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Bandit Heaven: The Hole-in-the-Wall Gangs and the Final Chapter of the Wild West
From multiple New York Times bestselling author Tom Clavin comes the thrilling true story of the most infamous hangout for bandits, thieves and murderers of all time—and the lawmen tasked with rooting them out.Robbers Roost, Brown’s Hole, and Hole in the Wall were three hideouts that collectively were known to outlaws as “Bandit Heaven.” During the 1880s and ‘90s these remote locations in Wyoming and Utah harbored hundreds of train and bank robbers, horse and cattle thieves, the occasional killer, and anyone else with a price on his head.Clavin's Bandit Heaven is the entertaining story of these tumultuous times and the colorful characters who rode the Outlaw Trail through the frigid mountain passes and throat-parching deserts that connected the three hideouts—well-guarded enclaves no sensible lawman would enter. There are the “star” residents like gregarious Butch Cassidy and his mostly silent sidekick the Sundance Kid, and an array of fascinating supporting players like the cold-blooded Kid Curry, the gang leader, and “Black Jack” Ketchum (who had the dubious distinction of being decapitated during a hanging), among others. Most of the hard-riding action takes place in the mid- to late-1890s when Bandit Heaven came to be one of the few safe places left as the law closed in on the dwindling number of active outlaws. Most were dead by the beginning of the 20th century, gunned down by a galvanized law-enforcement system seeking rewards and glory. Ultimately, only Cassidy and Sundance escaped . . . to meet their fate 6000 miles away, becoming legends when they died in a fusillade of lead.Bandit Heaven is a thrilling read, filled with action, indelible characters, and some poignance for the true end of the Wild West outlaw.
469 pages, Library Binding
Published December 11, 2024
285 people are currently reading
11255 people want to read
About the author
Tom Clavin
44 books516 followersTom Clavin is the author/coauthor of eleven books. His most recent is That Old Black Magic: Louis Prima, Keely Smith, and the Golden Age of Las Vegas.
His articles have appeared in Cosmopolitan, Family Circle, Men's Journal, Parade, Reader's Digest, and others.
He was a contributing reporter for the New York Times for fifteen years.
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August 26, 2024
I read all of Tom Clavin's books and this is just another wonderful entry about the end of the Wild West. I'm not going to complicate this review because whether or not this book is for you is very simple.
When Clavin writes about the Wild West, there is going to be some guaranteed elements. First, sardonic wit. Clavin will not let a good zinger go by. If there is a dark joke to make about a guy's nickname ending up being the way he dies, then Clavin will say it.
Second, there are a lot of characters. Clavin can not and will not let a good story go by. Sure, the character may show up for a few pages and disappear forever but this is about entertainment. Clavin has gathered you around the fire to tell you stories not just a single story. Admittedly, I usually ding books for having too many characters, but when it is done well and brings more color to the book, I not only let it slide but thoroughly enjoy it.
Finally, while it may seem the narrative jumps around, there is always a larger point being made in the narrative. Yes, it seems like the end of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid are the main story, but it is really about the end of the Wild West. This book is another look at the how and why the outlaws couldn't go on forever both literally and figuratively. If you like Clavin's work, this is just another must read.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and St. Martin's Press.)
When Clavin writes about the Wild West, there is going to be some guaranteed elements. First, sardonic wit. Clavin will not let a good zinger go by. If there is a dark joke to make about a guy's nickname ending up being the way he dies, then Clavin will say it.
Second, there are a lot of characters. Clavin can not and will not let a good story go by. Sure, the character may show up for a few pages and disappear forever but this is about entertainment. Clavin has gathered you around the fire to tell you stories not just a single story. Admittedly, I usually ding books for having too many characters, but when it is done well and brings more color to the book, I not only let it slide but thoroughly enjoy it.
Finally, while it may seem the narrative jumps around, there is always a larger point being made in the narrative. Yes, it seems like the end of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid are the main story, but it is really about the end of the Wild West. This book is another look at the how and why the outlaws couldn't go on forever both literally and figuratively. If you like Clavin's work, this is just another must read.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and St. Martin's Press.)
July 15, 2025
__________________________
Ohhhhhh Shhhhiiiit!!!!
“Think ya used enough dynamite there, Butch?”
Who are those guys?
Quiz Night. Did you recognize the source of the above quotes as soon as you saw them? I bet you did, at least if you are old enough to remember seeing an actual Western/cowboy movie in the theater. These may not seem like iconic lines of dialogue, but they are iconic enough I remember them after 50 years.
Answer:
Bandit Heaven: The Hole-in-the-Wall Gangs and the Final Chapter of the Wild West is the story of the Hole in the Wall area where the outlaws Butch and Sundance often hid out. I remember thinking that the so-called Hole in the Wall must have been a cave or some kind of natural fortress in the mountains, but I learned that “Hole” in this context is actually a term for a valley, and the Hole in the Wall was a valley about 30 miles long but with only 2 or 3 passable entrances, each of which was easily defensible by the bad guys. The book covers not only Butch and Sundance but many of the other bandits, rustlers, and worst of all, the cattle barons of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association. The cattle barons were rich buggers who believed they should be able to graze their cattle on public lands but that homesteaders and small ranchers should not be allowed on that land. The barons bought gunmen and assassins to help enforce their illegal claims.
The cattle barons were a forerunner of the modern-day billionaires who think they should have access to the government contracts and government money but no one else should. The difference between the old barons and the new guys is that today’s rich buggers mainly buy lawyers and politicians.
When I was growing up in the 1950s when there were Western TV shows on the air nearly every night of the week and I was familiar with many real-life Western figures because there were shows based [very very loosely] on the careers of Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, Wild Bill Hickok, Jim Bowie, and even one about the Sundance Kid. But I had never heard of Butch Cassidy before I saw the movie.
Note Wyatt Earp was born in the next town south of the village where I grew up and was played in the TV series by Hugh O’Brian who had gone to a military academy in the small town just west of mine. My grandkids are actually directly descended from Wyatt Earp’s paternal aunt.
