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Salvation
Set against the Rocky Mountains, this emotionally charged Western noir explores themes of fathers and sons, men and masculinity, and religion and spirituality through the lens of an unimaginable act—one best friend murdering the other
“Langsfeld’s writing hits like a sparks that seem harmless quickly burn you alive. It is searing and direct and quite possibly a perfect voice for our world.”—Dane Bahr, author of Stag
A small rural Colorado town is in a state of crisis at the height of winter. Tom Horak has just murdered his best friend, Rust Hawkins. Morris Green, the town’s Lutheran pastor, is experiencing a profound crisis of faith, questioning the very existence of God. And Marshal Thomlison, the local peace officer looking forward to retirement, is now thrown into the middle of a murder investigation.
Following his violent act, Tom retreats to a cabin in the hills, remembering the events of his hardscrabble childhood—a rural upbringing on a ranch with a distant mother and abusive father.
Rust Hawkins’s son is taken in by Pastor Green, since the boy has nowhere else to go. Thomlison's murder investigation acts as a kind of Greek chorus commenting on the various threads of this moving What could cause a man to commit such a violent act? What does this isolated community owe to one another? Can Tom find the peace he is searching for, even with blood on his hands? Can Pastor Green discover enough faith in our human condition to help Rust’s orphaned son, and can their growing bond perhaps offer the family life that each is sorely lacking?
Salvation is a stunning debut novel that tackles big themes with moving prose and a propulsive plot set against the grand and sometimes foreboding natural beauty of the Rocky Mountain West.
“Langsfeld’s writing hits like a sparks that seem harmless quickly burn you alive. It is searing and direct and quite possibly a perfect voice for our world.”—Dane Bahr, author of Stag
A small rural Colorado town is in a state of crisis at the height of winter. Tom Horak has just murdered his best friend, Rust Hawkins. Morris Green, the town’s Lutheran pastor, is experiencing a profound crisis of faith, questioning the very existence of God. And Marshal Thomlison, the local peace officer looking forward to retirement, is now thrown into the middle of a murder investigation.
Following his violent act, Tom retreats to a cabin in the hills, remembering the events of his hardscrabble childhood—a rural upbringing on a ranch with a distant mother and abusive father.
Rust Hawkins’s son is taken in by Pastor Green, since the boy has nowhere else to go. Thomlison's murder investigation acts as a kind of Greek chorus commenting on the various threads of this moving What could cause a man to commit such a violent act? What does this isolated community owe to one another? Can Tom find the peace he is searching for, even with blood on his hands? Can Pastor Green discover enough faith in our human condition to help Rust’s orphaned son, and can their growing bond perhaps offer the family life that each is sorely lacking?
Salvation is a stunning debut novel that tackles big themes with moving prose and a propulsive plot set against the grand and sometimes foreboding natural beauty of the Rocky Mountain West.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published February 3, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
February 6, 2026
Hard to believe this is a debut novel. So many layers and so many authentic situations. A quick read that packs a lot into a little, well worth your time.
March 7, 2026
Another book I picked up as it is based in Colorado and is by a Colorado author. A murder is the main backdrop
of the book, but mostly it’s the characters and their lives based in rural Colorado that kept me engaged.
of the book, but mostly it’s the characters and their lives based in rural Colorado that kept me engaged.
February 15, 2026
It took me a few pages to get used to the author's writing style. Quick read with complex characters.
April 16, 2026
“Salvation” is an unsettling novel that probes the fraught terrain between fathers and sons where love can get tangled up in violence, resentment, and a lingering hope for redemption. In a small Colorado mountain town that feels increasingly suffocating as the narrative unfolds, Langsfeld explores how masculinity manifests as repression, rigidity, and ultimately abuse and estrangement. The small-town setting reinforces these themes with a palpable sense of claustrophobia. Here, there is little room for reinvention; the past lingers, and reputations harden. Langsfeld uses this environment to good effect, creating a world where escape is as much physical as it is psychological.
At the novel’s center are a cluster of male characters—Tom, Green, Rust, and Gus—each shaped, in different ways, by paternal influence or its absence. Of these, Tom and Green emerge as the most fully realized. Tom is a conflicted figure. He is pulled by a strong sense of familial and community legacy while also being repelled by the urge to break free from paternal abuse. Green, meanwhile, embodies a quieter but no less profound struggle. His emotional opacity masks deeply rooted feelings of doubt and loneliness. Together, they form a kind of emotional axis for the novel, illustrating how difficult it may be to disentangle identity from upbringing.
