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Triptych: Three Tales Of Frontier Horror
An Outcast Warrior turned bounty hunter has his wits and reflexes tested when escorting a most unusual prisoner across the Mojave… The Courier is revered and sought after for his reliability and impeccable track record, but when a sordid stranger hires him to deliver a strange artifact to a well known practitioner of the occult, his life changes forever… Hell hath no fury like a redheaded, pistol toting woman scorned as Maylene Baker navigates a world blighted by a parasitic scourge in an effort to find her husband… This ain’t the west you read about in history books. In Richard Beauchamp’s twisted vision of the pioneer country, the arroyos house abominations.
Best keep that trigger finger limber.
Hell comes at high noon.
Best keep that trigger finger limber.
Hell comes at high noon.
70 pages, Paperback
Published August 3, 2023
1 person is currently reading
35 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
September 14, 2023
“The pain was breathtaking, his extremities burning with their gangrenous rot. He felt every single blister and throbbing pustule merge into one pulsing lightning bolt of pain. Every beat of his heart meant agony, and he groaned, for it was all he could do.”
If you like weird west fiction, eldritch horrors, gunfights, or monstrous entities (or all the above) this book is for you!
It contains 3 stories, all fantastically written, but each one different to the others.
In “The Courier” a man takes on the elements to deliver a cursed object. He slowly begins to devote his mind and body to his mission. I definitely would read this if it was a full length novel, expanding on the object, and what happens after it is delivered.
“Blood Gulch” was also phenomenal, this tale dealing with a horrific type of plague that is slowly spreading. A law women turned bounty hunter is trying to track down her missing husband in the midst of this epidemic.
The last entry, “It Comes for us All” is co-written. Another bounty hunter story, but this one deals with an indigenous man taking an evil prisoner towards justice and his fate. Things start to fall awry as the Blood Moon rises.
I’d love to see more horror/weird frontier stories from this author.
If you like weird west fiction, eldritch horrors, gunfights, or monstrous entities (or all the above) this book is for you!
It contains 3 stories, all fantastically written, but each one different to the others.
In “The Courier” a man takes on the elements to deliver a cursed object. He slowly begins to devote his mind and body to his mission. I definitely would read this if it was a full length novel, expanding on the object, and what happens after it is delivered.
“Blood Gulch” was also phenomenal, this tale dealing with a horrific type of plague that is slowly spreading. A law women turned bounty hunter is trying to track down her missing husband in the midst of this epidemic.
The last entry, “It Comes for us All” is co-written. Another bounty hunter story, but this one deals with an indigenous man taking an evil prisoner towards justice and his fate. Things start to fall awry as the Blood Moon rises.
I’d love to see more horror/weird frontier stories from this author.
October 13, 2023
The audio book for this was really well put together, and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
I will be back soon with a full review
Updated review:
This particular book was so beyond my usual comfort zone, and I just have to say, I think I found a new genre for me! I hate Westerns, yeah... I said it. I have just never been able to get invested in them, that was until I stumbled upon the audio for TRIPTYCH. I'll admit, I was intrigued but hesitant. But you know they say you only live once, so I thought what the hell, right? Couldn't hurt to take a leap and see just what Western horror or Splatter Westerns had to offer.
Triptych: Three Tales of Frontier Horror is comprised of three stories, "The Courier," "Blood Gulch," and "It comes for us all."" All three tales are solid stories, but I personally enjoyed the first two tales the most. Personally, in listening to the audio, I found myself struggling to follow the last story. It was hard keeping track of the multiple narrators and exactly what was happening, so perhaps that particular story would have best read instead (at least for me).
"The Courier" was a pretty classic tale of a cursed object. Loved this one. It was paced well and atmospheric. "Blood gulch" was definitely my favorite. I really don't know how to categorize this one. I suppose you could maybe consider it a creature feature? It's also not quite a tale of possession in the literal sense, but rather a tale of slugs that are essentially parasites taking over human bodies and humanities fight to prevent it and destroy the slugs
Overall, this is a great trilogy and a fabulous introduction to the genre. It surely inspired me to seek out more Western horror. Also, I think it's worth mentioning that they did a phenomenal job with the audiobook, the inclusion of the sound clips between stories and the use of multiple narrators made this a truly immerisive listen.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review
I will be back soon with a full review
Updated review:
This particular book was so beyond my usual comfort zone, and I just have to say, I think I found a new genre for me! I hate Westerns, yeah... I said it. I have just never been able to get invested in them, that was until I stumbled upon the audio for TRIPTYCH. I'll admit, I was intrigued but hesitant. But you know they say you only live once, so I thought what the hell, right? Couldn't hurt to take a leap and see just what Western horror or Splatter Westerns had to offer.