The book confirms that, like the characters in the movie, the real Butch and Sundance were likeable rogues, for guys who would steal your money, your cattle, your horse, and your pants—which they apparently did to a sheriff after they got the drop on him one time. The author also reveals that in real life the downfall of his gang was brought about by the Pinkerton Detective Agency, which was hired by the railroad companies that Butch and his Wild Bunch were robbing.
The author says that Butch was truly baffled by the fact that the people he robbed spent so much effort trying to catch him after the initial getaway. It just didn’t seem fair to him. Butch’s team would The Pinkertons were so dogged in their pursuit that they even funded a campaign to find Butch, Sundance, and their mutual girlfriend Etta Place in South America after the trio escaped to South America and had given up their evil ways. Etta Place was a mystery woman—maybe she was an adventurous schoolmarm, maybe a prostitute, or maybe she was just a prototype modern woman way ahead of her time.
There is one scene in the book that wasn’t in the movie, but should have been. Butch and Sundance had just robbed a bank. They jumped on their horses and started racing down the street. It was a tiny town and the only law enforcement officer the town had was Fred Cruickshank, a clerk at a local dry goods store who moonlighted on rare occasions as a process server. He didn’t have either a horse or a gun, but the brave or foolish clerk jumped on his bicycle and pedaled furiously in pursuit of the outlaws. No, he couldn’t catch them, but Cruickshank’s chase would have been a great comic moment in the film. I would have laughed, wouldn’t you?
🌟🌟🌟 Stars. The history in this book is interesting but not compelling. The tales of Butch and Sundance only take up, by my reckoning, less than half of the book. The rest of the book is informative, but about as interesting as a high school American History textbook. It will probably appeal to your hardcore Western history buff though.
Notes about Quotes.
There are numerous humorous moments in the movie. The quote “Who are those guys?” was something Butch said when the posse of Pinkerton Detective Agency agents who were tracking him just kept coming and coming and coming no matter what he and Sundance did to elude them.
The quote Ohhhhh Shhiiitttt occurred when Butch and Sundance were cornered by the Pinkertons on the edge of a cliff and were forced to jump into the river far below to escape.
The line “Think ya used enough dynamite there, Butch?” was spoken after the gang held up a train and Butch tried to blow open the safe in the mail car with dynamite—a lot of dynamite. The entire car blew up and the paper money from the safe blew away.
Ohhhhhh Shhhhiiiit!!!!
“Think ya used enough dynamite there, Butch?”
Who are those guys?
Quiz Night. Did you recognize the source of the above quotes as soon as you saw them? I bet you did, at least if you are old enough to remember seeing an actual Western/cowboy movie in the theater. These may not seem like iconic lines of dialogue, but they are iconic enough I remember them after 50 years.
Answer:
Bandit Heaven: The Hole-in-the-Wall Gangs and the Final Chapter of the Wild West is the story of the Hole in the Wall area where the outlaws Butch and Sundance often hid out. I remember thinking that the so-called Hole in the Wall must have been a cave or some kind of natural fortress in the mountains, but I learned that “Hole” in this context is actually a term for a valley, and the Hole in the Wall was a valley about 30 miles long but with only 2 or 3 passable entrances, each of which was easily defensible by the bad guys. The book covers not only Butch and Sundance but many of the other bandits, rustlers, and worst of all, the cattle barons of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association. The cattle barons were rich buggers who believed they should be able to graze their cattle on public lands but that homesteaders and small ranchers should not be allowed on that land. The barons bought gunmen and assassins to help enforce their illegal claims.
The cattle barons were a forerunner of the modern-day billionaires who think they should have access to the government contracts and government money but no one else should. The difference between the old barons and the new guys is that today’s rich buggers mainly buy lawyers and politicians.
When I was growing up in the 1950s when there were Western TV shows on the air nearly every night of the week and I was familiar with many real-life Western figures because there were shows based [very very loosely] on the careers of Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, Wild Bill Hickok, Jim Bowie, and even one about the Sundance Kid. But I had never heard of Butch Cassidy before I saw the movie.
Note Wyatt Earp was born in the next town south of the village where I grew up and was played in the TV series by Hugh O’Brian who had gone to a military academy in the small town just west of mine. My grandkids are actually directly descended from Wyatt Earp’s paternal aunt.
The book confirms that, like the characters in the movie, the real Butch and Sundance were likeable rogues, for guys who would steal your money, your cattle, your horse, and your pants—which they apparently did to a sheriff after they got the drop on him one time. The author also reveals that in real life the downfall of his gang was brought about by the Pinkerton Detective Agency, which was hired by the railroad companies that Butch and his Wild Bunch were robbing.
The author says that Butch was truly baffled by the fact that the people he robbed spent so much effort trying to catch him after the initial getaway. It just didn’t seem fair to him. Butch’s team would The Pinkertons were so dogged in their pursuit that they even funded a campaign to find Butch, Sundance, and their mutual girlfriend Etta Place in South America after the trio escaped to South America and had given up their evil ways. Etta Place was a mystery woman—maybe she was an adventurous schoolmarm, maybe a prostitute, or maybe she was just a prototype modern woman way ahead of her time.
There is one scene in the book that wasn’t in the movie, but should have been. Butch and Sundance had just robbed a bank. They jumped on their horses and started racing down the street. It was a tiny town and the only law enforcement officer the town had was Fred Cruickshank, a clerk at a local dry goods store who moonlighted on rare occasions as a process server. He didn’t have either a horse or a gun, but the brave or foolish clerk jumped on his bicycle and pedaled furiously in pursuit of the outlaws. No, he couldn’t catch them, but Cruickshank’s chase would have been a great comic moment in the film. I would have laughed, wouldn’t you?
🌟🌟🌟 Stars. The history in this book is interesting but not compelling. The tales of Butch and Sundance only take up, by my reckoning, less than half of the book. The rest of the book is informative, but about as interesting as a high school American History textbook. It will probably appeal to your hardcore Western history buff though.
