Deadman's Lament

The Deadman #1

by Linell Jeppsen

The year is 1872. Twelve-year-old Matthew Wilcox leads a charmed life on his family's sprawling ranch in Washington Territory until a series of tragic events leave him orphaned and in the clutches of a vicious band of outlaws. Threatened by the gang leader's perverted cousin, Top Hat, Matthew also faces Indian attacks, dangerous wildlife, and a deadly snowstorm. He survives but burns with an overwhelming hunger for revenge.

Thirteen years later, Matthew - now a Spokane County sheriff - realizes that Top Hat is riding again with a new gang called the Mad Hatters. It means risking his friends, his family and the love of a good woman, but Matthew must find the man who destroyed what he once loved most in the world. To that end, he and his posse venture into Idaho gold country to capture the Mad Hatters.

Top Hat, however, has a different idea. He turns the tables, heading to the sheriff's hometown of Granville and going after everyone Matthew holds dear.

What follows will haunt Sheriff Wilcox for the rest of his life as he confronts the hatred, vengeance and retribution buried deep in his own soul. Matthew will do anything, though, to put an end to A DEADMAN'S LAMENT.

Genres: Westerns, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Novels, Historical

250 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 22, 2013

About the author

Linell Jeppsen is a writer of science fiction and fantasy. Her vampire novel, Detour to Dusk, has received over 44- four and five star reviews. Her novel Story Time, with over 125- 4 and 5 star reviews, is a science fiction, post-apocalyptic novel, and has been touted by the Paranormal Romance Guild, Sandy’s Blog Spot, Coffeetime Romance , Bitten by Books and 64 top reviewers as a five star read, filled with terror, love, loss, and the indomitable beauty and strength of the human spirit. Story Time was also nominated as the best new read of 2011 by the PRG! Her dark fantasy novel, Onio (a story about a half-human Sasquatch who falls in love with a human girl), was released in December 2012 and won 3rd place as the best fantasy romance of 2012 by the PRG reviewers guild! Onio also sports over 50- 4 and 5 star reviews!
Her latest novel, The War of Odds, won the IBD award for fantasy fiction and boasts 18- 5 star reviews since its release in February of 2013.
She is also in a collaborative effort with the Welsh author, J. Bryden Lloyd in, The Guardians- a science fiction, serialized thriller with over 30 reviews here and in the UK!
Her latest effort, The Beginning of the Story (Story Time Prequel) is a must for those of you who loved Story Time.
… and now- Deadman’s Lament- a Western novel of Retribution and Revenge!

For more information about Linell Jeppsen and her novels, visit http://neljeppsen.weebly.com, or http://www.worldcastlepublishing.com/...

Reviews

[Edwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Young Matthew Wilcox, orphaned and in the care of a shopkeepers family is orphaned again and captured by a group of violent outlaws. One of the outlaws named “Top Hat” is exceedingly psychotic and kills and sodomizes without conscience. Matthew manages to escape and vows vengeance on Top Hat. Many years later Matthew is now sheriff and word of Top Hat’s location sets the stage for a showdown. The book is a well written revenge tale. I can’t say that it breaks any new ground, although the Top Hat character is one of the most vile antagonists that I’ve read in a Western. Plenty of violence and gore, so not recommended for the faint of heart. Overall an enjoyable book.

[Linell Rae Jeppsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Riding the wild west, December 22, 2013
By
Lisa Williamson "suteko" (Barrie, On, Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Deadman's Lament (Kindle Edition)
A new voice in the western genre, Ms Jeppsen's Deadman's Lament is like sitting back and watching the best of the old cowboy movies. With a hero that is strong and true and a villain that would not be out of place in any genre, this story grabs you by the collar and drags you from start to finish.

She deftly handles many horrible topics with an understanding that what might be wrong in our modern sensibilities was common place for the time period. The villain of this piece could easily be dropped into a modern tale as a serial killer but he is perfect here are the leader of a band of outlaws.

She leaves nothing dangling as she concludes the tale and I know that fans of both Ms Jeppsen and of the western genre will enjoy this book for what it is, a rip roaring tale of good versus evil, right versus wrong. Buy it folks, read it and you will find you agree.

