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Caustic October: A Christian Western Historical Mystery Novel
From bestselling author Ken Pratt comes a thrilling new chapter in the
Jessup County Chronicles
, set in a world where past and present collide.
It’s 1932, and journalist Alex Wentworth is eager to unearth the forgotten stories of Matt Bannister’s legendary past. While seeking to revisit the Hollister Sheep Shooter’s War, Alex instead discovers a chilling account that picks up where the war’s tragedy left off—a tale hidden since the Branson Gazette went up in flames.
Months after surviving a brutal assault, fifteen-year-old Laura Whitehead is trapped in a nightmare. Forbidden from seeing her beloved Jake Thomas, and reeling from the revelation that she’s pregnant by one of her attackers, Laura faces her father’s desperate attempts to end the pregnancy at any cost. But the shadows deepen when Jesse Helms, one of the men responsible, learns of the child and plots to claim it for his own.
With the help of his embittered aunt, Mattie Sperry, Jesse devises a sinister kidnap Laura and force her into captivity, raising the child as his own. For Mattie, it’s a chance to rebuild her shattered life. For Laura, it’s a descent into horror.
As Laura vanishes, U.S. Marshal Matt Bannister and his deputies, Morton Sperry and Truet Davis, are thrust into a desperate search. With no leads, no motive, and a ruthless gang covering its tracks, Matt faces his toughest challenge yet. Can he unravel the twisted conspiracy before Laura’s fate is sealed?
Packed with unrelenting tension and unforgettable characters, Caustic October delivers a powerful story of survival and the pursuit of justice. Experience this must-read installment—order your copy today!
It’s 1932, and journalist Alex Wentworth is eager to unearth the forgotten stories of Matt Bannister’s legendary past. While seeking to revisit the Hollister Sheep Shooter’s War, Alex instead discovers a chilling account that picks up where the war’s tragedy left off—a tale hidden since the Branson Gazette went up in flames.
Months after surviving a brutal assault, fifteen-year-old Laura Whitehead is trapped in a nightmare. Forbidden from seeing her beloved Jake Thomas, and reeling from the revelation that she’s pregnant by one of her attackers, Laura faces her father’s desperate attempts to end the pregnancy at any cost. But the shadows deepen when Jesse Helms, one of the men responsible, learns of the child and plots to claim it for his own.
With the help of his embittered aunt, Mattie Sperry, Jesse devises a sinister kidnap Laura and force her into captivity, raising the child as his own. For Mattie, it’s a chance to rebuild her shattered life. For Laura, it’s a descent into horror.
As Laura vanishes, U.S. Marshal Matt Bannister and his deputies, Morton Sperry and Truet Davis, are thrust into a desperate search. With no leads, no motive, and a ruthless gang covering its tracks, Matt faces his toughest challenge yet. Can he unravel the twisted conspiracy before Laura’s fate is sealed?
Packed with unrelenting tension and unforgettable characters, Caustic October delivers a powerful story of survival and the pursuit of justice. Experience this must-read installment—order your copy today!
338 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 4, 2025
46 people are currently reading
3 people want to read
About the author
Ken Pratt
36 books21 followersKen Pratt worked to make a living, but his passion has always been writing. Having a busy family, the only "free" time he had to write was late at night getting no more than five hours of sleep a night. He has penned several novels that are being published along with several children stories as well. Ken Pratt says, "If you want something bad enough, you'll sacrifice something else to get it. I sacrifice sleep. I do not write to be a best seller or for wealth, I write to bring hope into the lives of the hopeless and encourage the disheartened through the lives of the characters and God's providence in my stories. There is always 'Hope' and that is the purpose of my books."
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 5, 2025
Dive into another captivating tale from Matt Bannister's past. Get ready for an exceptional read!
"Caustic October: A Christian Western Historical Mystery Novel" by Ken Pratt is a gripping addition to the Jessup County Chronicles. Set in 1932, the story follows journalist Alex Wentworth as he delves into the forgotten tales of Matt Bannister's past. While investigating the Hollister Sheep Shooter's War, Alex uncovers a chilling account that picks up where the war's tragedy left off. The narrative centers on fifteen-year-old Laura Whitehead, who is trapped in a nightmare after surviving a brutal assault. Forbidden from seeing her beloved Jake Thomas and discovering she's pregnant by one of her attackers, Laura faces her father's desperate attempts to end the pregnancy. The situation worsens when Jesse Helms, one of the attackers, learns of the child and plots to claim it for himself.
Jesse, with the help of his embittered aunt Mattie Sperry, devises a sinister plan to kidnap Laura and raise the child as his own. As Laura vanishes, U.S. Marshal Matt Bannister and his deputies are thrust into a desperate search. With no leads and a ruthless gang covering its tracks, Matt faces his toughest challenge yet. "Caustic October" is packed with unrelenting tension and unforgettable characters. It delivers a powerful story of survival and the pursuit of justice, making it a must-read installment in the series. Saddle up and grab your copy today to join this mesmerizing tale!
• ASIN: B0DS4DHF7K
• Publisher: CKN Christian Publishing
• Publication Date: 2/4/2025
• File Size: 4216 KB
• Print Length: 310 pages
• Genre - Christian Historical Fiction - Christian Westerns
"Caustic October: A Christian Western Historical Mystery Novel" by Ken Pratt is a gripping addition to the Jessup County Chronicles. Set in 1932, the story follows journalist Alex Wentworth as he delves into the forgotten tales of Matt Bannister's past. While investigating the Hollister Sheep Shooter's War, Alex uncovers a chilling account that picks up where the war's tragedy left off. The narrative centers on fifteen-year-old Laura Whitehead, who is trapped in a nightmare after surviving a brutal assault. Forbidden from seeing her beloved Jake Thomas and discovering she's pregnant by one of her attackers, Laura faces her father's desperate attempts to end the pregnancy. The situation worsens when Jesse Helms, one of the attackers, learns of the child and plots to claim it for himself.
Jesse, with the help of his embittered aunt Mattie Sperry, devises a sinister plan to kidnap Laura and raise the child as his own. As Laura vanishes, U.S. Marshal Matt Bannister and his deputies are thrust into a desperate search. With no leads and a ruthless gang covering its tracks, Matt faces his toughest challenge yet. "Caustic October" is packed with unrelenting tension and unforgettable characters. It delivers a powerful story of survival and the pursuit of justice, making it a must-read installment in the series. Saddle up and grab your copy today to join this mesmerizing tale!
• ASIN: B0DS4DHF7K
• Publisher: CKN Christian Publishing
• Publication Date: 2/4/2025
• File Size: 4216 KB
• Print Length: 310 pages
• Genre - Christian Historical Fiction - Christian Westerns
February 5, 2025
Great story
One of my favorite authors, goog c!ean western novels with great story lines and not full of profanity or sexual provoclivities. I believe that I have read all of his books and I look forward to more from Matt Banister soon. God bless you and your family Ken.
One of my favorite authors, goog c!ean western novels with great story lines and not full of profanity or sexual provoclivities. I believe that I have read all of his books and I look forward to more from Matt Banister soon. God bless you and your family Ken.
September 18, 2025
What a fantastic way to continue the Matt Bannister legacy!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews