This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Olga Markova for Readers' Favorite
Dead Man’s Gospel by Reno Bachman is a riveting psychological Western that introduces us to Timothy Gospel, a man scarred by violence since his childhood and who then, as an adult, inflicted it. Timothy is on the run, seeking sanctuary in the hills and forests inhabited by Indigenous tribes and hermit communities. On his journey, he engages with a preacher’s voice in his mind. Parallel to Timothy’s adventures, Pinkerton private investigators are working on a lucrative contract. They are tasked with finding a black man with a gun. Struggling with limited information, they hire an Indigenous tracker. Are the Pinkertons looking for Timothy? And will Timothy find the sanctuary he craves?
Reno Bachman's Dead Man’s Gospel is praiseworthy for its psychological exploration of violence, mercy, repentance, forgiveness, faith, fear, grief, death, and survival. Timothy’s quest gripped me with its cinematically atmospheric and thought-provoking mental discourse between Timothy’s mind and the preacher’s voice in his head. Timothy’s and the Pinkertons’ travels made me wonder how many facets and driving forces violence can have. I thoroughly enjoyed how the scenes alternated, gradually reconstructing the story of Timothy’s life, the complete picture eventually coming together from disjointed fragments. It was also a rare story that made me root for the “villain” Timothy and fervently hope for the “do-gooder” Pinkertons to fail!
I listened to the audio version, and the duration was immensely satisfying. It was narrated by digital voice Quentin Ever-Ready, and I think it was the perfect fit for this story. I enjoyed the husky male timbre, the clear and distinct diction, the perfect pacing, and the top-quality recording. The musical composition at the end of the book was a special cherry on this tasty cake. If you like psychological thrillers and do not mind mild to moderate violence and sex that accentuate the key messages and morals of this story, this book will not disappoint you.
