BOOK REVIEW: THE NIGHT SILVER RIVER RUN RED by CHRISTINE MORGAN

Holy mackerel was this a great read! This was my first Splatter Western from Deaths Head Press and the first time reading Christine Morgan’s work. As of now, I can honestly say THIS was my favorite book of the year so far. The Night Silver River Run Red was a story I couldn’t wait to dive into at the end of every day--and by every day I mean four days exactly. I sped through this one but wish I'd read slower just to make the experience last longer. 

What’s it about? Well, without giving anything away, if I had to describe the book’s contents with a few choice words I’d go with: small frontier town, eccentric carny visitors, bloodthirsty bandits, whole lot of splatter gore. There was never a dull moment throughout this story for me! This genuinely felt like non-stop, bloody, lighting-quick, hold-on-to-your-hats-and-clench-your-ass-cheeks action and suspense that I regularly only experience on a movie screen rather than in a novella! One shoot-out scene had my heart racing like mad!

Christine Morgan’s writing is witty, electric, and appropriately descriptive where it counts—that deliciously gritty gore. Her use of Wild West type vernacular throughout the story proved effective in immersing the reader in her world of gun-slinging and sharpshooting. I also loved the way Morgan introduced her colorful characters, eccentric and wicked alike. She seemed to enjoy focusing especially on the Nasty Bastards Gang, dedicating large portions of each chapter to their sadistic murder methods. I’m not gonna lie, these chapters will make you grimace. But I was completely engrossed in the grotesque details and fearing for all the townsfolk of Silver River. 

"Old Man Starkey hadn't been gutting a hog. He'd been gutted like one. Sliced from gullet to groin, laid wide open...throat torn so deep his head nearly come off...one arm hacked all to a mess of raw meat and bone slivers...a great gory hollow dug into his midsection...innards become outtards, strewn in lumps and slick tangles...a ladder of ribs glistening through shredded flesh...and the blood, lordy-mercy, the blood!"

I will say, this book is not for the faint at heart and feel it my responsibility to bring to attention some trigger warnings for infanticide and reference to sexual violence. By no means do you need to start these Splatter Westerns in order, but I’m so glad the 4th one was my first and definitely recommend it!

(5/5⭐)

 (Special thanks to Deaths Head Press and Night Worms for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!) 

 

                                                                                  xo Nina