Josh Rountree's powerful debut Western novel wades into the literary waters of “True Grit” and “Lonesome Dove” by way of “The Shape of Water.” This story of turn-of-the-20th-century Texas pits an unlikely found family, including a strange gill-man, against relentless bounty hunters, all set against the worst natural disaster in U.S. history.
After burying his father, Floyd Betts is returning to Galveston, Texas. He is not alone in his journey, riding out of town with two orphaned siblings he has rescued. Descended from a long line of witches, Nellie struggles with visions from other people's minds. Her impulsive younger brother Hank just wants to break out his oversized revolver.
On the way to Galveston, Floyd, Nellie, and Hank rescue a lost, two-legged amphibian, Charlie Fish. But dangerous men, who want to profit from the spectacle of Charlie, are hot on their trail.
As Nell forms a strong psychic bond with Charlie, Floyd, still grieving, is struggling to protect this strange new family. Ominous winds are picking up from an impending hurricane. Meanwhile, all Charlie wants is to return to his home at sea.
With the taut intensity of an impending storm, Josh Rountree has created a unique Western, neo-gothic novel that demonstrates exactly why he is a rising star of American fiction.