Notes about Quotes.
There are numerous humorous moments in the movie. The quote “Who are those guys?” was something Butch said when the posse of Pinkerton Detective Agency agents who were tracking him just kept coming and coming and coming no matter what he and Sundance did to elude them.
The quote Ohhhhh Shhiiitttt occurred when Butch and Sundance were cornered by the Pinkertons on the edge of a cliff and were forced to jump into the river far below to escape.
The line “Think ya used enough dynamite there, Butch?” was spoken after the gang held up a train and Butch tried to blow open the safe in the mail car with dynamite—a lot of dynamite. The entire car blew up and the paper money from the safe blew away.
Read
July 6, 2024Clavin really knows his material, and he writes so engagingly that I sometimes forgot I was reading a historical account, as he evokes the various outlaws he follows, most to their unsavory ends. I really enjoy his style.
Framing this look at the waning of the "Old West" in particular the outlaws who preyed on banks, railroads, ranchers, and everyone else. was the tale of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. I've never had any interest in those two, as I found the film dull when I saw it at twenty years old (hearing yet another maundering tweedle of "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" used to drive me right out of a room) so I was surprised to find out that as outlaws go, these two were not all that bad. There were far worse ones, some of them with whom the two joined up now and then.
Mostly I found the scant facts about "Ethel"--the woman of many names with whom the Sundance Kid partnered for a time, till she'd had enough--was surprisingly interesting. I'd found the actor in the film so dull that it had never occurred to me that this person was even more interesting than the two guys, who were mainly famous for being somewhat stylish in how they took others' belongings.
The frame mostly worked--except that it turns out that really there is nothing for certain known about what happened to the two, down in South America. If they were actually there. Another small problem in the last third was that Clavin sometimes told us the ends of some of the outlaws and the lawmen who chased them, then picked up their stories from another angle--and they were suddenly alive again, confusing me a bit as the cast was so large.
But those are small quibbles. I learned a lot, and thoroughly enjoyed the process.
Framing this look at the waning of the "Old West" in particular the outlaws who preyed on banks, railroads, ranchers, and everyone else. was the tale of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. I've never had any interest in those two, as I found the film dull when I saw it at twenty years old (hearing yet another maundering tweedle of "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" used to drive me right out of a room) so I was surprised to find out that as outlaws go, these two were not all that bad. There were far worse ones, some of them with whom the two joined up now and then.
Mostly I found the scant facts about "Ethel"--the woman of many names with whom the Sundance Kid partnered for a time, till she'd had enough--was surprisingly interesting. I'd found the actor in the film so dull that it had never occurred to me that this person was even more interesting than the two guys, who were mainly famous for being somewhat stylish in how they took others' belongings.
The frame mostly worked--except that it turns out that really there is nothing for certain known about what happened to the two, down in South America. If they were actually there. Another small problem in the last third was that Clavin sometimes told us the ends of some of the outlaws and the lawmen who chased them, then picked up their stories from another angle--and they were suddenly alive again, confusing me a bit as the cast was so large.
But those are small quibbles. I learned a lot, and thoroughly enjoyed the process.
April 3, 2025
Murder by suicide, evidently, was how the notorious Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid died; and not by the celebrated manner depicted in the 1969 film.
Mr. Clavin has written, in this reader's opinion, the definitive history of America's most ruthless killers and bank robbers.
Mr. Clavin has written, in this reader's opinion, the definitive history of America's most ruthless killers and bank robbers.
December 5, 2024
In Bandit Heaven, writer Tom Clavin narrates a story of the Old West, focusing on American criminal Butch Cassidy (born Robert LeRoy Parker, 1866-1908), his sidekick the Sundance Kid (born Harry Alonzo Longabaugh, 1867-1908), and their Wild Bunch gang who engaged in crime sprees such as bank and train robberies in the Western US at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century. Clavin's book is fast-paced with a large cast of characters that were confusing for me to keep track of (I listened to the audiobook), though I did recognize many of the locations as I lived in this part of the US for several years (Moab, Utah, in particularly, still has the air of a classic Old West town -- or maybe that's just a stereotype we've been conditioned to believe in).
Further reading: the American West, 19th and early 20th century
Ghost Town Living: Mining for Purpose and Chasing Dreams at the Edge of Death Valley by Brent Underwood
The Mirage Factory: Illusion, Imagination, and the Invention of Los Angeles by Gary Krist
Born of Lakes and Plains: Mixed-Descent Peoples and the Making of the American West by Anne Hyde
The Blue Tattoo: The Life of Olive Oatman by Margo Mifflin
The Last Ride of the Pony Express: My 2,000-mile Horseback Journey into the Old West by Will Grant
The Oregon Trail: A New American Journey by Rinker Buck
Bold Spirit: Helga Estby's Forgotten Walk Across Victorian America by Linda Lawrence Hunt
My statistics:
Book 296 for 2024
Book 1899 cumulatively
Further reading: the American West, 19th and early 20th century
Ghost Town Living: Mining for Purpose and Chasing Dreams at the Edge of Death Valley by Brent Underwood
The Mirage Factory: Illusion, Imagination, and the Invention of Los Angeles by Gary Krist
Born of Lakes and Plains: Mixed-Descent Peoples and the Making of the American West by Anne Hyde
The Blue Tattoo: The Life of Olive Oatman by Margo Mifflin
The Last Ride of the Pony Express: My 2,000-mile Horseback Journey into the Old West by Will Grant
The Oregon Trail: A New American Journey by Rinker Buck
Bold Spirit: Helga Estby's Forgotten Walk Across Victorian America by Linda Lawrence Hunt
My statistics:
Book 296 for 2024
Book 1899 cumulatively
October 9, 2024
I remember hearing my dad's Marty Robbins records as a kid - stories of the Old West, outlaws and gunslingers, beautiful Mexican maidens. And it was never hard to find old Western movies and tv shows back then. And one custom that seems extremely antiquated now: my brother and I always got cap guns around the middle of summer. But while Marty sang of Billy the Kid and El Paso, Clavin focuses more on the outlaws who used the hideouts Robbers Roost, Brown's Hole, and Hole in the Wall, which are mostly in the Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado area. They rustled horses and cattle, robbed banks and trains, and sometimes even reformed. Central to the telling of this story is Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (and I'll admit to never having seen the Redford movie) and the end of the Old West.
