nothing from him—least of all help. But with a killer on his trail and tensions ready to explode into open war, Jack has no choice but to fight on two fronts: mending a broken bond and stopping a murderer before Sagebrush Creek becomes a graveyard.

Will Jack Quade bring peace to a town on the brink—or will the railroad carry him straight into hell? 

Writing the new story was a lot of fun, and I hope it resonates with readers as I intended. I aimed to capture the feel of an old 50s western movie, so fingers crossed I pulled it off. Now, all that's left is to wait for October 14 and see how things unfold.