Jack Parker, the fifteen-year-old son of the sheriff of Mayfield, does not enjoy a close and loving relationship with his father. When a vicious range war erupts in the area, Jack and his father are drawn closer when they find themselves fighting against an incursion by a band of Texan freebooters, and for a time it looks as though the youngster is destined to follow in his father's footsteps by becoming a lawman.

Simon Webb, who lives on the outskirts of London, is the author of more than thirty westerns, published under both his own name and also a number of pseudonyms; for example Ed Roberts, Ethan Harker, Brent Larssen, Harriet Cade and Fenton Sadler. In addition to westerns, he has written many non-fiction books, chiefly on the subjects of social history and education. He is married, with two children.