Langsfeld is particularly effective at depicting male loneliness. These characters seem structurally incapable of connection. It’s as though intimacy may be a language they were never taught to speak. Clearly their lack of emotional illiteracy is one of the novel’s most tragic elements. It seems to fuel their violence, withdrawal and bitterness while perpetuating their isolation.
Religion hovers over everything as both a promise and a failure. “Salvation” carries obvious theological weight, as does the recurring father–son imagery. Yet Langsfeld resists easy parallels. If there is salvation here, it is not delivered through doctrine or divine intervention. Instead, we glimpse it fleetingly in moments of fragile and insufficient caring. In that sense, the title feels less like a declaration than a question: what does it mean to be saved, and is such a thing even possible?
Langsfeld’s choices for character names do not feel accidental. “Green” and “Rust” evoke states of growth and decay, suggesting opposing trajectories or moral conditions, while the recurrence of “Tom” in the father, son and marshal hints at a kind of interchangeability. This may be arguing that these men are variations on a single archetype. “Gus,” with its blunt, almost percussive sound, does seem to carry a physicality that matches this character’s affect. Whether these names amount to a fully developed symbolic system or simply a playful way to enrich the narrative is certainly open to interpretation.
The novel has a two notable weaknesses. Its treatment of female characters is weak. They remain underdeveloped and largely peripheral. Given the book’s focus on male inheritance and identity, this may be a deliberate, but it nonetheless limits the emotional and social complexity of the world Langsfeld creates. The novel’s structure also introduces some ambiguity. The short, italicized chapters attributed to Marshal Tomlinson are particularly enigmatic. They read as the reflective musings of an older, perhaps disillusioned observer, offering a kind of moral or philosophical counterpoint to the main narrative. It is unclear whether these sections deepen the story or distract from it. On one hand, they feel like a chorus commenting obliquely on the action; while on the other, they risk diffusing the novel’s emotional momentum.
“Salvation” is not an easy read, nor is it meant to be. Its power lies in its refusal to offer simple resolutions to deeply ingrained wounds. Instead, it presents a bleak but honest meditation on the possibility that understanding and compassion might have the capacity to interrupt even the most entrenched cycles of harm.
At the novel’s center are a cluster of male characters—Tom, Green, Rust, and Gus—each shaped, in different ways, by paternal influence or its absence. Of these, Tom and Green emerge as the most fully realized. Tom is a conflicted figure. He is pulled by a strong sense of familial and community legacy while also being repelled by the urge to break free from paternal abuse. Green, meanwhile, embodies a quieter but no less profound struggle. His emotional opacity masks deeply rooted feelings of doubt and loneliness. Together, they form a kind of emotional axis for the novel, illustrating how difficult it may be to disentangle identity from upbringing.
Langsfeld is particularly effective at depicting male loneliness. These characters seem structurally incapable of connection. It’s as though intimacy may be a language they were never taught to speak. Clearly their lack of emotional illiteracy is one of the novel’s most tragic elements. It seems to fuel their violence, withdrawal and bitterness while perpetuating their isolation.
Religion hovers over everything as both a promise and a failure. “Salvation” carries obvious theological weight, as does the recurring father–son imagery. Yet Langsfeld resists easy parallels. If there is salvation here, it is not delivered through doctrine or divine intervention. Instead, we glimpse it fleetingly in moments of fragile and insufficient caring. In that sense, the title feels less like a declaration than a question: what does it mean to be saved, and is such a thing even possible?
Langsfeld’s choices for character names do not feel accidental. “Green” and “Rust” evoke states of growth and decay, suggesting opposing trajectories or moral conditions, while the recurrence of “Tom” in the father, son and marshal hints at a kind of interchangeability. This may be arguing that these men are variations on a single archetype. “Gus,” with its blunt, almost percussive sound, does seem to carry a physicality that matches this character’s affect. Whether these names amount to a fully developed symbolic system or simply a playful way to enrich the narrative is certainly open to interpretation.
The novel has a two notable weaknesses. Its treatment of female characters is weak. They remain underdeveloped and largely peripheral. Given the book’s focus on male inheritance and identity, this may be a deliberate, but it nonetheless limits the emotional and social complexity of the world Langsfeld creates. The novel’s structure also introduces some ambiguity. The short, italicized chapters attributed to Marshal Tomlinson are particularly enigmatic. They read as the reflective musings of an older, perhaps disillusioned observer, offering a kind of moral or philosophical counterpoint to the main narrative. It is unclear whether these sections deepen the story or distract from it. On one hand, they feel like a chorus commenting obliquely on the action; while on the other, they risk diffusing the novel’s emotional momentum.