My feelings are kind of all over the place with this book. It started out really good but by the middle I was really struggling to keep going. What made it difficult for me was that there are a LOT of stories here - mostly outlaws but some lawmen, too - and some characters only show up for a couple of paragraphs before moving on. I struggled for a while trying to remember and keep people straight (even after some of them disappear once, they tend to show up again and I couldn't remember why they were significant) until I gave up and just tried to enjoy the stories. And it's an interesting history for the most part, if you're just reading it for fun. Clavin really seems to know his stuff, but it was a bit too breezy and unfocused for me. So for me it's a 3.5 star book (on GR, 3 stars is 'liked it' while 4 is 'really liked it'). And thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
My feelings are kind of all over the place with this book. It started out really good but by the middle I was really struggling to keep going. What made it difficult for me was that there are a LOT of stories here - mostly outlaws but some lawmen, too - and some characters only show up for a couple of paragraphs before moving on. I struggled for a while trying to remember and keep people straight (even after some of them disappear once, they tend to show up again and I couldn't remember why they were significant) until I gave up and just tried to enjoy the stories. And it's an interesting history for the most part, if you're just reading it for fun. Clavin really seems to know his stuff, but it was a bit too breezy and unfocused for me. So for me it's a 3.5 star book (on GR, 3 stars is 'liked it' while 4 is 'really liked it'). And thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 18, 2024
Whoosh, what a book!! Tom Clavin has become my new favorite author and has created an interest in the "wild, wild, west" that I 1. didn't know I wanted, and 2. never expected to totally love [I am currently adding ALLLLLLL his books to my groaning TBR]. I have never loved "westerns", so I never thought that I would love "western books"... I was oh so wrong.
This book mostly focuses on Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid, and all that ran with them, the places they hid at, their crimes, misdemeanors, and shenanigans, and how they escaped the law until they didn't.
Expertly researched and brilliantly written [ I was never, ever bored, though I was often shaking my head in disbelief at what was happening on the page], this was a spectacular read that I highly recommend, especially if you have any kind of interest in the wild west and all who ran it.
Ahhh, Johnny Heller. One of my absolute favorite narrators; he once again does a superb job here. He brings the men [and women] to life and tells the story in such a way you just don't want to quit listening. Once again sir, very well done.
I was invited to read/review this by St. Martin's Press and I thank them, Tom Clavin, Johnny Heller - Narrator, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.
This book mostly focuses on Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid, and all that ran with them, the places they hid at, their crimes, misdemeanors, and shenanigans, and how they escaped the law until they didn't.
Expertly researched and brilliantly written [ I was never, ever bored, though I was often shaking my head in disbelief at what was happening on the page], this was a spectacular read that I highly recommend, especially if you have any kind of interest in the wild west and all who ran it.
Ahhh, Johnny Heller. One of my absolute favorite narrators; he once again does a superb job here. He brings the men [and women] to life and tells the story in such a way you just don't want to quit listening. Once again sir, very well done.
I was invited to read/review this by St. Martin's Press and I thank them, Tom Clavin, Johnny Heller - Narrator, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.
February 17, 2025
"Bandit Heaven" by Tom Clavin is an exciting and educational 5-star read! The book delves into the lives of bandits and outlaws who carried out nefarious activities in Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado during the late nineteenth century. The central figures are Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, along with the rest of the Wild Bunch. Readers also get a vivid look at the American West as they follow lawmen, assassins, and posses in pursuit of these criminals.
Clavin's meticulous research is evident throughout, making these stories both engaging and historically rich. While the narrative does jump around at times, and the sheer number of characters can be overwhelming, they ultimately connect, as these outlaws seemed to constantly cross each other's paths. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more of Tom Clavin’s tales of the Wild West, specifically Wil Bill and Tombstone.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Tom Clavin, and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review.
Clavin's meticulous research is evident throughout, making these stories both engaging and historically rich. While the narrative does jump around at times, and the sheer number of characters can be overwhelming, they ultimately connect, as these outlaws seemed to constantly cross each other's paths. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more of Tom Clavin’s tales of the Wild West, specifically Wil Bill and Tombstone.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Tom Clavin, and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review.
December 31, 2024
The latest Tom Clavin book on the history of the old west. This one centers on the infamous Hole-in-the-Wall or Robbers Roost. A notorious hide-out for outlaws. Those included; Blackjack Ketchum, Kid Curry, and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Other names like Tom Horn, Isom Dart, Johnny Surango, Jim Courtright, and Luke Short are part of the story. Another good Clavin book.
August 10, 2025
I’ve read several books by Tom Clavin and his frequent collaborator Bob Drury and have enjoyed them all. Each book is a non-fiction work that drills down on specific people or events in U.S. history. What I like most about all these books is how they add context to the events described. The best example of this can be found in their biography of Daniel Boone. I’d read several books about him in my youth and, while I enjoyed his many adventures and run-ins with Indians, it wasn’t until I read Blood and Treasure: Daniel Boone and the Fight for America's First Frontier, that I realized that almost everything he did was closely linked to the American War of Independence.
Clavin’s ability to focus on the ‘why’ of historical events features heavily in this book as well. While its title suggests that it is largely about Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, that is not entirely the case. Bandit Heaven covers the history of thievery in the western states, tying the bank and train robberies to the rise in cattle rustling, which he linked to the wars between the large free-range cattle operations and the smaller ranches struggling to survive in the ever-changing West. As most cowboys of the day were an itinerant bunch, it is not likely that many would have taken to less than honest pursuits to survive in the harsh environment.
