Riata and Spurs: The Story of a Lifetime Spent in the Saddle as a Cowboy and Detective, originally published in 1912, is a first-hand account of the life of "cowboy detective" Charles Siringo during the Wild West. Contents include his beginnings as a cowboy in Illinois, experiences traveling around the United States, from Louisiana to Nevada to as far north as Alaska, run-ins with famous outlaws "Billy the Kid" and Butch Cassidy, and Siringo's eventual resignation from the Pinkerton Detective Agency. Parts of the book are reprints from two earlier works of Siringo's - The Lone Star Cowboy and A Cowboy Detective; Riata and Spurs encompasses his entire career. This exciting and detailed account is an ideal read for fans of the Old West and includes original illustrations and photographs.

CHARLES SIRINGO (1855-1928) was an American cowboy, lawman, detective, and writer. Born and bred in the Lone Star State, Siringo grew up working on local ranches until he moved to Chicago to work for the Pinkerton Detective Agency as an agent in 1886. As a detective, Siringo worked and traveled around the United States hunting and capturing wanted criminals, including Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Siringo authored several books about his experiences, including A Texas Cowboy: Or, Fifteen Years on the Hurricane Deck of a Spanish Pony (1885), A Cowboy Detective: A True Story of Twenty-Two Years with a World-Famous Detective Agency (1912), and A Lone Star Cowboy (1919).