The Night Riders of Hardin County

by Lance Hansmann

Against the backdrop of sweeping prairies and rugged frontier towns, the tranquil village of Steamboat Rock, Iowa, becomes the center of a clandestine gang of counterfeiters and horse thieves. The lives of five innocent brothers are irrevocably shattered after the gang commit a chilling murder.

As a result, two brothers are assassinated by a local mob of vigilantes, while another pair find themselves condemned to life in prison.

Amidst the brothers’ desperate struggle for freedom, a beacon of hope emerges from a small-town physician, Dr. Nathan Morse. He dedicates himself to unraveling the web of deceit that ensnared the innocent brothers, and embarks on a quest to see the truth, vowing to right the grave injustice.

Based on actual events, the pages come alive with unspeakable betrayal, unyielding loyalty, and the relentless pursuit of redemption.

Fans of historical fiction, thrilling westerns, and compelling mysteries will devour this captivating tale of intrigue; a testament to the indomitable human spirit and the power of one man's unwavering dedication to right the wrongs of the past.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Westerns

335 pages, Paperback

Published June 16, 2023

Reviews

[Carol]

Just could not get into it. I got over halfway and realized nothing was sticking in my brain. Will go on my DNF shelf.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

an amazing read!

William Rainsbarger is my 5th great grandfather and I have been super interested in the family story for some time. It was a great read!

[Richard Gruner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Slice of 19th Century Americana

The sad tale of Hardin County during the depredations of the Gilded Age reveal a mentality easily deluded by the influence of wealth, regardless of how such lucre was obtained. I've uncovered some parallel problems while researching family connections in the Missouri Ozarks during the same time period. I would hazard a guess that it wouldn't take much effort to find similar problems throughout the country.

[Deanna Blanchard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really interesting “Wild West” saga, masterfully narrated by my cousin, Glen Wiebel (proud of you!). People can be so easily swayed by fear, propaganda and intimidation. We still see it happening today. Thankfully there are people like Dr. Morse who work tirelessly for the truth and do what is right.

[Shelley Viet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Living just 30 miles east of Steamboat Rock and having driven through numerous times in my lifetime, this book just captured my mind. Not only is it history, but it also has a way of pulling you in to learn more of those dark times.
I will look at the landscape differently now as I drive through Steamboat Rock and Eldora.

[David Jensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really interesting read about Hardin County and Steamboat Rock and the surrounding communities .

This was a story that read very easily and gave tons of history of the area I grow up in. Some of it was hard to read just how brutally people were swayed and bullied to believe the non truth about a local family. It was a fast read and would recommend to everyone.

[David Guhl · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are into Iowa history and fighting for the underdog this is the book for you. Based on actual events from 1865 to the early 1900. The book explores the tangled web of lies, deceit, and corruption in a small town. I appropriate that at the end of the book the author gives us a breakdown on the victims and villains and what happened to them later in life.

[Tammy Wicks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Exceptional story but with so many characters and their own stories intertwining it was hard to keep who was/is who. I understand they all played a role and while the stories were sad and heartbreakingly true, because of so many characters I just couldn’t keep up with who was who.

[Dan A. Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Night Roders

Nicely told historical fiction relating to actual events. I have not read the actual events of this county but I would suspect this to be respectful of the truth of what happened.

[Donald Heitland · Rating 4 out of 5]

A captivating story of murder and conspiratorial deceit of the actual tragic events of the Rainsbarger family brought to life

[Melissa Steiner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down! This was such a captivating story for someone who currently resides in Hardin County and had no idea of the rich history here.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really Good and Interesting due to living close to this area. Book jumped back and forth in time a lot was only downside.

[Charleen Stroup · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic

Beautifully written history of an injustice committed against a family and finally corrected thirty years later by a God loving man who honored integrity.

[Carl Alvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good read

This is a very good read. Very engaging. Characters were well thought out and believable. The entire book was very interesting.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one. True story of a small town lynching.

[J.D. Schechter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dull

A well researched history of a grave injustice, it has it all - murder, counterfeiting, vigilantes, editorial misconduct, but the writing is stiff and uninspired