Merged review:

A page-turner with plenty of soul December 30, 2013
By Maggie Plummer
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I love this historical western novel and I, too, will read it again. The author does a superb job of putting the reader right in the middle of the Old West setting as we follow Matthew in his dramatic quest. There is an authenticity to the characters in this well-written (and well-edited) book, which kept me turning pages at a feverish pace to see what surprising twists and turns would come next. Linell Jeppsen’s picturesque descriptions of the eastern Washington and northern Idaho countryside come straight from her heart. She knows this country. I highly recommend DEADMAN’S LAMENT for adult readers. Five stars!

[Barbara Ebel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book I’ve read by this author. The first one was ONIO (which is more my favorite). 

Hats off again to Ms. Jeppsen for delivering a well written and novel story. She nicely divides her protagonist’s time frame into a young teen and then a young man. The young boy turned-man must bring closure to the insults perpetrated on his beloved family members. We follow Matthew on his journey with his totem not far behind.

Although I thought the crimes by the antagonists were nastier than ‘traditional’ western’s, the crimes in the book are similar to the way society and Hollywood presently portray them (not that those deeds didn’t occur in those days). In actuality, the author wrote what I believe to be a more contemporary western.

[Ch'kara SilverWolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW I would so love to see this book as a movie. I always loved watching westerns as a child, and although this is not the usual genre that I read, I am an avid follower of Ms Jeppsen’s work, so decided to give it a go and was not disappointed.

It has all the characters you could want. The evil bad guy, the Indians and of course the town sheriff.

There is fighting, death, joy, love and such sorrow at times it makes your heart break. It moves at a steady pace to keep you hanging in to see what comes next.

When it came to the end I smiled and felt happy for the young Matthew Wilcox.

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 4 out of 5]

For readers who prefer a pure and unadulterated western, this one is the perfect choice!

Read full review in the 2014 March issue of InD’tale Magazine.

[Sharon Reddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shades of Zane Grey, it's been a long time since I read a good ol' Western, like I used to get off my dad's bookshelf. I really enjoyed this.

[Maryann Breedlove · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like John Wayne, Marshall Dillon in Gunsmoke, and Kevin Costner and Robert Duvall in Open Range You'll love this novel!

First, allow me to say Western's are not my preferred genre as I tend to lean more toward the dark psychological thrillers... with this said as a Western this novel and author deserves 5 stars as the most enjoyable westerns I have ever read!

Everything expected in the best classic westerns is here. Just as John Wayne and Marshall Dillion were rugged rowdy cowboys they had heart and manners! Deadman's Lament is so well written the author didn't need swearing and sex as shock value so keep a reader interested. I would recommend this novel for almost any age!

This is a classic style western, written from a man's perspective by a woman! And it is done beautifully!

This is the story of Mattie (Matthew) Wilcox and his journey from boy to man during the 1870's... not a hero.. simply a good man. Mattie's need for revenge and justice consume him and set him on a path of danger, heartbreak, redemption and understanding.
This novel brought to mind classics such as "The Call of the Wild" by Jack London John Wayne in "McClintock" and "The Sons of Katie Elder" and the classic TV show "Gunsmoke".

Linell Jeppsen describes herself as a girly girl but her novel is far from any frills and bows. Linell uses her prose to set the atmosphere of a scene so well you can feel the suspense building in your stomach,

"you can do one of two things right now Delaney," Matthew spoke quietly. "You can let that girl go and come with us where you will be tried by a jury of your pears or..." The sheriff took a step forward and closed one eye, staring down the barrel of his gun with the other. " I Will shoot you dead where you stand." OMGosh... what an awesome scene... I had to jump up and play act it out with my hubby... lol... SO MUCH FUN!

Ms. Jeppsen show's her reader the virtue of being "in simple company and with plain folk" yet she can slap you in the face showing how Civilization can harbor and create such savagery. Linell reminds us all people have two sides.. a light and a dark "Penny is nothing but a thief and a murder... I guess you're right about that, son. But he wasn't always like that. Sometimes life takes a strange road and turns a man into something bad".
Her bad guys are "a special breed of loco" and so her good guys must be a "special breed" too as in Mattie decides to run a sting operation in a brothel.

