Boomtown: The True Story of the Wickedest Town in Texas

by Joe Pappalardo

The true story of the corrupt and violent town of Borger, Texas in 1927―and the legendary Texas Ranger tasked with taming it.

Just a year after the town of Borger, Texas was founded, the press already called it “the wickedest in the state." The town, sprung into existence overnight to support new oilfields, was a lawless haven for bootleggers, pimps and gamblers, run by a crooked city hall and corrupt police. The town also became a haven for those seeking second chances, including dance hall operators, storeowners, wrestlers, lawyers and freelance oil well firefighters.

But the raucous environment attracted some of the most unsavory characters in prohibition America, including a gang of murderous bank robbers who head into Borger to spend their money on booze, gambling and prostitutes. In the span of weeks, the robbers killed three law enforcement officers, bringing the worst heat iconic Texas Ranger Captain Frank Hamer, just a few years before his takedown of Bonnie and Clyde. His arrival threatens to break the hardest boomtown in America―if it doesn't kill him first.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, True Crime, American History, Westerns, Biography, Crime

336 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 21, 2026

About the author

JOE PAPPALARDO is the author of the critically acclaimed books Inferno: The True Story of a B 17 Gunner’s Heroism and the Bloodiest Military Campaign in Aviation History, Sunflowers: The Secret History and Spaceport Earth: The Reinvention of Spaceflight . Pappalardo is a freelance journalist and former associate editor of Air & Space Smithsonian magazine, a writing contributor to National Geographic magazine, a contributor to Texas Monthly, and a former senior editor and current contributor to Popular Mechanics. He has appeared on C-Span, CNN, Fox News and television shows on the Science Channel and the History Channel.

Reviews

[Ten Cats Reading]

DNF @ p40

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the arc!📚

I requested this book from NetGalley because I was very curious about Granger, a modern boomtown, and how the idea relates to our knowledge of westward expansion and mining towns. Unfortunately this one isn't quite to my taste. The pace is hectic and the organization is, I believe, designed to mirror the town's social and financial mayhem. Each chapter is about a different person (so many!) but there is so much overlap, I think it would have appealed to me more if it had been structured like a narrative or a history. I think this book is a good choice for people who enjoy history, and who are not as sensitive as I am to the affects form has on a book.

[Cari Allen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am always a sucker for a good history book that explores an area that I am wholly unfamiliar with, so Boom Town seemed right up my alley as a Midwesterner who has only scant knowledge of Texas history outside of the Alamo.

While the author clearly did his research, I found that this book simply had way too many characters to keep track of. Names were tossed around like confetti and without any real true descriptions of each individual, I quickly lost track of who was whom. The lines between who the "good" guys were and the corrupt Borger officials seemed to blur constantly.

Although I appreciated the chronological order of events, I also felt this book would have been better served broken up into smaller bite size chapters that focused on a single event or group of people. The constant flip flopping between different robberies, shootings, and boxing matches made everything snowball into one big pile of VERY BAD THINGS HAPPENING without a lot of context.

Overall, an interesting read with a lot of information, but I feel like it needs better formatting for a more generalized audience. Also, I am not sure if the finished book (I read an eARC) will have pictures, but that would surely help identify some of the main players with a lack of descriptors in the text.

Thank you to NetGalley, Joe Pappalardo, and St. Martins Press for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Rachaelbookhunter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Boomtown is the story of a corrupt and violent town. Borger, Texas sprung to life overnight.
The year is 1927 and Borger quickly becomes "the wickedest in the state". Full of bank robbers, bootleggers, pimps, gamblers, and a crooked city hall Borger is the place for criminals thrive. That is until a legendary Texas Ranger arrives.

Boomtown is well researched. It's full of interesting details and delivers a story from history that many have never heard. The book is written in a way that focuses on the action as if you are there. However there are so many details and characters to focus on I feel it makes it harder to take everything in. It's an interesting way to tell the tale for sure. I just would have preferred a different format.

