A thrilling historical western set in 1890s Oregon, from the author of the critically acclaimed Bernicia Chronicles. An English soldier turned policeman escapes to the American West for anew future, but life on the frontier proves far harder than he ever imagined…
A man can flee from everything but his own nature.
1890. Lieutenant Gabriel Stokes of the British Army left behind the horrors of war in Afghanistan for a role in the Metropolitan Police.Though he rose quickly through the ranks, the squalid violence of London’s East End proved just as dark and oppressive as the battlefield.
With his life falling apart, and longing for peace and meaning, Gabriel leaves the grime of London behind and heads for the wilderness and wide open spaces of the American West.
He soon realises that the wilds of Oregon are far from the idyll he has yearned for. The Blue Mountains may be beautiful, but with the frontier a complex patchwork of feuds and felonies,and ranchers as vicious as any back alley cut-throat in London, Gabriel finds himself unable to escape his past and the demons that drive him. Can he find a place for himself on the far edge of the New World?
I have to confess, I haven’t read a Western in years, but Dark Frontier by Matthew Harffy has certainly got me in the mood for more. And for an author used to writing about warfare with guns and axes in the early medieval period, he certainly knows his way around a six-shooter. Though he does manage to get a sword into the action at one point, which was pretty impressive!
Dark Frontier is the story of a man heading west to escape his past, and his demons, only to find his demons are not that easy to avoid. He also finds that trouble is just as present in the American West as it was on the streets of London. And, a policeman at heart, trouble is not something he seems to be able to walk away from. Dark Frontier is a fascinating adventure based around a ranch war between a sheep farmer and a cattle baron. The cattle baron wants more land – the sheep farmer doesn’t want to oblige.
Things turn nasty.
The man might be old, but Stokes had witnessed how deadly he was. As the boy ranted and screamed, the grey-haired man had watched, hand resting lightly on the butt of his holstered pistol. He didn’t move and had said nothing for a time until he uttered a few words that had sent the boy into such a blind rage that he had jerked his revolver out of its holster and fired wildly. The old man had not flinched, though there had been less than ten feet separating them. An instant later, his revolver, a gleaming Remington, had appeared to leap into his hand. It had barked once, silencing the boy and his frantic shooting forever.
“You son of a bitch!” shouted a long-faced man with pox scars on his cheeks who had followed the boy out of the billiard hall. “You killed Wyc.” His face was growing redder by the second. “You didn’t need to kill him.” His hand dropped to the dark wooden butt of the revolver he wore in a black leather holster on his right hip.
“Done a lot of things I didn’t need to,” said the old man who had shot the boy called Wyc. “Killing your friend ain’t one of ’em.” The barrle of his Remington did not waver as he pulled the hammer back with his thumb. He had fired only one shot, but the bullet had caught Wyc in the chin and exited from the back of his head, leaving a hole the size of a teacup saucer.
Several men came out of the billiard hall with Wyc, voices raised and joining in his brash insults, but Stokes noticed that none of them had been foolish enough to reach for their own guns. Most had already fled, running off as the shots were fired. The few that remained now edged away from the angry man who vented his ire at the calm, grey-haired shooter.
The pock-cheeked man swallowed, perhaps suddenly aware of his predicament. He was staring into the smoking barrel of a revolver in the sure hands of a proven killer. His fingers trembled above the butt of his handgun.
“Halt,” Stokes said, his voice cutting through the hubbub. “Both of you.” Everybody turned to look at him. Everybody except the old man with the Remington. HIs hand did not move and his gun remained trained on the red-faced cowhand. Stokes was used to having his voice listened to, but nobody here seemed inclined to obey him. He took a step closer and snapped his fingers.
With the West becoming more accessible with the expansion of the railroad, cattle barons are greedy for more land so they can fulfill government contracts. JT’s, the ranch belonging to Gabe’s best friend, John Thornford, is in the way of progress, as far one cattle baron is concerned. Throw in a murder mystery, budding friendships, violent attacks and a good fist fight or two – along with the odd pistol whipping and shoot-outs and you have the ingredients for a perfect Western novel.