They just don' make men like Matthew Wilcox nor do they tell simply wonderful story's like Deadman's Lament" This is a must read!

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well executed book for a western written in modern times. Though I felt like there were too many cliches put in one book, it was well executed and woven together. It was my first read by this author and one I could not put down. I found the showdowns exciting, the outlaws unusual, and the ending not what I was expecting. I found the language pulling me in (I've read some where modern words stick out like sore thumbs and the book goes downhill from there). It was a good coming of age story and I'm interested to read entire books that happen in only one stage of life and see how the characters develop that way. I know some did not think it was very descriptive, but after reading some older westerns, I find that I enjoy that. Straightforward stories let me own imagination wander. I also enjoyed how everything was nicely wrapped and I didn't feel left hanging. I look forward to reading more.

[mountainmama · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read a few of Ms. Jeppsen’s books, and this one is a completely different genre – an historical Western! Sheriff Matthew Wilcox is going after the notorious bandit, ‘Top Hat’ – the same evil, sadistic bad guy who kidnapped him when he was a youngster. But Top Hat sees him coming and doubles back to wreak havoc on Matthew’s home town while he’s out chasing shadows. It reminds you of the Westerns of old where the good guys triumphed and the bad guys got what they deserved, with the added twist of the good guy having to overcome his past sadness and hardships in order to face the menace.

Ms. Jeppsen’s talent shows through in this story – her descriptions are impeccable, characters are portrayed perfectly, dialog is believable, and the story is gripping. Yippee-kai-yay!

[TJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

Great read!

was pulled in from page one. felt like part of the wilcox family. highly recommend. roller coaster of a read :)

[Janet Denise Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

BAD GUYS, EVIL & GOOD, LOVE

5 STARS for this amazing portrait of an old west era drama in the viewpoint of a guy who had been orphaned early in life & had to learn how to deal with outrageous bad guys, a few at a level of evil that almost got Mattie killed & scalped before he was a teenager. Great characters are throughout this story with Mattie as he got older & grew up learning all ways of fighting with the practicing ability to be able to hunt those evil men down now as an adult. Until he finds out about some of his past he can't go forward a common theme of any time era taken here & treated in a very tender almost like part of it is not mentioned but just floats above in a bubble unseen as Mattie tracks the bad men & interacts with Indians of his past. Highly Recommend.

[ctrothschild · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story!

Mr. Jeppsen's story is great tale of terrible outlaws and courageous men of the old west. His use of foul language and foul deeds could have been from present day. This is a story about real men!!!

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Real Western Story

An excellent western story with the expected good guys and bad guys that eas well-told and tugged atthe heartstrings. There were several unexpected twists and turns that nuzt made the adventure even more enjoyable. Looking forward to reading Book 2.

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good read

Mr. Jeppsen takes you by the imagination and leads you through the first few chapters of Matthew's life.
I'm looking forward to the sequel.

[Cyanemi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely not worth it. Wasted time.

[Connie Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic story

Twists & turns throughout. I was hanging on my seat as I read this book.
Wondering how Mattie would get out of the mess he was in & overpower Top Hat.

[Susan Askey · Rating 3 out of 5]

meh..

Traditional plot, not a bad story. Kind of hard to follow in places but yet a good ol western. Nice linear storyline