“Salvation” is not an easy read, nor is it meant to be. Its power lies in its refusal to offer simple resolutions to deeply ingrained wounds. Instead, it presents a bleak but honest meditation on the possibility that understanding and compassion might have the capacity to interrupt even the most entrenched cycles of harm.
April 12, 2026
This was a giveaway win! I was excited to win this one as it seemed to be a good story. I enjoyed it! The title is spot on but honestly doesn't come together that way really until the Epilogue which is a must read. The story does lag here and there but that is part of the character building so it isn't hard to get through at all. I recommend picking it up and taking the chance.
April 21, 2026
I got into this story very quickly. Told from three POV’s, the author does a good job of creating empathy for the characters of Tom, Gus and Green. It’s more hopeful than sad, and I’ll think about the characters for a long time.
April 2, 2026
A brutal book about fathers and sons and loss of faith. Apparently there’s no salvation for any of them.
March 29, 2026
A dark murder noir set in a rural Colorado town. I enjoyed the Cormac McCarthy-like writing style, but was disappointed with the lack of character development of the main protagonist, Tom. What did he hope to achieve by killing his former best friend? What was his end state? As a result, the conclusion of the book was not very satisfying.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
2.5 ⭐️
Well I really wanted to love this because it did sound interesting.
We have multiple povs-no quotation marks for my friends who I know that will drive wild—I did like that we had multiple povs and by the end we do see how they are all connected…. But overall this was very much boring and not emotionally charged like the book claimed to be.
We follow Tom who has killed his bestie Rust(obviously they weren’t friends in the end), so he goes on the run. As he is on the run we are unfolding his life-which of course was riddled with really hard things like abuse-which fuels him to have this deep current of anger throughout his life which essentially pushes him to do the things he does. He never really works through it and I found that a bit intriguing, but I just never felt emotionally attached to his character whatsoever.
Then we follow Green who is a pastor that takes in Rusts son(the guy who was murdered) Gus. I found Green’s POVs to be the most interesting I guess? Idk didn’t get deep enough and the man did not want to be a pastor.
Then we have the Marshall who has random chapters throughout that I think are supposed to be the most thought provoking… but yet again I felt let down.
I really wanted the son GUS to have a pov… but alas they didn’t happen.
This is a very character driven book and by no means the worst book I’ve read… but it left me wanting, I found myself bored several times, and I just wanted there to be SOMETHING.
Thank you counterpoint press for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
Well I really wanted to love this because it did sound interesting.
We have multiple povs-no quotation marks for my friends who I know that will drive wild—I did like that we had multiple povs and by the end we do see how they are all connected…. But overall this was very much boring and not emotionally charged like the book claimed to be.
We follow Tom who has killed his bestie Rust(obviously they weren’t friends in the end), so he goes on the run. As he is on the run we are unfolding his life-which of course was riddled with really hard things like abuse-which fuels him to have this deep current of anger throughout his life which essentially pushes him to do the things he does. He never really works through it and I found that a bit intriguing, but I just never felt emotionally attached to his character whatsoever.
Then we follow Green who is a pastor that takes in Rusts son(the guy who was murdered) Gus. I found Green’s POVs to be the most interesting I guess? Idk didn’t get deep enough and the man did not want to be a pastor.
Then we have the Marshall who has random chapters throughout that I think are supposed to be the most thought provoking… but yet again I felt let down.
I really wanted the son GUS to have a pov… but alas they didn’t happen.
This is a very character driven book and by no means the worst book I’ve read… but it left me wanting, I found myself bored several times, and I just wanted there to be SOMETHING.
Thank you counterpoint press for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
February 7, 2026
Salvation opens in a small Colorado town locked in winter and moral collapse. A murder has already happened. A man is on the run. A pastor takes in a grieving child. An aging lawman watches it all unfold with the weight of experience and regret. From there, C. William Langsfeld lets the story move outward rather than forward, tracing how violence ripples through families, friendships, and faith itself. Each character arrives carrying a past that explains but does not excuse the choices they make. The novel is unapologetically character driven, revealing its people in fragments and memory rather than neat backstory, until their paths converge in a reckoning that feels earned rather than engineered.