Thank you to the publisher for the chance to read!

[Sam Mansfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

The way it was written made it easy to read and keep my interest. I liked the character descriptions at the end of the book. Plenty of interesting characters.

[Star Gater · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you St Martin's Press for allowing me to read and review Boomtown, The True Story of the Wickedest Town in Texas by Joe Pappalardo on NetGalley.

Published: 04/21/26

Stars: 2.5

This book sounded really good reading the synopsis. I expected a fact based story. However I didn't expect so many people, so many situations, or the dryness of the book.

This is a book, but not a story.

Perhaps historians would benefit from the author's hard work.

[Alyson Stone · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book: Boomtown: The True Story of Wickest Town in Texas
Author: Joe Pappalardo
Rating: 2 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, for sending me an ARC. I’m not going to lie. This is was not the book that I thought I was going to be reading. The marketing of this book is very misleading. I could not get into this title. The topic matter didn’t interest me as much as I thought it would. It’s a very well researched book, but it ended up not being for me.

In 1927, the newly founded town of Borger emerged almost overnight to serve the booming oilfields of the Texas Panhandle. Within a year, it had earned a reputation as the most corrupt and dangerous town in the state. Bootleggers, gamblers, and pimps operated openly, protected by a dishonest city government that allowed crime to flourish. The lawless atmosphere drew hardened criminals from across the country, including a ruthless gang of bank robbers who came to Borger to spend their stolen money on alcohol, gambling, and prostitution. Over the course of several weeks, the gang murdered three law enforcement officers, pushing the crisis beyond local control. The escalating violence prompted the arrival of legendary Texas Ranger Captain Frank Hamer, who later became nationally known for leading the posse that tracked down Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. Hamer faced a town steeped in corruption and brutality, where restoring order would require confronting both powerful local interests and heavily armed criminals.
I’m not going to lie. This was not the book that I thought I was going to be reading. The marketing made it sound like a nonstop, action packed true crime story focused tightly on one explosive showdown. That is not what I felt like I got.
The book is clearly very well researched. There is a lot of detail about the time period, the town, and the people involved. You can tell the author put in the work. I can respect that. For readers who love deep historical dives and a broader look at the era, this might really work.
For me, though, I could not fully get into it. The topic did not end up being as interesting to me as I expected. I kept waiting to feel pulled in, but that connection never really happened. At times, everything did not feel fully connected. The narrative jumped around, and there were moments when the subject became difficult to follow. I found myself rereading sections to try to keep track of who was who and how everything tied together.
This is not a bad book. It just was not the right book for me. I went in with one set of expectations and got something different. Other readers may appreciate the depth and historical scope more than I did, but in the end, this one simply was not for me.

Overall, this was another miss for me.

This book comes out on April 21, 2026.

[Richard Derus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4* of five

The Publisher Says: The true story of the corrupt and violent town of Borger, Texas in 1927--and the legendary Texas Ranger tasked with taming it.

Texas, 1927.

Just a year after the town of Borger, Texas was founded, the press called it “the wickedest in the state" for good reason. The town, sprung into existence overnight to support the oilfields, had become a lawless haven for bootleggers, pimps and gamblers, run by a crooked city hall.

That environment attracts some of the most unsavory characters in prohibition America, including a gang of murderous bank robbers who head into Borger to spend their money on booze, gambling and prostitutes. In the span of weeks, the gang kills three law enforcement officers, bringing the worst heat legendary Texas Ranger Captain Frank Hamer, who led the 1934 posse that tracked down and killed criminals Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. His arrival threatens to break even this hardest boomtown in America—if it doesn't kill him first.

What follows is one of the most thrilling and violent untold stories from the era of gangsters, lawmen and vice. Author Joe Pappalardo brings to life a town previously lost in the haze of history.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.

