Derek Catron
Author of Trail Angel
Introducing
JOIN THE ADVENTURE
Thrilling stories of love and suspense from Derek Catron, author of Final Deadline, Yosemite Lies and the Trail Angel trilogy
My newest book
FINAL DEADLINE
When the day starts, newspaper editor Becket’s publisher wants to fire him. His staff lives in dread of the next layoff. And the woman he loves may be leaving before he can tell her how he feels.
Then three men brandishing AR-15s burst into his newsroom, demanding the newspaper print a manifesto reeking of conspiracy theories—or they will kill everyone. Can Becket outwit his foes and uncover the mystery over what’s really behind the attack before the night erupts into murder?
A semifinalist for thrillers in the Florida Writers Association literary awards.
Read Excerpt
Buy Now
A modern suspense-thriller
YOSEMITE LIES
Two women camping in the vastness of Yosemite National Park seek an escape from worldly troubles: disappointing job and love prospects for Kate, a pending divorce with a fortune at stake for Veronica. Yet menace stalks them from the outset. They cross paths with a handsome hiker with a mysterious past. Two strangers intrude on their isolated campsite. As the danger ratchets up, Kate and Veronica realize the secrets they’ve kept from each other may pose the greatest threat of all.
Read Excerpt
Buy Now
First Josey Angel Novel
Read Excerpt
TRAIL ANGEL
From award-winning journalist and first-time novelist, Derek Catron comes to a historical Western and love story set on “the bloody Bozeman,” the trail that sparked the only Indian war that ended with the army’s defeat.
Second Josey Angel Novel
ANGEL FALLS
In the follow-up to his critically acclaimed debut, Trail Angel, award-winning journalist Derek Catron weaves a thrilling tale of three unforgettable characters: Josey Angel, a Union cavalryman struggling to set aside a violent past and make a life with the woman he loves; Annabelle Rutledge, a Southern war widow who came west to rebuild her family’s fortunes and found love but little peace…
Read Excerpt
Buy Now
Third Josey Angel Novel
AVENGING ANGEL
When a rash of shocking raids threatens the hope for peace on the Bozeman Trail, Josey and Annabelle ride into the fray to seek an accord with the rising Sioux leader Crazy Horse. The wary Sioux pose but one threat; also lurking is a gunfighter who blames Josey for the death of his son in the war, and a scientist whose views of human origins are as disturbing as his hulking henchman and army of mercenaries. All forces converge in a bloody, fiery climax, where Josey and Annabelle will need more than their fast-firing rifles to protect those they love and solve a mystery that threatens to betray all their efforts. A medalist for historical fiction in the Florida Writers Association literary awards.
Read Excerpt
Buy Now
Latest from social media
244
Derek Catron
Derek's Catron wrote the Josey Angel trilogy of historical Westerns — with more books on the way.
I always suspected I was a better writer than book marketer. Confirmation comes with the happy news – now a month late – that “Avenging Angel” was honored as a medalist in the Florida Writers Association literary awards for historical fiction. And “Final Deadline” was named a semifinalist. I’m humbled by the honors and hope you’ll agree that it’s never too late for good news – because I’m now finishing up my sixth novel, which will be out in 2026.
I will be at the New Smyrna Beach Regional Library next Thursday to talk about writing and the publishing industry. Along with an open-ended Q&A session, I’ll be providing a sneak peek at my forthcoming book, the kickoff to a new series that combines my love of history with murder, mystery, a touch of romantic yearning, and the usual heroic intentions, plot twists and mayhem. Please join me from noon to 1 p.m. on August 24 in the library’s eLab, and we’ll sort it all out.Join us at New Smyrna Beach Regional Library, 1001 S. Dixie Frwy, for Sunshine & Storytelling, a series where local authors share their stories and creative journeys. This week, Derek Catron will be sharing with us, Thursday, July 24th at 12 pm in the eLab. For more information, please call (386) 424-2910, option 3.![]()
![]()
#volusiareads #vcpl #library #librarylove #librarylife #AmWriting #WritersCommunity #WritingChallenge #NovelInProgress #WordCountGoals #AuthorLife #nsblocalvibes #nsblocal #localauthor #readlocal #bookstagram #writein
I love meeting with book clubs when I can, and this group is always a good time, filled with inquisitive and thoughtful readers. While it’s fun to talk about my books, it’s also instructive to hear which characters and aspects of the story move them the most. With “Final Deadline,” I’ve been surprised how enthusiastically book club members responded to sections about private equity firms and the corporate ownership of newspapers. For a book that’s intended to be, as Kirkus called it, an “exhilarating thriller,” I was wary of testing readers’ patience by going too deeply into the economic theories that motivated some of the action. Turns out these are issues that resonated with book club members — so many had personal stories about effects they’ve seen in their own lives. Hearing from them has been a wonderful validation that there is a market for smart books that leave readers with something to ponder even after they’ve finished the last page.