Triptych: Three Tales of Frontier Horror is comprised of three stories, "The Courier," "Blood Gulch," and "It comes for us all."" All three tales are solid stories, but I personally enjoyed the first two tales the most. Personally, in listening to the audio, I found myself struggling to follow the last story. It was hard keeping track of the multiple narrators and exactly what was happening, so perhaps that particular story would have best read instead (at least for me).
"The Courier" was a pretty classic tale of a cursed object. Loved this one. It was paced well and atmospheric. "Blood gulch" was definitely my favorite. I really don't know how to categorize this one. I suppose you could maybe consider it a creature feature? It's also not quite a tale of possession in the literal sense, but rather a tale of slugs that are essentially parasites taking over human bodies and humanities fight to prevent it and destroy the slugs
Overall, this is a great trilogy and a fabulous introduction to the genre. It surely inspired me to seek out more Western horror. Also, I think it's worth mentioning that they did a phenomenal job with the audiobook, the inclusion of the sound clips between stories and the use of multiple narrators made this a truly immerisive listen.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2023
Richard Beauchamp’s ‘Triptych: Three Tales Of Frontier Horror’ is a collection of three stories I really liked. The genre they belong to is Western Horror, or, more precisely, Splatter Western, since Beauchamp does not hesitate to go into the gory territory of body horror and blend some standard supernatural tropes with the raw beauty of the extreme and the uncanny – all in a Wild West setting. This genre appeals to me greatly and Beauchamp’s writing skills prove exceptionally strong in this kind of story. The first tale, “The Courier,” will satisfy all horror fans who enjoy Lovecraft-inspired stories: this will be right up their alley! A courier is hired to deliver a mysterious package within a set time frame; the delivery proves to be an adventure; but he does deliver the package. Personally, I loved this story, with its atmosphere of suspense, its perfect ending, and the pacing – wow! Genuine entertainment! The second story, “Blood Gulch,” is about slugs colonizing people, and the attempt to resist the colonization: the descriptions, the dialogue, the situations, in the Wild West setting, makes this a memorable story both for the plot and the characterization. The last story, “It Comes For Us All,” co-written with Korey Dawson, was a bit confusing for me. It’s not always clear who’s saying what, though the story is rather straightforward and could have been narrated in a far easier manner. The actual plot is, once again, marvelous: a bounty hunter brings in his captive, who’s much more than he seems. The situations depicted and the dialogue reminded me of classic Western films; but the ending! Well, no complaints from me: I liked it! Plus, Don Noble’s cover is awesome! What a treat!
August 12, 2023
Three western tales in one awesome book, splatter western at it's best. I enjoyed the fast pace and action of each story.
November 15, 2023
A threefer of western horrors each with their own unique spin. Whether you're into brain parasites, cannibalistic shapeshifters, or just plain demonic skullduggery, Beauchamp has you covered in spades.
A bracingly fast read, Triptych delivers on the nasty genre goods a lot of us crave daily.
Observe:
In "The Courier" a package most sinistermust be delivered to a place most foul and the man to bring it there battles for the sanctity of his own soul. Shades of Beauchamp's "Black Tongue" from his collection of the same name. Wonderfully malignant and oppressively dreadful.
With "Blood Gulch" an outbreak of slug puppeteers threatens to upend the human race but a feisty red-haired shootist with revenge on her mind plans to bury that particular endeavor six feet under. Lots of pulpy action and red, red kroovy in this one.
Finally, "It All Comes For Us" (Beauchamp co-wrote this one with editor Korey Dawson) features a two-hander between captor and prisoner as a death march through the desert turns into a showdown with the gnashing teeth of unbridled savagery. Felt like a jolt of spaghettit wester horror and smelled like warm tequila dipped in the blood of the guilty.
Bon appetit! Savor these tumbleweed shriekers while they last and then enjoy their ghosts as you sally forth through the rest of your comparatively mundane day.
A bracingly fast read, Triptych delivers on the nasty genre goods a lot of us crave daily.
Observe:
In "The Courier" a package most sinistermust be delivered to a place most foul and the man to bring it there battles for the sanctity of his own soul. Shades of Beauchamp's "Black Tongue" from his collection of the same name. Wonderfully malignant and oppressively dreadful.
With "Blood Gulch" an outbreak of slug puppeteers threatens to upend the human race but a feisty red-haired shootist with revenge on her mind plans to bury that particular endeavor six feet under. Lots of pulpy action and red, red kroovy in this one.