The title refers to three key hideouts that many bandit gangs used as their their bases of operations. These hideouts, chosen for their strategic locations and easily defensible terrain, are Brown’s Hole, or Brown’s Park, in northwestern Colorado, Robbers Roost in southeastern Utah, and the most famous one, the Hole-in-the-Wall, in central Wyoming. That latter hideout was only one of the three hideouts that Cassidy’s crew used but dime novelists, newspaper editors and the Pinkerton National Detective Agency all conspired to hang the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang moniker on them. Per Clavin, “It did have more of a ring to it than Brown’s Park Bandits or Robbers Roost Ruffians.”I personally think that if they had named them “the Boys from Brown’s Hole”, the bandits would have retired and gone straight from the sheer embarrassment of the name.
While I do enjoy Clavin’s insights and he spin he puts into historical events, I think that he may have drawn a bit to heavily on a single source, namely The Outlaw Trail: A History of Butch Cassidy and His Wild Bunch, by Charles Kelly. Granted, this impression lessened somewhat as the book progressed, but parts still seemed to be a retelling of someone else’s story.
In addition, it struck me odd that a book whose title mentions the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang should largely leave off any mention of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid once they left the United States for South America. My brother once met Lula Parker Betenson, Cassidy’s youngest sister, who has said that her brother was not killed in Bolivia, but eventually returned to the United States and visited the family before moving up to the Northwest where he lived until 1937. I was looking forward to reading Clavin’s take on the stories about his survival.
All-in-all, it was an interesting assessment of an interesting time in U.S. history, which is something Clavin excels at. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the subject.
* Quotations are cited from an advanced reading copy and may not be the same as appears in the final published edition. The review was based on an advanced reading copy obtained at no cost from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.
FYI: On a 5-point scale I assign stars based on my assessment of what the book needs in the way of improvements:
*5 Stars – Nothing at all. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
*4 Stars – It could stand for a few tweaks here and there but it’s pretty good as it is.
*3 Stars – A solid C grade. Some serious rewriting would be needed in order for this book to be considered great or memorable.
*2 Stars – This book needs a lot of work. A good start would be to change the plot, the character development, the writing style and the ending.
*1 Star – The only thing that would improve this book is a good bonfire.
Clavin’s ability to focus on the ‘why’ of historical events features heavily in this book as well. While its title suggests that it is largely about Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, that is not entirely the case. Bandit Heaven covers the history of thievery in the western states, tying the bank and train robberies to the rise in cattle rustling, which he linked to the wars between the large free-range cattle operations and the smaller ranches struggling to survive in the ever-changing West. As most cowboys of the day were an itinerant bunch, it is not likely that many would have taken to less than honest pursuits to survive in the harsh environment.
The title refers to three key hideouts that many bandit gangs used as their their bases of operations. These hideouts, chosen for their strategic locations and easily defensible terrain, are Brown’s Hole, or Brown’s Park, in northwestern Colorado, Robbers Roost in southeastern Utah, and the most famous one, the Hole-in-the-Wall, in central Wyoming. That latter hideout was only one of the three hideouts that Cassidy’s crew used but dime novelists, newspaper editors and the Pinkerton National Detective Agency all conspired to hang the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang moniker on them. Per Clavin, “It did have more of a ring to it than Brown’s Park Bandits or Robbers Roost Ruffians.”I personally think that if they had named them “the Boys from Brown’s Hole”, the bandits would have retired and gone straight from the sheer embarrassment of the name.
While I do enjoy Clavin’s insights and he spin he puts into historical events, I think that he may have drawn a bit to heavily on a single source, namely The Outlaw Trail: A History of Butch Cassidy and His Wild Bunch, by Charles Kelly. Granted, this impression lessened somewhat as the book progressed, but parts still seemed to be a retelling of someone else’s story.
In addition, it struck me odd that a book whose title mentions the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang should largely leave off any mention of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid once they left the United States for South America. My brother once met Lula Parker Betenson, Cassidy’s youngest sister, who has said that her brother was not killed in Bolivia, but eventually returned to the United States and visited the family before moving up to the Northwest where he lived until 1937. I was looking forward to reading Clavin’s take on the stories about his survival.
All-in-all, it was an interesting assessment of an interesting time in U.S. history, which is something Clavin excels at. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the subject.
* Quotations are cited from an advanced reading copy and may not be the same as appears in the final published edition. The review was based on an advanced reading copy obtained at no cost from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.
FYI: On a 5-point scale I assign stars based on my assessment of what the book needs in the way of improvements:
*5 Stars – Nothing at all. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
*4 Stars – It could stand for a few tweaks here and there but it’s pretty good as it is.
*3 Stars – A solid C grade. Some serious rewriting would be needed in order for this book to be considered great or memorable.
*2 Stars – This book needs a lot of work. A good start would be to change the plot, the character development, the writing style and the ending.
*1 Star – The only thing that would improve this book is a good bonfire.
August 7, 2025
I liked this book and learned quite a bit about these outlaws that I never knew before. While Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid are perhaps the best known, the lesser known outlaws had interesting and colorful lives as well.
Did Butch and Sundance die and were buried in South America? That question remains unanswered at the end of the book. How many names did these outlaws have? Most of them had at least two. Butch Cassidy, for example, had at least 3 which was not unusual for many.
It was interesting to view the end of an era in our history as the outlaw way of life was coming to an end and these outlaws struggled to keep it going because they knew no other way.
Sometimes it was a little hard to follow with so many different storylines and characters, but the author would eventually bring it all together.
All in all an enjoyable and learning reading experience.
Did Butch and Sundance die and were buried in South America? That question remains unanswered at the end of the book. How many names did these outlaws have? Most of them had at least two. Butch Cassidy, for example, had at least 3 which was not unusual for many.
It was interesting to view the end of an era in our history as the outlaw way of life was coming to an end and these outlaws struggled to keep it going because they knew no other way.