[Barbara Lee Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

BLOOD IS THICKER THAN WATER

This another wonderful fast moving Western adventure. A newly married couple move west hoping to make a life in the new west. They both come from wealthy families. The family grows with the birth of a boy and girl. Everything seems to be going okay, but it really isn't, the FATHER is a lawyer by trade but he's gambling also, not a good choice, people pay him for his services with vegetables,eggs or whatever he'll accept for payment, his wife doesn't not like the way he's conducting business. She becomes bitter and dehumanizing husband, and he's starts staying away for days or sometimes weeks(not good). The son is now twelve and he's picking up his father's responsibilities at the farm. One day sheriff meets the son on the trail to their ranch and it's bad bad and sad news his father suffered a stroke, but he also had put up the farm for collateral in a poker game dang it he lost. No farm no money and now the family minus Dad are living in a shack in town. The twelve year old is providing the best he can. Mother loses her way gets hooked on laudanum(an opioid kin to morphine)now we're in trouble. Bottom line mother dies, his sister is set to an orphanage somewhere in Washington state. All this was arranged by the town medic who in all westerners seems to wear many hats, social worker,psychiatrist and anything else while providing medical support. He finds a place for the twelve year old with a French family who own a trading post. While he's there the trading post is Rob the owner and wife are murdered, the twelve year old and the murdered couples daughter are taken as captives. During this time an ugly depraved pedophile named TOP HAT murders an Indian boy while raping him. Later Mattie(twelve yr. old name) is left by himself and must provide for himself. A wolf cub adopts him after his mother is caught in a trap.
You should read this series and I guarantee you won't be disappointed. It's more than life in the west, but SURVIVAL and support wherever/whoever will help you. And DON'T forget common sense. Family values moral ethics all play a role in this adventure. I REALLY enjoy this authors writing and so will you..so come on all you western lovers..READ and ENJOY...

[Jody · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to give this 3.5-3.75 but that is not possible. This is a pretty good western from someone who is not really comfortable writing westerns. Jeppsen steps out of her comfort zone and there are places where it shows, not overtly, but you can kind of feel it (if that makes sense.) One of the strong points of this book was that it was written by a woman who was trying to write like a man. When men write westerns, all of the men are strong and hard-hearted while all of the women are weak and soft. Typically when women write westerns no one gets into a fist fight, no one gets shot and everyone falls in love. Jeppsen tried to think and write like a man and by doing so she gave us a little bit of both worlds and she probably came closer to the truth than most other western authors. Did men cry in the Old West? Men cry today and that is probably a good sign that they cried then. Where women strong and able to survive harsh conditions in the Old West? Women are strong and able to survive today so I will say yes to that as well. This was a good story that felt realistic in most parts. I would have liked to read more of Matthew Wilcox's life after losing his family but that will not knock me out of reading more in this series. If you like westerns this is a pretty good book but L'Amour is still my favorite and I haven't found anyone I like as well as him.

[Linda Branich · Rating 4 out of 5]

1872, Washington Territory--Matthew Wilcox is orphaned and captured by an outlaw gang led by Top Hat. Matthew vows revenge, but before he is able to accomplish that he nearly dies. He and a wolf pup adopt each other and Bandit becomes his faithful friend, companion, and protector. Thirteen years later Matthew is a lawman and gets a lead on Top hat, who by this time, is going by another name. Matthew risks everything--his family, friends, neighbors, and his love, to exact his revenge and bring Top Hat down.

I found this book interesting, as I lived in Spokane, WA and spent time in Coeur d'Alene, ID and many of the towns mentioned in the book. The author did her research of the area well, and I could envision myself riding along with the characters in this area familiar to me.

I classified the book as a WESTERN, not because it is about cowboys, cattle herds, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, or Arizona, but because it is about the early settlement and expansion in one of our most western states and contains dealings with Indians, like most westerns do.

I especially liked how despite Matthew witnessing many evil and cruel things, his character did not diminish, he did not become warped--he became a fair, upstandin, and well-respected, and trusted man

[Jeff Dawson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the fourth story I’ve read by Linnel. She is a very talented writer, but I struggled with this one. I applaud each and every author when they step out of their comfort zone and take on a work they aren’t familiar with. It’s not a trip for the faint of heart.

The main thread of the story surrounds three individuals, Red Bird; indigenous Indian, Mathew Wilcox; the town sheriff and of course the villain, Kevin Walker, aka, Top Hat.

Red Bird and Mathew share a common thread as Top Hat has inflicted more pain than the law allows when the two were young. They never forgot and in their own way, plan a path of revenge.

The pro’s of the story are the settings and action scenes. These are well crafted and very exciting.

The con’s were the structure of events. I don’t want to go into details as that would include spoilers. But some of the sub plots became the center of attention and derailed the story at times.

