I really enjoyed Death in the Tallgrass. Firstly, it is best that you know that I love any book which is set in the Wild West: in the days of the pioneers and settlers and their encounters with Native American tribes; with the less reputable white folk who find themselves down on their luck and trying to find a way to survive; where people were exposed on the plains and carried guns for protection and to use for hunting for sustenance. It is the perfect setting and environment for a tense tale of adventure. And that is what Willerton has created here.
Our hero is Harold Bonner, a privileged young man, training to be a lawyer, from St. Louis, Missouri. He lives a comfortable existence but embarks on an adventure after a conversation that he has with his mother which sees him leave his pampered home for Las Vegas in search of the truth about his kidnapped uncle and his supposed death. Was Sam really a victim at the hands of Comanche Indians? Or was he still alive somewhere?
Bonner believes himself worldly but he soon discovers that he has a lot to learn. He makes it to Las Vegas but on getting there, he finds himself on a quest for truth across the wilds of America with a young lady as his guide. It is tough in many ways, and Bonner is exposed to attitudes and dangers that he would never have encountered in the social circles of St. Louis.
Willerton adds an extra element when Bonner starts to dream about a native and lives this warrior’s past experiences, giving Bonner a window into a world and lifestyle to which he would never be exposed. He sees its hardships, its savagery, its normalcy and I like the way that Willerton uses this to dispel stereotypes to show the humans behind preconceptions. Willerton also does this with Alice, Bonner’s guide, who is originally called “Teats” in the text, labelled this because of her enormous chest but gradually, Willerton, through his depiction of Alice’s interaction with Bonner, shows her as a person of worth for her skills and her ability to survive, rather than just a sexual object.
Willerton ends his book with loose ends tied and brings to a close a tightly written, well-plotted novel with engaging characters, who grow and who, as a reader, you like and root for.
I really enjoyed Death in the Tallgrass. Firstly, it is best that you know that I love any book which is set in the Wild West: in the days of the pioneers and settlers and their encounters with Native American tribes; with the less reputable white folk who find themselves down on their luck and trying to find a way to survive; where people were exposed on the plains and carried guns for protection and to use for hunting for sustenance. It is the perfect setting and environment for a tense tale of adventure. And that is what Willerton has created here.
Our hero is Harold Bonner, a privileged young man, training to be a lawyer, from St. Louis, Missouri. He lives a comfortable existence but embarks on an adventure after a conversation that he has with his mother which sees him leave his pampered home for Las Vegas in search of the truth about his kidnapped uncle and his supposed death. Was Sam really a victim at the hands of Comanche Indians? Or was he still alive somewhere?
Bonner believes himself worldly but he soon discovers that he has a lot to learn. He makes it to Las Vegas but on getting there, he finds himself on a quest for truth across the wilds of America with a young lady as his guide. It is tough in many ways, and Bonner is exposed to attitudes and dangers that he would never have encountered in the social circles of St. Louis.
Willerton adds an extra element when Bonner starts to dream about a native and lives this warrior’s past experiences, giving Bonner a window into a world and lifestyle to which he would never be exposed. He sees its hardships, its savagery, its normalcy and I like the way that Willerton uses this to dispel stereotypes to show the humans behind preconceptions. Willerton also does this with Alice, Bonner’s guide, who is originally called “Teats” in the text, labelled this because of her enormous chest but gradually, Willerton, through his depiction of Alice’s interaction with Bonner, shows her as a person of worth for her skills and her ability to survive, rather than just a sexual object.
Willerton ends his book with loose ends tied and brings to a close a tightly written, well-plotted novel with engaging characters, who grow and who, as a reader, you like and root for.
This review was first published on Reedsy Discovery where I was privileged to read it as an ARC.
Scuffed Granny 