Badlands

Gabriel Du Pre #10

by Peter Bowen

A secretive millennial cult from California purchases a ranch on the outskirts of the Montana badlands---the eerily silent, dry, and windy dead zone---and the Toussaint townsfolk are none too pleased.

The cult members keep to themselves, but the suspicious circumstances under which they’ve arrived have Gabriel Du Pré questioning their motives and seeking answers. He soon learns from a friend in the FBI that seven of the cult’s recently defected members were killed---each shot to death---but no arrests have been made. Then another shooting occurs at the perimeter of the ranch, and Du Pré finds himself blindly searching for a killer, an explanation for the murders, and the identity of the cult’s elusive leader.

With Badlands, his tenth novel in this acclaimed series, Peter Bowen has written his most timely and chilling novel to date: a story of faceless terror told in lyrical prose and steeped in the Métis tradition of storytelling.

Genres: Mystery, Westerns, Fiction, Crime, Native American, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook

272 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2003

About the author

Peter Bowen (b. 1945) is an author best known for mystery novels set in the modern American West. When he was ten, Bowen’s family moved to Bozeman, Montana, where a paper route introduced him to the grizzled old cowboys who frequented a bar called The Oaks. Listening to their stories, some of which stretched back to the 1870s, Bowen found inspiration for his later fiction.

Following time at the University of Michigan and the University of Montana, Bowen published his first novel, Yellowstone Kelly, in 1987. After two more novels featuring the real-life Western hero, Bowen published Coyote Wind (1994), which introduced Gabriel Du Pré, a mixed-race lawman living in fictional Toussaint, Montana. Bowen has written thirteen novels in the series, in which Du Pré gets tangled up in everything from cold-blooded murder to the hunt for rare fossils. Bowen continues to live and write in Livingston, Montana.

Reviews

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

10th book of the Gabriel Du Pré series has a secretive religious cult taking over a local ranch and moving in several hundred members. Du Pré is contacted by the FBI when 7 of their former members are murdered at exactly the same time.

All the normal hijinks I have come to expect in these novels. Du Pré's 10 year old granddaughter is hilarious but no spoilers.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have never read anything about the Metis Indians before. This book was very entertaining, pretty bloody, funny and thought provoking. There were no discernable prepositions and the present tense was about the only thing used so I felt that I was reading in a new language.

[Helen Fleischer · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Old man you sing like a goat farting in a tin shed."

[Barbra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is #10 in the saga of the Montana Mystery featuring Gabriel Du Pre, and for me it was a quick read but a bit confusing at times.

[Ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 or 3

Local farmers moving out, California cult moves in. They start shooting at wild horses, killing a bunch of ex-members. Looks like they're setting up Wild Wild Country shenanigans, minus the political angle so far. Du Pre and Harvey's unit make trouble for them. They come out peacefully while also almost killing Bart at another location.

Same tier of story as Notches, but lifted by a larger cast of strong characters (Ripper, Pallas). Unresolved ending (aaargh).

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this one. It was long on description and dialog and short on action. I kept waiting for it to kick start itself and by the time it did- well- it was nearly over. Interesting characters and their development was good. Is it part of a series? It seemed as though I was supposed to know more of the people and the surroundings than I learned from this audiobook.

[Doctor Science · Rating 4 out of 5]

May be my favorite Du Pre so far. Have to think about it some more.

[Treva Hearne · Rating 3 out of 5]

love this series, wish I could understand the language better.

[Jimmie Lee Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A depressing indictment of the cults driving our people who are not satisfied with our way of life.

[George Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The characters fit closely to being picaresque but with added dimensions. Fable? Yes but delightful reads. Oversized characters but appealing none the less.

[Linda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did not enjoy.

[Deborah Roughton]

Dnf. I don't think I'm the right audience for this one

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first book I've read by this author. I enjoyed the main character's (Du Pre) salty personality. Being unfamiliar with the voice of the character and his family (French- Native Indian), it took special attention to read slower to understand what they were saying. The story moved quickly with lots of action. There were times where I lost the plot, but mostly it was easy to follow. I loved how Du Pre interacted with friends and family. He is warm, loving, simple, and sarcastic. I liked the banter with the medicine man, his Indian friend. I look forward to reading another book in the series shortly.

[Philip Reiter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a very fuh series to read. Great characters, good stories, and writing worth reading.

[Brenda Hicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book from Peter. I love me some Gabriel DuPre. Reading these novels takes me home to the small town I grew up in and the things that used to annoy me but now just make me homesick. Another crime solved with a little logic, a ton of intuition, and a dash of the kind of magic that only Benetse can provide. I love this author and his words.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Toussaint folks are up in arms when a California cult buys a local ranch and strange happenings put local citizens at risk. Du Pre knows he has to help. The ensuing story involves ancient mines, stolen arsenals, and a deep mystery. Always a joy to visit Gabriel and his Montana friends.

[Jaye Sudar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one went by way too fast! A good re-read.

[Toesnorth's mom]

so-so, dumb ending

[Lynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like Gabriel & his merry crew. This one has more direct action by Benetsee the shaman than usual, which was entertaining.

[Michele bookloverforever · Rating 4 out of 5]

another good tale from the pen of Peter Bowen. Last read 2013. Re-read with relish November 2020. Duplicity, cults, fanatics, homegrown terrorists.

[Rick Bostian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to this one while we were driving in Saskatchewan, similar setting to the Montana location where this is set.

[Beverly A Chappell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love all of his Dupree books. I have them all.

[Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audible Audiobook
November 2020
August 2022