Overall, it wasn’t my favorite work by her, but that will not keep me from reading more from her. I look forward to reading her prequel to “Story Time.”

3.5 Stars

[Lisa Williamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new voice in the western genre, Ms Jeppsen's Deadman's Lament is like sitting back and watching the best of the old cowboy movies. With a hero that is strong and true and a villain that would not be out of place in any genre, this story grabs you by the collar and drags you from start to finish.

She deftly handles many horrible topics with an understanding that what might be wrong in our modern sensibilities was common place for the time period. The villain of this piece could easily be dropped into a modern tale as a serial killer but he is perfect here are the leader of a band of outlaws.

She leaves nothing dangling as she concludes the tale and I know that fans of both Ms Jeppsen and of the western genre will enjoy this book for what it is, a rip roaring tale of good versus evil, right versus wrong. Buy it folks, read it and you will find you agree.

[Cindy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am very picky about Westerns. This book was horrible and I am not sure why I wasted my time. I am of the opinion that you do not have to use f words and filthy language, it is not staying true to the Victorian time period. There was a lot of sexual dialogue. This author drove me crazy. When characters walk into a saloon and all you do is describe the prostitutes, then you are not interested in writing a good Western story. I know they are part of the Old West History, but not the focal point. The only good part of this story was the first 30 pages. Matthew became an orphan, got captured by an outlaw gang, then the Indians left him on a mountain to die. Poor kid was only 12 years old. The shoot out at the end was rushed and fizzled. It left you with an open ended story, so you would buy the next book in the series. No thanks, I will not be reading any more of the series.

[Dianne P. Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!!!

I completely loved this book! While most readers probably consider the depictions of the basic human needs, bodily functions and handling of the dead as quite disgusting, I found it quite refreshing to read a "true to life as it was" account. I have been very disheartened over the years to see how totally bereft of knowledge our younger generations are of what daily life was like back then. This book not only gave a good account of the people and their daily struggle, but what it took to meet extraordinary circumstances by individuals and entire communities. To say "life was rough" is equivalent to having your arm ripped off and saying "it hurts".

Good research, very good writing. I finished it at 4am today.

[Lisa C. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't understand the rave reviews. This should be in bold letters: For anyone to even compare this to anything written by Louis L'amour is utterly laughable and an insult to him.

This story is unrealistic in so many ways. The men cried way too much, the guy Top Hat's behavior wouldn't have been tolerated, very unbelievable that Mattie would have survived all that was thrown at him, and without revealing too much, his use of the sling shot left me shaking my head. Oh, and using the f word added absolutely nothing to the story.

The fact the author admits she had to have her husband's help to figure out how men think speaks volumes. There was some kind of breakdown in the telling of this tale.

[Nancy Silk · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Hard Times In The Wild North West"

This is the second western novel I've read this week, and I'm glad I did. It's a great story which takes place in 1872 on a sprawling ranch in Washington Territory. Unfortunately, 12 year old Matthew Wilcox is suddenly orphaned and swept up into a vicious band of outlaws. He suffers through much ... Indian attacks, aggressive wildlife, and a deadly snow storm. He does survive, and when he becomes an adult he seeks revenge on the ferocious leader of that band of outlaws. This active story is very well written, flows well, is a fast read, and is exciting. Highly recommend.

[Robert C. smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast paced, good read worthy of your time!

"Dead man's Lament" is a very enjoyable true western with well researched authenticity of nicely blended facts throughout. This author has a good handle on guns, horses, "real" men and fast action. I highly recommend reading Linell Jeppsen's book.

[Margaret Dillon]

Terrific, could not put it down. Read entire book in one half day. Get this book and read it.

Enjoyed every character and the description of the land, time and struggles they endured. Glad that I was born in this century.

[Steve Burczyk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good western...

A fairly fast western reminding one of the likes of Zane Grey, Louie Lamour, and W. Johnstone, but penned by a Science Fiction author...and a woman to boot !!

[Rick Gillispie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet Revenge

Mattie's life was loaded with evil. In his young years he went thru so much and had lost so much. It was fun to follow his path to Revenge. Looking forward to the next book in series.