This is a dark, heavy, and often brutal book, but one that insists on being read carefully. Langsfeld takes a bold risk with dialogue presented without quotation marks, a choice that initially slows the reader but ultimately deepens immersion. Speech blends into thought and action, reinforcing that the story is less about attribution and more about consequence. Themes of violence, masculinity, abuse, fatherhood, faith, trauma, and moral responsibility are handled with seriousness and restraint. As a debut, Salvation feels confident in its refusal to simplify hard questions. It asks whether redemption is possible after irrevocable harm, how fragile faith can be under pressure, and what it really means to seek peace in a broken world. The result is a novel that leaves the reader examining not only their own beliefs, but the unseen battles carried by the people around them.
This is a dark, heavy, and often brutal book, but one that insists on being read carefully. Langsfeld takes a bold risk with dialogue presented without quotation marks, a choice that initially slows the reader but ultimately deepens immersion. Speech blends into thought and action, reinforcing that the story is less about attribution and more about consequence. Themes of violence, masculinity, abuse, fatherhood, faith, trauma, and moral responsibility are handled with seriousness and restraint. As a debut, Salvation feels confident in its refusal to simplify hard questions. It asks whether redemption is possible after irrevocable harm, how fragile faith can be under pressure, and what it really means to seek peace in a broken world. The result is a novel that leaves the reader examining not only their own beliefs, but the unseen battles carried by the people around them.
January 26, 2026
#ad much love for my finished copy @counterpointpress #partner
& @prhaudio #partner for the ALC
Salvation
< @c.williamlangsfeld >
Releases February 3, 2026
“They say the truth is stranger than fiction. I say bullshit. I think some people just have a hard time acceptin the truth so they say somethin like that to make it seem unbelievable. I say the truth makes sense, typically. If you look at all the factors that went into its makin, you can usually connect the dots,” (p. 36).
A Western? Umm not to sure about that. There’s no horses or gun slinging. It’s actually pretty normalish? Haha I saw Western and was like WHYYY DID I REQUEST THIS BOOK?! Okay I’m glad I did and I imagine I did because of the blurb.
This book was so good - like beyond good! I loved the Marshal Tomlinson chapters the best. The kind of deep thinking topics I love and totally geeked out to.
Tom sacrificed his own free life for his nephew. A cycle of abuse broken. Toxic masculinity.
Short chapters but the type of read you’ll think about long after you’ve read it.
Tom killed Rust
Gus bruises dead father.
Small town
Child abuse
Murder
Cancer
🎧: Also listened to the audio while following along and def recommend the audio. Christian Baskous and Dan Bittner were literally the perfect people to narrate this book. They not only captured the setting well but the characters too. Just loved this audio.
& @prhaudio #partner for the ALC
Salvation
< @c.williamlangsfeld >
Releases February 3, 2026
“They say the truth is stranger than fiction. I say bullshit. I think some people just have a hard time acceptin the truth so they say somethin like that to make it seem unbelievable. I say the truth makes sense, typically. If you look at all the factors that went into its makin, you can usually connect the dots,” (p. 36).
A Western? Umm not to sure about that. There’s no horses or gun slinging. It’s actually pretty normalish? Haha I saw Western and was like WHYYY DID I REQUEST THIS BOOK?! Okay I’m glad I did and I imagine I did because of the blurb.
This book was so good - like beyond good! I loved the Marshal Tomlinson chapters the best. The kind of deep thinking topics I love and totally geeked out to.
Tom sacrificed his own free life for his nephew. A cycle of abuse broken. Toxic masculinity.
Short chapters but the type of read you’ll think about long after you’ve read it.
Tom killed Rust
Gus bruises dead father.
Small town
Child abuse
Murder
Cancer
🎧: Also listened to the audio while following along and def recommend the audio. Christian Baskous and Dan Bittner were literally the perfect people to narrate this book. They not only captured the setting well but the characters too. Just loved this audio.
May 19, 2026
2.5 rounded up.
This had a lot of promise but just didn’t quite work for me.
The story opens as Tom murders his “best friend”, Rust, during a fit of rage. Then we have a few POVs to help us understand what happened and the aftermath. The problem is . . . it just wasn’t that interesting.
The relationship between Tom and Rust is severely underdeveloped. So while we find out what led to the murder, there isn’t any emotional gravity to the violence. Tom doesn’t really seem to feel any remorse and he doesn’t wrestle with what happened. He’s bitter and angry about his own life (for some good reasons) and that’s all we really get to know.