My Review: Immersing myself into the chaotic cesspool of greed, interlocking scams, interdependent grifters and graft-grabbers, and general chancers that made up (apparently) the entire population of Borger, Texas, in its heyday was exhausting.

I get the impression it was pretty exhausting for the folks who were busily grabbing everything they wanted, as well as the OTHER folks trying to catch them in at least one explicitly illegal act, as well. I am completely convinced not one of them made old bones. Murdered or just worn out these were some intense alive people.

I wasn't so much involved in the read as I was sucked along in the story's slipstream, wondering who the hell this woman was or why that lawman's name rang a bell...turns out two chapters back he was doin' the nasty with another guy's wife...until nothing made a whole lot of linear sense.

Normally I'm a stickler for linear sense in a history story. This one, not so much. It's a social history for one thing. It's footnoted to a fare-thee-well for another. Y'all killjoys can do a timeline by following those, if it's that important to you. I got a far more interesting ride from sitting in my seat and letting Author Pappalardo direct my attention where he wanted me to look than I would've in a more traditionally structured narrative.

I can't think of a much more timely topic to read about than a bunch of greedy sociopaths in charge of an ugly little burg with too much money and too little to spend it on. It was as edifying in the 1920s as it is now (not at all, in other words) and as instructive: Do NOT let greedy people make their own rules. It does not end well for anyone, and only a few ever get the misery they've so richly earned.

[William Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Boomtown: The True Story of the Wickedest Town in Texas." by Joe Pappalardo will soon be published by St. Martin's Press. They have provided me with an ARC for my review. My first impression is that this is a fascinating look at crime and political corruption in the Oil Patch in Texas during the period of time generally known as the "Roaring Twenties." Those of you familiar with the period of Prohibition, during which alcohol was a target of massive government persecution, will be well aware of the widespread chaos and institutional trauma which marked public life during this period of time. If you have ever heard of Bonnie and Clyde or Eliot Ness and his "Untouchables," you already have a pretty good sense of the tone of the times. In "Boomtown," we see how the social trends initiated by the mass upheaval attendant upon Prohibition affected one particular region, the Oil Patch in Texas. The town at the center of the complex web of crime and political corruption was Borger, Texas, and it appears to be a pretty good example of how the stresses present in American society writ large, played out in one region of Texas. The cast of characters includes a number of Texas governors, an assortment of unsavory criminal types, ranging from murderers to gangsters and madams, and law agencies ranging from the Texas Rangers, most conspicuously represented by Ranger Frank Hamer, who would later rise to fame as one of the two lawmen who ambushed Bonnie and Clyde shortly after the events in the book occurred, and assorted sheriffs, deputies and patrolmen. Just looking at this mix, it is pretty obvious that the potential for monumental mayhem, which left no one looking particularly blameless, was always omnipresent. If you want a look at
this period of American history this is illuminating. What is more, there is no reason to believe that, given similar circumstances we might all experience something like this again. Certainly there is no shortage of political corruption in this country, and only the willfully blind would posit that
our system of jurisprudence and law enforcement could never descend into this kind of mess. "Boomtown" is an enlightening tale with broad implications for our understanding of our own history, both in the past and in the present.

[Jules The Book Junkie Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Boomtown presents an ambitious portrait of Borger, Texas, framing it as a place where lawlessness seeps into every layer of society. Much of the book reads as a sustained defense of the author’s central claim: that the town’s “bad guys” aren’t limited to typical criminals, but also include politicians, local law enforcement, and city officials. This argument is compelling in theory, and the author’s clearly well-researched details do, in fact, support his argument that Borger was a very wicked town.
Structurally, the chapters function more like vignettes, each spotlighting different characters who contributed to the town’s criminal environment. Many of the snapshots are engaging, but they also create a somewhat fragmented reading experience, making it harder to build narrative momentum or emotional investment in any single thread.
One of the book’s stronger elements is its depiction of the permissive atmosphere in Borger. The idea that widespread criminal activity could influence—and even absorb—officials and law enforcement is effectively conveyed, amplifying the sense of a town where corruption isn’t the exception but the norm.
I especially enjoyed the postscript, which details what became of the various criminals as well as figures like Texas Ranger Captain Frank Hamer. That retrospective adds a satisfying sense of closure and context that the main narrative occasionally lacks.
Overall, Boomtown offers an interesting and unsettling look at systemic corruption, though its repetitive emphasis and vignette-heavy structure may not work for every reader.