Finally, "It All Comes For Us" (Beauchamp co-wrote this one with editor Korey Dawson) features a two-hander between captor and prisoner as a death march through the desert turns into a showdown with the gnashing teeth of unbridled savagery. Felt like a jolt of spaghettit wester horror and smelled like warm tequila dipped in the blood of the guilty.
Bon appetit! Savor these tumbleweed shriekers while they last and then enjoy their ghosts as you sally forth through the rest of your comparatively mundane day.
October 1, 2023
You know how they say “never judge a book by its cover?” You can throw that pseudo-wisdom out the window. Richard Beauchamp’s Triptych reads as you’d expect: gritty, pulpy frontier horror with a splash of the occult and cosmic (for me there’s an extremely fine line between the two).
There’s something very authentic about Beauchamp’s writing. His dialogue comes natural and never forced (there are in fact long but comfortable stretches without any dialogue), his action is crisp and never tiresome, and the pages exude with dry, hot wind flavored with specks of sand and hints of something metallic and gamey, which can only be blood—and gun smoke. Maybe even more importantly—to me, anyway, as a fellow writer—he doesn’t seem to be entranced by nor does he incorporate gimmicky styles of contemporary prose (what I consider a transient fad); no, Beauchamp’s stories have a timeless quality, as if they could’ve belonged in a magazine alongside Lovecraft, Smith, or Howard.
For reasons beyond my perception, these three stories scratched my Hateful Eight itch (unpopular opinion: it’s my favorite Tarantino film), and other dark, violent westerns such as Bone Tomahawk.
Fans of Laird Barron will dig Beauchamp.
There’s something very authentic about Beauchamp’s writing. His dialogue comes natural and never forced (there are in fact long but comfortable stretches without any dialogue), his action is crisp and never tiresome, and the pages exude with dry, hot wind flavored with specks of sand and hints of something metallic and gamey, which can only be blood—and gun smoke. Maybe even more importantly—to me, anyway, as a fellow writer—he doesn’t seem to be entranced by nor does he incorporate gimmicky styles of contemporary prose (what I consider a transient fad); no, Beauchamp’s stories have a timeless quality, as if they could’ve belonged in a magazine alongside Lovecraft, Smith, or Howard.
For reasons beyond my perception, these three stories scratched my Hateful Eight itch (unpopular opinion: it’s my favorite Tarantino film), and other dark, violent westerns such as Bone Tomahawk.
Fans of Laird Barron will dig Beauchamp.
September 25, 2023
My first western horror and although I couldn't enjoy the third story, I really liked the first two and now I want to read more of it!
I listened to the audiobook and I was impressed by the production! There are different narrators impersonating the different characters and the main one that narrates the events throughout the book, making it really easy to follow and allowing the listener to BE in the book.
Loved the music throughout, which was perfect and again allowing the listener to feel like in a movie!
Loved the first two stories, the first one with an occult and cult vibe, whilst the second one with slimy and horrific eldritch creatures ready to take over the world, but that had no chances against an angry woman looking for her husband!
The third story got me really confused and I wasn't able to follow who was talking at times, leaving me unable to enjoy it fully!
I am so happy I got to listen to these stories as my first attempt at western horror because I liked it and I'll be reading more!
Thank you to Shadrick Beechem for the opportunity to listen to it and this is my honest review.
I listened to the audiobook and I was impressed by the production! There are different narrators impersonating the different characters and the main one that narrates the events throughout the book, making it really easy to follow and allowing the listener to BE in the book.
Loved the music throughout, which was perfect and again allowing the listener to feel like in a movie!
Loved the first two stories, the first one with an occult and cult vibe, whilst the second one with slimy and horrific eldritch creatures ready to take over the world, but that had no chances against an angry woman looking for her husband!
The third story got me really confused and I wasn't able to follow who was talking at times, leaving me unable to enjoy it fully!
I am so happy I got to listen to these stories as my first attempt at western horror because I liked it and I'll be reading more!
Thank you to Shadrick Beechem for the opportunity to listen to it and this is my honest review.
September 16, 2023
Though this collection is fairly brief at three short stories, it’s an absolute feast of perfectly-realized horror set against a sun-blasted western backdrop. This book succeeds fully as it deftly balances cosmic dread, unknowable abominations, and moments of crimson-soaked splatter with characters and settings that could have been pulled straight from classic western tales.