Sometimes it was a little hard to follow with so many different storylines and characters, but the author would eventually bring it all together.
All in all an enjoyable and learning reading experience.
October 19, 2025
As always, well researched with a lot of tangential stories regarding relevant figures central to the hole in the wall gang.
June 13, 2025
I had expected this to be a silly little book, but I was shown wrong when it opened with a thoughtful analysis of the social and economic mediators of “crime,” how crime is created and defined fitting in with the overall structure of society. To explain – cattle rustling wouldn’t make sense in 2025 Manhattan and likewise it didn’t make any sense in early Western settlement. The crime then was horse thieving. It moved on to cattle rustling, train robbing, etc. as the West’s economic and social evolution created the slots these crimes fit into.
Because they were part of society, criminality intersected with “normal” crimes and non-criminal economic and social enterprises and structures. The mythology of the West tends to present them as people who suddenly appeared into criminality and had no connections to the rest of their society. Of course this isn’t true, they were intimately connected into the economic and social web.
Where I left off it was just moving into the era of the more modern lawman, continuing this point that the structure of crime was/is part of the structure of society. The book was still very interesting, but the window in my life where it was what I wanted to be reading had closed and it was time to move on.
Note- Some errors are noted in other reviews. I think they may have been fixed in the edition I was reading, or it’s possible a location was mentioned more than once and the error is later in the book. They seem like the kind of errors someone extremely familiar with the stories and telling them from memory would make. While we would hope for better proof reading in a published work, I don’t think they impugn the general facts or observations of the book.
Because they were part of society, criminality intersected with “normal” crimes and non-criminal economic and social enterprises and structures. The mythology of the West tends to present them as people who suddenly appeared into criminality and had no connections to the rest of their society. Of course this isn’t true, they were intimately connected into the economic and social web.
Where I left off it was just moving into the era of the more modern lawman, continuing this point that the structure of crime was/is part of the structure of society. The book was still very interesting, but the window in my life where it was what I wanted to be reading had closed and it was time to move on.
Note- Some errors are noted in other reviews. I think they may have been fixed in the edition I was reading, or it’s possible a location was mentioned more than once and the error is later in the book. They seem like the kind of errors someone extremely familiar with the stories and telling them from memory would make. While we would hope for better proof reading in a published work, I don’t think they impugn the general facts or observations of the book.
November 10, 2024
I love Clavin's books. I started listening to them on CDs years ago. I had grown up watching movies and series about the Wild West and reading books about them too. I wanted something for long trips. Clavin has an easy almost conversational style to writing. If you want something factual and pleasant his style is perfect.
This book is about the bandits and outlaws in the Rocky Mountains of the United States from 1860 to 1905. As one would suspect, it focuses heavily on Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and their gang known as The Wild Bunch. Approximately 30% of the book discusses their exploits. The rest of the book deals with the rise and demise of other outlaws and lawmen in the Rockies. Thee exploits of Charlie Siringo and Tom Horn are discussed in detail. Lesser-known figures such as Cattle Kate and Isom Dart are also discussed as are some of the outlaw women. The dynamics between the small ranchers and farmers and the mega-ranchers are also described.
As a well-versed reader I found little really new information that I had not read previously about the major players. The big thing about this book is that it shows the interrelationships between all of the various players, both good and bad. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in Western US History.
This book is about the bandits and outlaws in the Rocky Mountains of the United States from 1860 to 1905. As one would suspect, it focuses heavily on Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and their gang known as The Wild Bunch. Approximately 30% of the book discusses their exploits. The rest of the book deals with the rise and demise of other outlaws and lawmen in the Rockies. Thee exploits of Charlie Siringo and Tom Horn are discussed in detail. Lesser-known figures such as Cattle Kate and Isom Dart are also discussed as are some of the outlaw women. The dynamics between the small ranchers and farmers and the mega-ranchers are also described.
As a well-versed reader I found little really new information that I had not read previously about the major players. The big thing about this book is that it shows the interrelationships between all of the various players, both good and bad. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in Western US History.
October 26, 2024
Bandit Heaven, the hole in the wall gangs in the final chapter of the Wild West by Tom Clavin, the book is mainly about Cassidy and the Sundance kid but in the beginning we also get to hear about George “ Big nose” parrot. Although and experienced outlaw he is also known for his death in the strange uses of his body parts after it. I didn’t know in all the westerns I read when they talk about the hole in the wall or an outlaw safety spot that one really existed and leave it to the author someone who I would love to spend time with just so I could pick his brains about the Wild West anything negative I have to say about the book would be minimal in of no comparison to the greatness that’s inside of it. Tom Klavan has a way of writing a nonfiction story that has the reader Justice wrapped up in it as if it were a great western. If you ever wondered where sidewinders, gunslingers in outlaws took a break from being chased and Huntedd down then you definitely need to read this book about the hole in the wall. What I found most interesting is that it wasn’t just outlaws who lived there. #NetGalley, #SaintMartinsPress, #TomKlavon,#BanditHeaven,
November 21, 2024
Bandit Heaven: The Hole-In-the-Wall Gangs and the Final Chapter of the Wild West by Tom Clavin is a non-fiction book about the outlaws who frequented the "Outlaw Trail," a series of passes that connected three hideouts in Wyoming and Utah. Clavin goes into the most detail about Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and their various gang members and the lawmen and Pinkerton agents who were after them in the 1890s- early 1900s.
There were a lot of people mentioned in this book and sometimes it was a little hard to follow, but overall I enjoyed this book. I'd never read anything about Butch Cassidy or the Sundance Kid before, so that was interesting. I never knew that no one really knew what happened to the pair in that final chapter in Argentina… I think I believe the theory that they faked their own death and returned to the United States.
Tom Clavin packs a lot into this book and has clearly spent a lot of time researching the Wild West.
There were a lot of people mentioned in this book and sometimes it was a little hard to follow, but overall I enjoyed this book. I'd never read anything about Butch Cassidy or the Sundance Kid before, so that was interesting. I never knew that no one really knew what happened to the pair in that final chapter in Argentina… I think I believe the theory that they faked their own death and returned to the United States.
