After earning a history degree in college, he worked as a police officer for eight years before going to law school.
Since 1988 he has also published eleven books about the frontier West and the lawmen, vigilantes and outlaws of the period.
His 2016 biography of Texas Ranger Frank Hamer made the New York Times bestseller list.
His book Texas Ranger: The Epic Life of Frank Hamer was a New York Times best seller in 2016.
Boessenecker has appeared frequently as a historical commentator on PBS, the History Channel, A&E, and other media.