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. For more reading recommendations, visit Book Junkie Reviews at www.abookjunkiereviews.wordpress.com.

[Veronica · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 out of 5 stars

I would describe this book as a year in the life of a bunch of random people in the town Borger, Texas. At no point did I have any idea what was going on in this book. It has such an odd set up and a lack of coherency. Each section begins with a day and a location and continued chronologically through 1927. This on its own is a perfectly fine way to organize a book. It provides a clear timeline and helps the narrative move smoothly. The problem here is that there is no narrative. A new person is introduced in each section (which is about a page long) and not enough is shared to make the (lack of) story engaging.

The sheer number of people introduced in this book is overwhelming. Many of the people mentioned only appear once, and I did not think they added anything to the story. I was annoyed the whole time I was reading this book. I was never drawn in and because of that I questioned everything I read. At one point there was a quote from an article about the birth of a baby which I found no connection to anything. This book contains a bunch of random bits of people’s lives that were only connected by geographic location.

One major problem I have with this book is the recreated conversations between real people. Pappalardo himself states in the beginning of the book that he is uncomfortable with making up quotes to move a story along. This is even more frustrating because the book is dialogue heavy. Dialogues that may or may not have ever happened. Pappalardo claims that the conversations move the story along, but what story? I am not sure what tale is being told here. This is not the way to write a history book.

I have nothing positive to say about this book, and the more I write, the more I think that 2 is a very generous rating.

[Pai · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give this book 3.5 stars out of five, and I've gone back and forth with myself on whether to round that up or down. I may change my mind again at some point.

The good: the author has done a ton of research on this town and the events of 1927, and it shows. He's looked at newspapers, personal accounts, and census records, among other documents, to flesh out the massive cast of characters that populated Borger in the late 1920s.

The problem: there is a massive cast of characters, and the author gives us tons of information about many, many people, and it's a bit like drinking from a firehose. I'm still not sure how some of the characters he lingers over relate to crime in Borger, or in one case to Borger at all, and I think it might have been better for the author to focus his attention to detail on a smaller cast. Not every minor character needs full backstory on page.

Overall: I feel that the book fails to live up to the tagline and description, of the wickedest town in Texas and the legendary lawman sent to tame it. The town seems to have been full of garden variety boomtown/Prohibition-era corruption, and the lawman in question didn't exactly do anything legendary in Borger. If you're interested in the history of Texas, the Texas Rangers, or the oil boomtowns, you very well might find this book interesting. But if you go into it expecting wily criminals, gunfights, and heroics, you might find yourself disappointed.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

[Janine · Rating 3 out of 5]

As the book’s subtitle indicates this is a book about “the wickedest town” in Texas - Borger, Texas, during the first “chaotic years of its existence.” Land speculator, Asa “Ace” Borger, founded the town after a tip about oil speculation and plots for sale. Within nine weeks there were 30,000 people! And as interesting side note, the events in the book align with the lawless Prohibition period. PS: It was nicknamed Boogertown by some of the locals -just in case you are inclined to get the pronunciation missed up. LOL!

The book is a series of vignettes that span several months in 1927, a year after the town’s founding, leading up to the arrival of the legendary Texas Ranger, Captain Frank Hamer (best known for the capture of Bonnie and Clyde), to clean the town up. It was a crazy place - speakeasies, brothels, gambling, bootlegging, corrupt officials - if it was illegal, it was happening there. The amount of sheer gall these people had is amazing! Ironically, it’s like what’s happening in DC today - corruption and lawlessness (guess that’s hard get rid of)

The facts in the book are very interesting. But it’s a slow read to start and really doesn’t click in until almost 100 pages which I blame on the format. I felt I had to do so much piecing together to fully understand where the book was going. Once the book takes off though, it does read like a thriller.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read this ARC.