Tom Clavin packs a lot into this book and has clearly spent a lot of time researching the Wild West.
December 5, 2025
This book reads more like a scientific work on a topic of Wild West with a dense historical evidence of people who appear to interact with main characters one way or another.
It was really difficult to read. Book can be split into 4 parts (no spoilers):
- General history and information about Wild West and regions where it happened
- Stories about different people who lived there and either did some crimes or fought them
- Tons of irrelevant water about names and characters that disappear after a few pages
- Finally something interesting, good character description and breathtaking stories
Positive feedback:
- Interesting topic that opens WW from a rare and less common viewpoint
- A lot of evidence and information on events
- I really liked the main characters (Wild Bunch gang) storyline from end to end
Negative feedback:
- Too many names, dates, facts. I felt like a high schooler who had to prepare for history exam overnight rather than cozy Wild West reading
- Main characters felt blurred and sparse because of too many other details and characters details that felt absolutely unnecessary.
I was really deciding between 2 and 3 stars. Ended up with 3 because last part of the book was really good and made the final feelings better.
It was my first book of Tom Calvin, maybe there are better books, but this one can be cut in half and maybe it will be better.
It was really difficult to read. Book can be split into 4 parts (no spoilers):
- General history and information about Wild West and regions where it happened
- Stories about different people who lived there and either did some crimes or fought them
- Tons of irrelevant water about names and characters that disappear after a few pages
- Finally something interesting, good character description and breathtaking stories
Positive feedback:
- Interesting topic that opens WW from a rare and less common viewpoint
- A lot of evidence and information on events
- I really liked the main characters (Wild Bunch gang) storyline from end to end
Negative feedback:
- Too many names, dates, facts. I felt like a high schooler who had to prepare for history exam overnight rather than cozy Wild West reading
- Main characters felt blurred and sparse because of too many other details and characters details that felt absolutely unnecessary.
I was really deciding between 2 and 3 stars. Ended up with 3 because last part of the book was really good and made the final feelings better.
It was my first book of Tom Calvin, maybe there are better books, but this one can be cut in half and maybe it will be better.
August 4, 2024
This book is about the various versions of the Hole In The Wall Gangs, others who used the hideout and the lawmen who pursued them. The primary focus off and on throughout the book is on Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid as they are the most recognizable names thanks to the movie of the same name. As with the author’s other books, this is an interesting read for those who are interested in the history of the american west.
I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog.
I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog.
November 13, 2024
A deep dive down the hole of desperadoes and people who skirted around the edge of the law in the late 19th early 20th centuries.
Clavin delivers an impartial assessment of each character.
It’s an informative read about people and place and experiences that are oft romanticized and glossed over in books and movies.
They lived rough lives while some thrived others tended to wait on luck to carry them through.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the early copy.
Clavin delivers an impartial assessment of each character.
It’s an informative read about people and place and experiences that are oft romanticized and glossed over in books and movies.
They lived rough lives while some thrived others tended to wait on luck to carry them through.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the early copy.
November 23, 2024
This book was full of captivating stories about the Wild West. We romanticize the Wild West but these stories prove it was a lot more complex than most of us think. The narration brought the stories to life. Would definitely recommend
January 13, 2025
A rootin tootin good bookin. 2/5 spice
March 29, 2025
3.5 stars — too much of a telling rather than narrative for me.
July 20, 2025
Interesting old west history but the writing is recursive and filled with tangents so it’s sometimes hard to place what’s happening temporally
November 9, 2024
I am so glad I listened to the audiobook version of this book. The narrator has a very rustic voice absolutely perfect for this story. I don't think I would've enjoyed the book as much if I didn't listen to it.
I learned a lot about the Wild West and its bandits. Sometimes the narrative went off on tangents which made the story hard to follow. I'd definitely recommend it if you're a fan of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid!
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC!
I learned a lot about the Wild West and its bandits. Sometimes the narrative went off on tangents which made the story hard to follow. I'd definitely recommend it if you're a fan of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid!
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC!
September 16, 2024
Full disclosure - I'm reviewing an Advance Reader's Copy that I received for free.
This is my first Tom Clavin book, and I enjoyed discovering this prolific author. Clavin's books (25 or so) appear to focus on popular American folklore/history, primarily baseball, American military history, and the Wild West. With "Bandit Heaven," Clavin tells the story of popular American bandits (think Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, along with sidekicks and others who wished they were Butch and Sundance) and the lawmen who tried to bring them to justice. While prolific in the immediate post-Civil War era, the gradual shrinking of the American Frontier, both through additional Americans moving West and the arrival of telephone/telegraph technology, doomed the bandits and their wild way of life.
Clavin writes with an easy, breezy style, and I think he would either be the most popular history professor on any campus where he decided to lecture (sadly for students, Clavin is more of a journalist by training than an academic) or dude hanging out at the end of the bar, telling stories. He uses footnotes to provide additional colorful details rather than to point to academic sources, and his history is far from the tedious, dry slog that too often confronts fans of history like me.
This breezy style may come with a price, however. Again, I recognize that I am reading an advance reader's copy that may be refined before final publication, but Clavin made a few remarkable errors here. The worst offender may be in reference to the classic Western film, "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid." In referring to that movie's most iconic scene, Clavin writes that Butch and Sundance jump off a cliff *into a lake.* Anyone who has seen the movie knows that Butch and Sundance jumped into a fast-moving river to escape a murderous posse. Not only would jumping into a lake be safer, it would also be the stupidest way to escape a posse . . . because you'd be stuck in a lake. In the movie, Butch and Sundance are swept away by the river to safety.
A mistake in a book can be forgiven - even the most well-researched book will contain errors. But this was such a blatant goof with such an iconic movie scene, it's borderline unforgiveable, and it undermines the reader's confidence in the rest of Clavin's writing.