A grizzled Native bounty hunter, a fiery-tempered woman of the law out for vengeance, and a mysterious courier known for being the best at what he does face chilling situations and horrid things that would make a necromancer weep in joy and fear. Just top-notch western horror all around. With Triptych, Richard Beauchamp has placed himself atop the heap of frontier fright. I can’t recommend this book enough.
A grizzled Native bounty hunter, a fiery-tempered woman of the law out for vengeance, and a mysterious courier known for being the best at what he does face chilling situations and horrid things that would make a necromancer weep in joy and fear. Just top-notch western horror all around. With Triptych, Richard Beauchamp has placed himself atop the heap of frontier fright. I can’t recommend this book enough.
January 14, 2025
Beauchamp’s writing is like a drinking buddy who never seems to get inebriated. No matter how many beers he’s pounded, he’s never slurring or wobbly.
I don’t exactly know what that means, but I THINK what I’m trying to say is that he’s always in control of himself when it comes to his writing, which is already solid as a rock. But what’s more intriguing is his subtlety. He never boils over, he just keeps the story at a constant simmer. But it’s that atmosphere that gets you. Part Lovecraft, part redneck, a gothic horror poet, and it’s only a matter of time before he reaches his peak. Is it weird that I picture him writing with a quill?
ANYWAY, if you like western horror, you’ll totally dig this one. My favorite was Blood Gulch.
I don’t exactly know what that means, but I THINK what I’m trying to say is that he’s always in control of himself when it comes to his writing, which is already solid as a rock. But what’s more intriguing is his subtlety. He never boils over, he just keeps the story at a constant simmer. But it’s that atmosphere that gets you. Part Lovecraft, part redneck, a gothic horror poet, and it’s only a matter of time before he reaches his peak. Is it weird that I picture him writing with a quill?
ANYWAY, if you like western horror, you’ll totally dig this one. My favorite was Blood Gulch.
September 21, 2023
I have loved splatter westerns since they became a thing. These three short stories are terrific entries to the genre and are as original as they are diverse. From parasites to Lovecraft and a classic horror theme there seems to be a bit of everything all well written and fast-paced. I really enjoyed these stories and would recommend this book to anyone who likes horror or westerns. Definitely not for the faint of heart.
I listened to the audio version of the book while I read along and the performance is excellent as well.
I listened to the audio version of the book while I read along and the performance is excellent as well.
January 12, 2024
Three western horror stories! "The Courier" is a bit of a slow burn cosmic horror story following an unfortunate courier tasked with carrying a cursed package. "Blood Gulch" is the science fiction horror about a woman seeking her husband in a world overrun by some nasty parasites. "It Comes for Us All" is the story of a bounty hunter escorting a cursed prisoner who is definitely not what he seems.
These stories were okay. Nothing overly amazing or original, but I don't regret reading them. If you are like me and like western horror it's definitely worth checking out.
These stories were okay. Nothing overly amazing or original, but I don't regret reading them. If you are like me and like western horror it's definitely worth checking out.
November 7, 2023
Three great short stories that fall somewhere between weird western and splatter western. Highly recommend!
December 2, 2025
Man, I’m really torn about how I feel about this book.
It's a collection of three cosmic horror western stories.
“The Courier” follows a freed slave who has made a life for himself in the west delivering dangerous or questionable good. This unworldly delivery doesn't get any sketchier, but he has his reputation to keep.
“Blood Gulch” has the wife of a bounty hunter bringing something of a team together to wipe out some cosmic wormy parasites set on taking over humanity as their new hosts.
“It Comes for us All” tracks a bounty hunter's story to bring in a "man" who can't be killed.
All of these have really clever stories and are big on noir vibes. I want to love them so much, and thinking back on them, it's hard not to. But, they feature some of the hammiest prose I've ever read. Seriously, I was taking pictures of some of the over the top metaphors and laughing about the writing with my friends.
The writing is so noodly. It felt like the content should been framed with a punchier narrative, but instead the author felt set on using big words to sound smart when smaller words work just fine. I love dipping into deeper vocab when those words make more sense, but when someone is “masticating” rather than chewing it just feels awkward.
This is set in the old west. Did most people in the old west even know what mastication was?
I get digging into the thesaurus when you’ve already used a specific word too many times, but it’s like this throughout the story, and it feels needlessly self-aware.
And yet...the stories themselves are REALLY good. I'm conflicted.
August 13, 2023
This was a fast, enjoyable read. With vivid settings, imaginative monsters, and moments full of dread-inducing cosmic horror, these three tales will transport you to a deeply dark, deeply weird Old West. Beauchamp has done an incredible job keeping the reader glued to the page as sympathetic characters try to survive in a brutal Old West where strangeness imbues the land itself.
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