[Stacey (Bookalorian) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book review - Non fiction - Historical - True Crime

I just finished Boom Town - The True Story of the Wickest town in Texas by Joe Pappalardo and here are my musings.


Did you know Borger Texas in 1927 was the most violent town? It was to support the oilfields but instead became a haven for pimps, gamblers and bootleggers run by a corrupt city hall. YIKES!

Frank Hamer was brought in to curb the criminal activity in the town.. The man who brought down Bonny and Clyde.. A man who would give his life for justice…

Dudes I had no idea this town was a hob of danger and I actually had no idea who Frank was. I am so glad I got a copy of this book because DANGGG IT… WAS… AMAZING!

I really enjoyed the writing. I also could tell, after falling down a history rabbit hole, and the book was well researched but dang, there were a lot of people to keep track of and that was a tad annoying. Also the format… It could have been laid out better. It was crazy how it was all lump together and it felt a little cramped and if you are new to historical books…. This may put you off.

I also think pictures of each person would have helped because I had no idea what any of these people looked like. Real shame!

It was a really interesting topic though but it was a lot of info.

3.5 stars

[William de_Rham · Rating 2 out of 5]

The promotional materials promise a story that’s interesting and even exciting: how the man who would one day bring down Bonnie and Clyde went about taming the most violent and corrupt oil town in Texas during the late 1920s. For me, the telling of that story left much to be desired.

While the author’s research--much of it newspaper-based--seems comprehensive, indeed exhaustive, the wholesale inclusion of all that research overwhelms the tale the author is trying to tell. The text sets forth an eye-numbing array of names and events, often seemingly unconnected and, even more often, difficult to remember and/or place in context. And yet, despite all this detail, or maybe because of an over-reliance upon it, I got very little sense of most of the individuals involved, beyond whether they were reform-minded or crooked and corrupt. Indeed, I found it so difficult to engage with this story, and felt so perpetually “lost in the weeds,” that I gave up at the 25% mark.”

Those keenly interested in crime and corruption in Texas/Oklahoma oil towns during the late 1920s may find much to interest them here. Unfortunately, I could not.

My thanks to NetGalley, the author, and publisher St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a complimentary electronic ARC. All of the foregoing is my honest, independent opinion.

[Frank · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boomtown tells the story of Borger, Texas in 1927, the year after the town was founded. The book delivers on its promise of tales of lawlessness, with all sorts of stories of crimes, corruption and wild behavior. While the research that supports these stories is well-documented and there are individual stories that are very interesting, as a whole, the book failed to pull me in. There were more people to keep up with than I would have liked, and their stories started to run together. In my opinion it would have been well-served to have a central point of view for the various stories or maybe the various chapters, whether it be the chief of police, a reporter, the governor, or somebody else. I had no idea as to what separated one chapter from the next. I also would have loved to have some context for the crime rate of this boomtown in comparison to others that sprung up during that same time. Was this town really any wilder than any other? I really do not have a clue.

Sadly, this book was not for me. I could see it being fascinating for people who live in the area or for people who have a general interest in the challenges of fast-growing start up towns.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me the opportunity to read Boomtown. The above opinions are my own.

[Anne Morgan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but it sounded really interesting, I'm a history lover, and I didn't know anything about Texas boomtowns so I thought it would be a good try.

It was definitely not for me. I kept waiting for something to happen. Waiting to figure out why I was reading about some people. How did they fit into the town? How was Borger differnt from other, similarly founded towns? Was the crime rate really that different? Was it some kind of throwback to a "Wild West" Texas or unique? What was the context that made it "the wickedest town in Texas"? I never found out.

