The Scalawags

By: C.J. Petit

Narrated by: Michael Alan White

Union Army sergeant Sam Walker returns home to Iowa after leaving a prisoner of war camp, only to discover that his sweetheart has married his brother. He heads down to Mulberry, Texas, to keep a promise to his fallen Union army brother-in-arms, Joe Farrell, to make sure that his family is safe. But what Sam finds is the Farrell family in shambles: a gang of former Confederate soldiers are harassing them because of Joe’s Union service. In desperation, Joe’s widow, Julia, has married the gang’s sadistic leader—a man who had been haunting Sam's dreams since the war. To rescue Julia, Sam will need to rely on his wits as much as his guns, and he’ll need the help of the whole Farrell clan, including Joe’s disarming younger sister, Mary.

[This is a revised edition originally published by C.J. Petit.]

©2017 C.J. Petit (P)2025 C.J. Petit

Fun Book

Petit loves to get too descriptive about how all of his main characters are caring and wonderful lovers. It’s a western for heavens sake!

Cool story

Great character development. And a lovely story. Lack of cynicism and just pure good old-fashioned storytelling. Thank you!

Petit perfection

nothing to dislike about the story or narrator. For me, I like the way Mr Petit puts his stories together.

Another great story

Really enjoyed this one. Plenty of action, a believable love between the characters. Worth my time.

A great Historical Fiction

I just finished “The Scalawags” by C. J. Petit, a compelling story set during and after the Civil War. It follows a Union sergeant from Iowa who, in fulfillment of a promise to his dying friend and comrade, travels to Texas after the war to check on the family of his fallen comrade.

Curious about the title, I looked up the definition of “scalawag” and found it to be quite fitting: a white Southerner who collaborated with Northern Republicans during Reconstruction, often for personal gain. That definition, in many ways, reflects the heart of the novel.

I’ve been a fan of Petit’s work since my first read. He’s a master at character development, crafting individuals who feel genuinely real. While his early books occasionally struggled to maintain narrative momentum, he’s improved markedly in that regard. I especially appreciate his clean storytelling—free from foul language and explicit scenes. Any violence serves the plot and never feels gratuitous. Petit writes an honest, old-fashioned tale, something increasingly rare and refreshing.

I enjoyed this story as an audiobook from Audible, which runs just under eleven hours. Narrator Michael Alan White delivers an excellent performance, bringing depth and authenticity to the characters and atmosphere.