What makes Dark Frontier such an incredible story is the breadth and range of characters. Gabe Stokes is the quintessential, broken Englishman who finds that the rules are few and far-between when it comes to the wide open plains of frontier America. Mary Ann Thornford is a widow, with 2 young children, left alone to take on the oily, powerful and determined cattle baron, Tom Grant. She has a handful of farmhands to help out, and Her husband’s old friend, Gabe Stokes.
With a fast-paced, engrossing story and characters the reader can get behind, Dark Frontier has all the ingredients for an exciting adventure. And it doesn’t disappoint. Matthew Harffy has certainly made the switch from early medieval historical fiction to the Wild Wild West with great aplomb.
Enjoyed it immensely!
I do hope there are more Westerns to come!
To Buy A Dark Frontier:
Amazon:https://geni.us/DarkFrontierBlogTour
About the Author:
About the author Matthew Harffy grew up in Northumberland where the rugged terrain, ruined castles and rocky coastline had a huge impact on him. He now lives in Wiltshire, England, with his wife and their two daughters.Matthew is the author of the critically acclaimed Bernicia Chronicles and A Time for Swords series, and he also presents the popular podcast,Rock, Paper, Swords!, with fellow author Steven A. McKay.
Matthew Harffy Social Handles: Twitter:@MatthewHarffy Instagram:@beobrand Website:matthewharffy.com
Aries/Head of Zeus Social Handles: Twitter:@AriesFiction Facebook:Aries Fiction Instagram:@headofzeus TikTok:@headofzeus Website:http://www.headofzeus.com
Blog Tour Hashtag: #DarkFrontier
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OUT NOW! Heroines of the Tudor World
Heroines of the Tudor World tells the stories of the most remarkable women from European history in the time of the Tudor dynasty, 1485-1603. These are the women who ruled, the women who founded dynasties, the women who fought for religious freedom, their families and love. These are the women who made a difference, who influenced countries, kings and the Reformation. In the era dominated by the Renaissance and Reformation, Heroines of the Tudor World examines the threats and challenges faced by the women of the era, and how they overcame them. From writers to regents, from nuns to queens, Heroines of the Tudor World shines the spotlight on the women helped to shape Early Modern Europe.
Heroines of the Tudor World is now available for pre-order from Amberley Publishing and Amazon UK.
Also by Sharon Bennett Connolly:
Women of the Anarchy demonstrates how Empress Matilda and Matilda of Boulogne, unable to wield a sword themselves, were prime movers in this time of conflict and lawlessness. It shows how their strengths, weaknesses, and personal ambitions swung the fortunes of war one way – and then the other. Available from Bookshop.org, Amberley Publishing and Amazon UK. King John’s Right-Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye is the story of a truly remarkable lady, the hereditary constable of Lincoln Castle and the first woman in England to be appointed sheriff in her own right. Available from all good bookshops Pen & Sword Books, bookshop.org and Amazon. Defenders of the Norman Crown: The Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey tells the fascinating story of the Warenne dynasty, from its origins in Normandy, through the Conquest, Magna Carta, the wars and marriages that led to its ultimate demise in the reign of Edward III. Available from Pen & Sword Books, Amazon in the UK and US, and Bookshop.org.
Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England looks into the relationships of the various noble families of the 13th century, and how they were affected by the Barons’ Wars, Magna Carta and its aftermath; the bonds that were formed and those that were broken. It is now available in paperback and hardback from Pen & Sword, Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Heroines of the Medieval World tells the stories of some of the most remarkable women from Medieval history, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Julian of Norwich. Available now from Amberley Publishing and Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest traces the fortunes of the women who had a significant role to play in the momentous events of 1066. Available now from Amazon, Amberley Publishing, and Bookshop.org.
Alternate Endings: An anthology of historical fiction short stories including Long Live the King… which is my take what might have happened had King John not died in October 1216. Available in paperback and kindle from Amazon.
Podcast:
Have a listen to the A Slice of Medieval podcast, which I co-host with Historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Bernard Cornwell and discuss a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved.
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