Author Joe Pappalardo has clearly done his research. I think the problem is the format. This is not a narrative nonfiction. You aren't reading a story of a town and learning about things. Instead you get relentless day by day events. Some focus on political corruption in the little town of Borger, TX. Others seem more random. Fires, wrestling, people not connected to the politics or the Rangers trying to clean it up.

The pace is slow and even the entire way through. There are a lot of names and at some point I stopped trying to keep track of new ones. I only finished this book because I promised NetGalley I'd give a review. Otherwise I'd have DNF-ed this one. 1.5 out of 5 stars.
Just not for me.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Lily · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this fascinating local history, Joe Pappalardo delves into the history of Borger, Texas, and the violence that swept through the town in 1927. The wickedest town in the state, it originally developed to support new oilfields but quickly became a place of lawlessness filled with bootleggers, corrupt police officers, gamblers, and a crooked city hall as well as others seeking second chances and financial success. However, a murderous gang of bank robbers killed three law enforcement officers on one of their spending sprees, and Texas Ranger Captain Frank Hamer (before he takes down Bonnie and Clyde) heads into town to restore order to the hardest boomtown in the country. Very detailed and immersive, readers will love this micronarrative and the incredible details that bring Borger to life. The mix of personalities highlights the chaotic nature of the town and the many parties involved, and Pappalardo situates it in this larger history of Prohibition, the rapid industrialization of the century, the last years of the Wild West, and the criminals roaming the country in the early twentieth century. With incredible details and an almost-novel-like flow and pacing, history fans will love this fascinating insight into the lawless town of Borger and Hamer’s quest to control the city.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the advance copy.

[Cody · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC

I’d like to thank St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the chance to give “Boomtown” an early read in return for an honest review.

“Boomtown” is a novel that covers a town that feels as if it stepped out of a Wild West film. Focusing on the growth of the town during the 1920’s, we get to see the sudden growth of a town, as well as the characters that come along with such rapid growth. Whether it be dramatic boxing matches, to the governor threatening marshal law, this town truly had it all going on. Pappalardo had a lot on his plate while covering this town, but does a solid job at making the book accessible and interesting. You wouldn’t think a book covering an oil boom town would be engaging, yet Pappalardo manages to pull it off, with multiple stories weaving together to keep you interested. My biggest hesitation while reading ended up being the improvised dialogue, which helped bring the story to life, but I felt it wasn’t necessary to bring this town’s story to life. It was already interesting enough, so there was no need to more-or-less fabricate dialogue to keep it interesting. Still, this truly was an interesting read, which I was very impressed was as good as it was.

Be sure to give “Boomtown” a read when it is published on April 21, 2026!

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

How can someone resist a book with the subtitle 'The True Story of the Wickedest Town in Texas'. I was surprise that this story didn't take place in the 'old' west but shortly after WWI. It is the story of Borger, one of several 'Boomtowns" that sprang up in the Texas panhandle. Borger was corrupt. The local government was corrupt. The town was host to multiple criminal types, prostitutes, pimps, speakeasies, beer and liquor brewers (this was he time of prohibition), car thieves, chop shops and gambling dens. The governor of Texas, rather then declare martial law, he sent in the Texas Rangers to clean up Borger. Clean-up they did, closing all the dance and beer halls, confiscating slot machines from most of the businesses and finding and smashing stills. Their success invited the powerful locals the petition the Governor to pull the rangers to mix results.

The book chaptered by date and time of day (morning, evening, etc). I agree with another reviewer that the cast of characters was large enough to loose track how, where, when and etc. Otherwise, I enjoyed the book for the most part and I think Texas history buffs, which I am not, will also enjoy it.