This content isn't available right now
When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.
To prepare for the Valentine’s Day-themed Boozy Book Fair Wednesday night at Ormond Brewing Company, we’re counting down the most romantic moments from my five novels. Last up, from “Final Deadline,” after fearing for their lives during a hostage situation, Becket confesses his feelings for Laura.![]()
![]()
“Laura, I should have asked you out weeks ago. I told myself I didn’t want you to compromise your ambitions for me, but, honestly, I was just scared of how much it would hurt when your job took you away. I realize now, and I’m no longer afraid to say it: even a day spent loving you would be worth whatever heartache I risked if I had to let you go.”![]()
![]()
She turned her face from his, and her silence extended long enough for him to wonder if his whispered words went unheard or, worse, unwelcomed. When she looked back to him, her eyes brimmed with emotion. Her hand on his arm pulled him closer.![]()
![]()
“No one’s asking you to let go.”![]()
![]()
There was nothing left to say, even for people who cherished words as much as they did. She so absorbed his thoughts that he forgot where he was. He closed the distance between them. Their lips met in the lightest of kisses, lingering, breath mingling, tasting the sweet anticipation of the next one and not wanting to deny themselves even that pleasure.![]()
![]()
On looking into her eyes, Becket saw his own face reflected there—wearing an expression of delight to be so close to her. Her face was drawn and pale. Her loose hair hung about her head in a frenzy. She appeared as exhausted as he felt. No one had ever looked more beautiful to him.
To prepare for the Valentine’s Day-themed Boozy Book Fair Wednesday night at Ormond Brewing Company, we’re counting down the most romantic moments from my five novels. Next up, from “Yosemite Lies,” Kate begins to trust Nash, who’s been hiking the country to escape from the world![]()
![]()
Though she’d known this man less than twenty-four hours, she felt she understood him better than she did many of the people she called friends. He was certainly more interesting than most of them. Yet it was her habit to shy away from easy intimacies, in the same way she questioned the value of a sales item with a suspiciously low price.![]()
![]()
“I should have asked before we started if my health insurance covers this much therapy,” she quipped. Feeling the second-guessing part of her brain clicking on, she sought to change the subject, hoped he might begin talking about himself.![]()
![]()
Nash reached out and took her hand. He said, “Don’t.”![]()
![]()
“What?”![]()
![]()
“Don’t stop talking now.”![]()
![]()
His dark eyes reflecting the firelight looked as big as a setting sun over the ocean, and she felt a pull like gravity toward him. It might be smart to stop talking about my boyfriend, she thought. ![]()
![]()
She had been wrong before about the people she opened herself to. Thad, she understood now, was a mistake, but a benign one. There had been no dramatic break, no betrayal, just a steady erosion of expectations until Kate had to compromise who she was to be with him. Thad had never tried to hurt her, and she’d rewarded him as if that earned him some kind of credit in her affections. It didn’t change the fact that he couldn’t give her what she wanted, that she deserved more from a man than to not be hurt by him. ![]()
![]()
Thad could talk all day, pleasantly, often entertainingly, yet for all his words he never shared as much of himself as Nash had done last night. When they spoke, Nash felt present in the moment in a way Thad never did.![]()
![]()
“You have to be tired of—”![]()
![]()
“No. I’m not.” ![]()
![]()
She cupped his cheek in her hand and studied his face. He didn’t avert his gaze. She was so used to men who stood at angles so a woman saw only what they wanted to display, an image of manufactured perfection that left them annoyed if anyone tried to peek beyond what they presented to the world. Here was a man who readily confessed his gravest sins, without asking for forgiveness, only understanding.![]()
![]()
His lips compressed before he spoke, hesitantly, as if the words he sought floated over him like the ash swept up by the fire’s rising heat. ![]()
![]()
“I wish I knew why you act like you owe something to the world, Kate, when it ought to be the other way around. You’re stronger than you think. Braver than you imagine.”![]()
![]()
“You’re just saying that because you want to see me naked.”![]()
![]()
As he laughed, he looked away, and Kate chided herself for the need to defuse such a promising moment with humor. She nudged him with her shoulder, a playful touch, though her body felt it like a jolt of electricity. When he faced her again, the gravity took her. She closed her eyes, glad she had brushed her teeth after dinner. His hand brushed a strand of hair from her face.![]()
![]()
“Are you sure about this? You hiked to get away from the world.” She regretted the question before all the words were even out of her mouth. She felt like she couldn’t stop sabotaging the moment. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why—”![]()
![]()
Before she could finish the thought, he leaned in for the lightest of kisses. “Maybe I’ve been away long enough.”
Derek Catron
Author of Trail Angel
© 2025 Derek Catron. All rights reserved.