by Ron Hansen
First published 2007
Jesse James commands his outlaw gang through a mixture of charisma and terror. His followers know his moods shift like prairie weather and his gun comes out fast when crossed. The most famous bandit in America lives by superstition and sudden violence, keeping even his closest men on edge. Young Robert Ford joins the gang with stars in his eyes, idolizing the legendary outlaw he has heard so much about. But worship slowly curdls into something darker as Ford watches Jesse's cruelty and unpredictable rages. Torn between his hero worship and his own ambitions, Ford begins to imagine himself stepping into Jesse's boots. The tension builds until Ford makes his choice, pulling the trigger on the man he once revered. The killing haunts Ford for the rest of his life, transforming him from admirer to executioner to tormented survivor of his own betrayal.
Genres: american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, crime, 19th-century
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, unreliable-narrator
Setting: America
Period: 19th-century
8 pages · Audio Cassette · Blackstone Audiobooks
Content warnings: violence