[Suzette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fascinating historical retelling dives into the chaotic rise of Borger, Texas, in the early 1900s. The author brings the town’s notorious reputation to life with vivid descriptions of the debauchery, murder, bribery, and unchecked lawlessness that thrived there. What makes the book especially compelling are the first-hand accounts woven throughout. These testimonies allow readers to feel the tension and danger of a place where crime ran rampant and justice was often for sale.

Pappalardo’s narrative style keeps the pace lively without sacrificing historical context. He balances colorful storytelling with careful research, painting a picture of a town that was simultaneously booming with opportunity and drowning in vice. There are gripping accounts of outlaws, corrupt officials, and the attempts to rein in the mayhem which consistently pull the reader in.

Overall, Boomtown is an engaging and well-researched look at a truly unique chapter of Texas history. Fans of true crime, Old West lore, and historical nonfiction will find it both entertaining and enlightening. I highly recommend it for anyone curious about the wild early days of Borger, Texas.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a meticulously researched and informative historical work of non-fiction. It gives a detailed description of the rampant corruption in the oil town of Borger, Texas in 1927. The author tracks the numerous historical figures and government officials who perpetrated the crimes and the individuals who reported them, as well as the Texas Rangers who were involved in the capture of the criminals, and the judges who were involved in their prosecution. The narrative is interspersed with news clippings which offer commentary on the events of the day, as well as accounts of local entertainment, including rodeos and wrestling matches, which bring the area to life.
I especially liked postscripts which follow the lives of several of the key figures after the events of this book, providing an interesting and satisfying conclusion. I am grateful to St. Martin's Press, Mr. Pappalardo, and NetGalley, who provided me with an advanced reader copy of this enlightening book. This is my honest opinion.

[Curt Dunnam · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Boomtown” by Joe Pappalardo is an informative 4-star read! Set in Borger, Texas, in 1927, this book delivers a thorough look at the crime and corruption that defined an oil boomtown. Joe Pappalardo clearly did extensive research, providing rich detail while still keeping the story engaging.

While I agree with many reviewers that there are a lot of people introduced, it is easy enough to distinguish the main players from those who simply help move the story along.

I don’t tend to read much nonfiction, so I don’t have a wide basis for comparison, but I enjoyed both the story and the way it was told. The summaries of the main characters and what happened after the events of the book help bring everything to a satisfying close.

If you enjoy stories about violent, lawless frontier towns and the pursuit of dangerous criminals by a relentless lawman, this book is for you.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Joe Pappalardo, and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review.

[John Schorg · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book promises a lot, but succeeds only in frustrating. While it purports to tell the story of the wildest town ever, it only gives a tedious snapshot of a few months in the life of Borger, Texas. By the end, the problems that plague the town still exist, and the story bogs down in a slog of political infighting. Nothing gets resolved.

Two more things must be mentioned.

A lot of research was done into the lives of a vast number of people, and the author seems bound and determined to give the reader insights into all of them. Every few paragraphs, we learn about someone new, even if that person never appears again. The narrative just never gets any momentum.

And while the author admits his queasiness about the practice he employs, the fact is that a good chunk of dialogue used here is created out of thin air. You don't know whether the stuff that's said actually was said or came from the author's imagination of what he wanted people to say. What is weird is that the dialogue isn't that helpful in giving the story depth. It wasn't needed.

[KC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review: Boomtown by Joe Pappalardo

Boomtown is the kind of nonfiction that smells like gunpowder and bad whiskey. It’s the true story of Borger, Texas, a 1920s oil town so wild it made the devil blush and the Texas Rangers sigh.

Pappalardo dives headfirst into the chaos with the glee of someone who enjoys the grime a little too much. The result is history written like noir: corrupt sheriffs, shoot-outs, bootleggers, and just enough moral decay to keep things interesting.

When it’s good, it’s really good; sweaty, cinematic, fast. When it’s not, it edges into pulp, as if the author couldn’t decide whether he was chronicling history or pitching a series to HBO. But he owns the style, footnotes the speculation, and never loses momentum.

