Title: A Bad Place to Be
Author: John Hansen
Publisher: Outskirts Press
ISBN: TBD
Pages: 271
Genre: Western Fiction
Pacific Book Review
A Bad Place to Be is a rollicking Western that readers will love. John Hansen’s novel transports readers to the Wild West for a compelling story.
A Bad Place to Be tells the story of Josh Morrow, a cowboy who served in the Texas army in 1865. As he adjusts to life after being in the military, he is shocked to learn of the murder of his best friend Seth. After learning Seth’s murder was motivated by the theft of his gold, Josh vows to avenge his death. His journey to find the killers takes him to the small town of Bear Creek, where he encounters unsavory characters during the Western gold rush. Josh has to fight to honor his friend’s memory and save his own life.
Josh Morrow is an excellent protagonist readers will root for. He’s a classic Western hero in the tradition of Hondo or Shane. Josh is a taciturn cowboy with few words to say, but often offers words of wisdom when he does speak. He isn’t hesitant to draw his gun to shoot bad guys, but also has a surprising tender side. His relationship with Bear Creek resident Sarah shows that Josh is a loving man with a kind heart.
The other characters in the novels are just as complex as Josh. Though Sarah is a prostitute, she is more than a one-dimensional sex worker in the novel. Her complicated feelings toward Josh and her bravery throughout the novel show she is a well-rounded female character, a rarity in a Western. The sheriff and marshal in the novel are also characters that show that law and order are not always a priority in the Wild West.
Hansen’s writing make A Bad Place to Be come to life with vivid detail. From the descriptions of Bear Creek’s saloons to the horses plodding along the dusty roads, readers can clearly imagine Bear Creek as they read the novel. The dialogue is also true to the novel with a twangy Texas dialect.
This book would be perfect for fans of Western fiction like Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove series or Cormac McCarthy’s All the Pretty Horses. The novel would also make an excellent Western movie in the tradition of True Grit or High Noon. A Bad Place to Be may be set in the 1860’s, but the themes of love, betrayal, and redemption are universal. John Hanson has created an iconic character in Josh Morrow that will make readers want to saddle up for an adventurous ride.
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