Noose

By: Brennan LaFaro

Narrated by: Rain Corbyn

It's been 15 years since Noose Holcomb perpetrated the Buzzard's Edge Train Robbery of 1872, leaving Rory Daggett an orphan. Settled in with a new family and a second chance at life, Rory never quite sheds the thirst for revenge.

When one of the gang members returns to Buzzard's Edge, Rory's life is violently upended once more. Capturing the rogue spurs on a furious chain of events that pits Rory against each member of Noose's gang, every one more twisted and terrifying than the last, in order to work his way to their leader.

With the help of a fellow orphan whose life Noose turned upside down and the town's sheriff, Rory will stop at nothing to be the man who ends Noose's reign of terror, but can he do it without becoming the man he seeks to kill?

©2022 DarkLit Press (P)2023 DarkLit Press

Bullets, Blood & Guts

The author warns you up front that isn't going to pretty. Noose is a very bad man, with a bad gang, and kills a trainload of people including 8-year-old Rory's parents. Years later Rory is grown up and using his deputy status to seek revenge. It isn't easy and it isn't pretty. There's a lot of people going to die in the process, and the end isn't clear until the final pages.

Western horror

George “Noose” Holcomb “the whole damn town watched him dangle from the gallows and laugh about it ’til they cut him down. They hung him high and he refused to die.”
NOOSE -We don’t have no typical shoot ‘em up western on our hands, wait, that’s a double negative, scratch that. This ain’t your normal giddy-up western we got here. This is so much more. A touch of mad scientist, a touch of brutality, a touch of witchery, and a bit of invincibility. Toss in some humor, and a whole bunch of “I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU DID THAT BRENNAN, YOU FLEA-BITTEN VARMINT!!” -mix it well and you have Noose.
Welcome to Buzzards Edge, I suggest you leave. “Even in the best part of town, the sand would drink the blood and unloved creatures would dispose of the rest when darkness fell.”
A lot was left open in this one. It could have been a full novel but I think Brennan has set himself up a nice world to keep coming back to.

Terrific

Noose was a terrific blood-splattered tale of revenge and gun violence in the old west. I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Never thought I’d enjoy a western so much

I have had this on my TBR for ages now. I wasn’t sure how I’d like a western, but this book was perfect! The horror and gore was just enough, and the similes used in the writing had me laughing at a couple of places. Really enjoyed this one. The narrator on the audio book also gets 5 stars from me. There was so much personality in his performance!

Loved it

A fantastic short story, mixing gritty western with supernatural elements
The narrator was spot on
Will definitely be checking out more from this author

I received a free review audiobook and voluntarily left this review