Gritty, smart, occasionally over-dramatic, but never dull. If you like your history served dirty with a bullet chaser, welcome to Boomtown.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. This is my unbiased and honest review.

[Charisa Flaherty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Goodreads, the author and at martins press for the opportunity to read this book. My husband was surprised that I entered a contest for this. It is not my normal reading. But I like to push myself out of my comfort zone sometimes. I enjoyed that this book read more like a story than a bunch of facts strung together, complete with conversations. I definitely learned something about boom towns and the Texas rangers. And I am so glad I live in a time of sewer systems, plumbing, reliable electricity, and trash services. That being said, it was not the kind of book that o would normally be drawn to. As such it didn’t make as much of an impression on me as it will on others who are more historical nonfiction readers. I was happy to have the opportunity to read it and have already thought of people who I know who would enjoy it. But it was not really for me.

[sophie! · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have zero knowledge of Texas history basically whatsoever. I know that crazy stuff happened in oil towns, generally speaking, but the wild west is a wild question mark to me. I enjoyed hearing the stories of the Borger residents, but there were just too many of them to follow. In this book, the town of Borger acting as a central character did not make sense to me. I wish I could have seen this story through the eyes of a single character. Maybe Governor Moody, maybe Asa Borger. But the sheer size of the ensemble cast meant that I really struggled to keep folks straight. I had to start taking notes on who was who. Maybe if you're deep into Texas boomtown history, this would be more your speed.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
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[sniksnak · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1927 a remote Texas Panhandle ranch area became Borger, or “Boogertown,” after a major oil discovery. Initially a support hub for oil workers, it quickly turned into a corrupt and lawless town known for bootlegging, gambling, brothels, dance halls, boxing arenas, and violence during Prohibition.
Corrupt officials and police enabled a thriving criminal underworld, earning it the title of the “wickedest town in Texas.” Governor Dan Moody dispatched Texas Ranger Frank Hamer (of Bonnie and Clyde fame) and others to restore order, confronting murderers, bootleggers, and corruption. This mission underscores a dramatic chapter in the 1920s lawmen versus outlaws era.

**I would like to express my gratitude to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read this gifted ebook in exchange for an honest review. #ARC #NetGalley
#BoomTown

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wild history about a town that went completely off the rails in less than a year.
The book tracks the birth of Borger, Texas, which went from an empty field to a chaotic city of 30,000 people almost overnight because of an oil boom. Because it grew so fast, it immediately filled up with criminals, bootleggers, and equally crooked cops. It reads like a true-crime story, especially when the Texas Rangers finally have to show up to clean up the mess.

Reading this while living in Texas makes the whole thing feel incredibly immersive. Knowing the book opens inside the Driskill Hotel while you are sitting right across the street brings the history to life in a strange, cool way. It is a quick, read that shows how violent Texas oil rush days actually were.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley.#Boomtown #NetGalley

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Boomtown
By Joe Pappalardo

This is the story of Borger, TX and the men and women who lived and worked there when it was a town for hell raisers back in the 1920s. It is an interesting story for any history buffs interested in how the oil booms led to the growth of no-hold-barred towns like Borger. While some accumulated great wealth, others were ruined. The unscrupulous practices and shady dealings employed by everyone from the politicians to the fight promoters and land speculators made for a helluva ride.

This book would appeal to those who want a true picture of how this town became what it was and the men who made it happen.

Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for this ARC.

[Jamele (BookswithJams) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was interested in this one after reading the synopsis and learning it was about the corrupt town of Borger, Texas. This was a very well-researched portrayal of systemic corruption; you could tell the author knew his stuff. However, I struggled to connect with this one; there was a lot going on, and it did not easily tie together, so it was hard to follow. I listened via audio, which could have contributed to the issue, but I don’t think that was all of my struggle. There were too many characters and too much was going on to boot, so that, combined with the ton of information given to the reader, it was hard to digest everything and keep up.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital copy to review.