Still, I recommend the book as a fun read - perhaps best as "history for folks who don't like history."
This is my first Tom Clavin book, and I enjoyed discovering this prolific author. Clavin's books (25 or so) appear to focus on popular American folklore/history, primarily baseball, American military history, and the Wild West. With "Bandit Heaven," Clavin tells the story of popular American bandits (think Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, along with sidekicks and others who wished they were Butch and Sundance) and the lawmen who tried to bring them to justice. While prolific in the immediate post-Civil War era, the gradual shrinking of the American Frontier, both through additional Americans moving West and the arrival of telephone/telegraph technology, doomed the bandits and their wild way of life.
Clavin writes with an easy, breezy style, and I think he would either be the most popular history professor on any campus where he decided to lecture (sadly for students, Clavin is more of a journalist by training than an academic) or dude hanging out at the end of the bar, telling stories. He uses footnotes to provide additional colorful details rather than to point to academic sources, and his history is far from the tedious, dry slog that too often confronts fans of history like me.
This breezy style may come with a price, however. Again, I recognize that I am reading an advance reader's copy that may be refined before final publication, but Clavin made a few remarkable errors here. The worst offender may be in reference to the classic Western film, "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid." In referring to that movie's most iconic scene, Clavin writes that Butch and Sundance jump off a cliff *into a lake.* Anyone who has seen the movie knows that Butch and Sundance jumped into a fast-moving river to escape a murderous posse. Not only would jumping into a lake be safer, it would also be the stupidest way to escape a posse . . . because you'd be stuck in a lake. In the movie, Butch and Sundance are swept away by the river to safety.
A mistake in a book can be forgiven - even the most well-researched book will contain errors. But this was such a blatant goof with such an iconic movie scene, it's borderline unforgiveable, and it undermines the reader's confidence in the rest of Clavin's writing.
Still, I recommend the book as a fun read - perhaps best as "history for folks who don't like history."
June 12, 2025
This book described the characters and their locations in great detail. If you’ve been to the areas in the west, you felt like you were there. I didn’t realize there were quite a few bandits/ robbers back then. Seemed like everyone knew how to work with cattle, so most didn’t rob ALL the time.
April 15, 2025
It was okay. A fast read. I learned quite a bit about a period of time in American history I knew less about than I realized, so that was cool. He focused a LOT on Butch Cassidy and his gang, which I was not expecting.
I think one of the weakest parts of the book is how the author "jumps back and forth", or maybe jumps around. He'll mention something or someone, then jump ahead to tell about that person or event, and then return to his prior narrative. The book is probably linear, but the narrative in each chapter is not linear. So while it's interesting to read each chapter, each chapter kinda felt like it was written in a "stream of consciousness" style instead of going back and touching it up a bit to make it more cohesive.
The other "thing" I would say is "the weakest" is when he references Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid jumping into a lake to escape their pursuers in the 1969 movie; they jumped into a river. I don't know how "major or minor" that mistake is, but if that wasn't caught and corrected, it does make me wonder how many other mistakes might be in the book, too.
In any case, it was a relatively fast read. It held my attention from start to finish. It moved at a decent pace. Overall, I enjoyed reading it, but the choppiness of the chapters and the question over "historical accuracy" keeps it at two stars for me (maybe 2.5 rounded down).
I think one of the weakest parts of the book is how the author "jumps back and forth", or maybe jumps around. He'll mention something or someone, then jump ahead to tell about that person or event, and then return to his prior narrative. The book is probably linear, but the narrative in each chapter is not linear. So while it's interesting to read each chapter, each chapter kinda felt like it was written in a "stream of consciousness" style instead of going back and touching it up a bit to make it more cohesive.
The other "thing" I would say is "the weakest" is when he references Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid jumping into a lake to escape their pursuers in the 1969 movie; they jumped into a river. I don't know how "major or minor" that mistake is, but if that wasn't caught and corrected, it does make me wonder how many other mistakes might be in the book, too.
In any case, it was a relatively fast read. It held my attention from start to finish. It moved at a decent pace. Overall, I enjoyed reading it, but the choppiness of the chapters and the question over "historical accuracy" keeps it at two stars for me (maybe 2.5 rounded down).
June 28, 2025
In Tom Clavin’s, Bandit Heaven: The Hole in the Wall Gangs and the Final Chapter of the American West, the author chronicles the twilight of the American frontier, and the outlaws who ran from the long arm of the law. Clavin describes the unruly behavior of these bandits and the hideouts for which they would run to escape capture. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, “Black Jack” Ketchum, and Kid Curry among others, found shelter in the desolate parts of Wyoming and Utah after plundering the law-abiding citizens in towns far and near. Most of these colorful criminals met an untimely end, but the tales of their exploits still live on in the pages of history.
Bandit Heaven is a readable account of one of the most fascinating times in American History. It is far from an academic or dry tome. Clavin is a great storyteller and makes these characters come alive. Bandit Heaven is well-written and well-researched. It is a page-turning delight with a fast-paced narrative. I have read a lot of Tom Clavin’s work, and Bandit Heaven is one of my favorites. I highly recommend it.
Bandit Heaven is a readable account of one of the most fascinating times in American History. It is far from an academic or dry tome. Clavin is a great storyteller and makes these characters come alive. Bandit Heaven is well-written and well-researched. It is a page-turning delight with a fast-paced narrative. I have read a lot of Tom Clavin’s work, and Bandit Heaven is one of my favorites. I highly recommend it.
October 21, 2024
One always imagines Tom Clavin whiling away the hours in libraries and historical societies, finding great pleasure in loading up on obscure tidbits about famous (and not-so-famous) people in the Old West. His joy in unloading all this stuff is easy to see. What it doesn't do is help create a coherent narrative. The author jumps from one thing to the next and makes constant diversions that often cause you to lose track of the story. This is more entertaining than some of his recent works, but it won't make you turn your back on Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
May 29, 2025
Interesting read about the end of the outlaws of the American West & what really happened to Butch & Sundance
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