THE DEADLIEST OUTLAWS by Jeffrey Burton is a well researched, acccurate and detailed history of one of the worst outlaw gangs in the west led by Thomas Edward Ketchum. The gang was called the "Black Jack" Ketchum gang because Tom resembled a small time crook named Black Jack Christian in Arizona. Tom Ketchum and his brother Samuel robbed trains and stores and people, and killed several, over a four year span in the late 1800's. The gang didn't get the notoriety and fame of other outlaws of the time because, until now, no one has seriously studied and written their history.

Author Jeff Burton spent more than forty years researching the gangs travels and crimes in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and occasionally other locations. His research was in depth and tireless. He discovered newspaper articles, unpublished sources, family records, personal reminiscences, trial transcripts, official correspondence and genealogy records and studied them in depth to separate fact from fiction. His book contains over 100 pages of detailed source notes, and accurately chronicles the true and constant trials and tribulations of being an outlaw. Several other outlaws rode off and on with the Ketchums, including Harvey Logan ("Kid Curry"), Robert Lellroy Parker ("Butch Cassidy"), and Harry Longabaugh ("the Sundance Kid"). Also, Cassidy's close ally William Ellsworth "Elzy" Lay, Bruce "Red" Weaver and Ben Kilpatrick.