On the Wrong Track chronicles the further adventures of Big Red and Old Red, two cowboy brothers who want to be detectives in the style of Sherlock Holmes. Otto, or "Big Red," is the narrator in this tale, much like Dr. Watson, while his older brother, Gustav, does the thinking and "deducifying."

In this book, they are hired by the Southern Pacific Railroad to protect the train from an infamous gang of robbers. With their six-shooters and new tin badges, they climb aboard the Pacific Express, only to discover that Gustav suffers from motion sickness. While Otto is commiserating with his brother over the back railing of the observation car, they see a head roll out from under the train followed by the body. But this is only the first of the mysteries the brothers must solve. There's a baggage car full of secrets, a mysterious Chinaman, a train robbery where nothing is taken, and another murder.

Readers will gladly go along for the ride as these red-headed brothers do their best to find the killer and discover who onboard is in cahoots with the train robbers.

Hockensmith has written a delightful, hilarious, action-packed tale reminiscent of the Wild, Wild West TV series. His dialogue is perfectly pitched for the era, and his descriptions, especially of the Southern Pacific train, are rich and vivid.