The other story line revolves around a pastor, Green, who temporarily fosters Rust’s son, Gus. I don’t know why we are supposed to care about Green’s story arc. We get to know almost nothing about Gus. This was a real missed opportunity.
The writing style also didn’t work for me. He does not use quotation marks to indicate dialogue and relies heavily on sentence fragments. Actually the sentence fragments drove me nuts. Right in the middle of almost every paragraph he would plop a two or three word sentence that began with a verb but didn’t have a subject. It was really distracting.
The story may be trying to explore trauma and masculinity. Sometimes it was folksy and other times it aimed to be gritty. All in all this was a plodding story that just didn’t quite work.
This had a lot of promise but just didn’t quite work for me.
The story opens as Tom murders his “best friend”, Rust, during a fit of rage. Then we have a few POVs to help us understand what happened and the aftermath. The problem is . . . it just wasn’t that interesting.
The relationship between Tom and Rust is severely underdeveloped. So while we find out what led to the murder, there isn’t any emotional gravity to the violence. Tom doesn’t really seem to feel any remorse and he doesn’t wrestle with what happened. He’s bitter and angry about his own life (for some good reasons) and that’s all we really get to know.
The other story line revolves around a pastor, Green, who temporarily fosters Rust’s son, Gus. I don’t know why we are supposed to care about Green’s story arc. We get to know almost nothing about Gus. This was a real missed opportunity.
The writing style also didn’t work for me. He does not use quotation marks to indicate dialogue and relies heavily on sentence fragments. Actually the sentence fragments drove me nuts. Right in the middle of almost every paragraph he would plop a two or three word sentence that began with a verb but didn’t have a subject. It was really distracting.
The story may be trying to explore trauma and masculinity. Sometimes it was folksy and other times it aimed to be gritty. All in all this was a plodding story that just didn’t quite work.
February 10, 2026
Salvation by C William Langsfeld is a strong, dark, brutal and beautiful debut novel. I received a beautiful finished copy in the mail and the moment I saw the cover I was convinced I would love the book. And then I read that it was set in a small town in the Colorado mountains, and that sealed it, because I live in one too.
The story opens in the biting winter cold. One man has been murdered. Another man is on the run. An unhappy pastor takes on the job of creating a home for a grieving child. And a small town lawman finds himself struggling with the weight of the investigation. It is a book about relationships, violence, trauma, and faith. The men in the story are deeply impacted by recent events, but also learning to deal with the past.
It is a character driven story, where each character is strong enough to carry the book. However, I am so happy that each was there, adding a depth of emotion. All three men are revealed in fragments, letting the reader grow to know them through little moments in time.
Is redemption possible? Can this man who did the worst possible thing find healing?
Thank you @CounterpointPress for the #gifted book!
The story opens in the biting winter cold. One man has been murdered. Another man is on the run. An unhappy pastor takes on the job of creating a home for a grieving child. And a small town lawman finds himself struggling with the weight of the investigation. It is a book about relationships, violence, trauma, and faith. The men in the story are deeply impacted by recent events, but also learning to deal with the past.
It is a character driven story, where each character is strong enough to carry the book. However, I am so happy that each was there, adding a depth of emotion. All three men are revealed in fragments, letting the reader grow to know them through little moments in time.
Is redemption possible? Can this man who did the worst possible thing find healing?
Thank you @CounterpointPress for the #gifted book!
March 4, 2026
Thank you to PRHAudio for the free audiobook. All opinions are my own.
A crime and a man on the run. An aging Sheriff pondering the nature of man. A Pastor with no joy and a heart full of doubt. A boy left behind. Each of these characters intersect in the aftermath of the murder of the boy's father committed by Tom, the man on the run.
Not a big book but big themes are explored of faith, family, and fatherhood. The writing style based on past memories and musings for both Tom and the Sheriff give some context to where there find themselves at this point in life. The Pastor following his parents in his vocation, is fleshed out the most. We find him during a crisis of faith when he is drawn into the fallout of the murder. Namely, he ends up with the boy.
A good book filled with mostly sad people but leaves the reader with a sense perhaps there is some hope to be found.
The audiobook was double narrated by Christian Baskous and Dan Bittner both brought life to their characters.
A crime and a man on the run. An aging Sheriff pondering the nature of man. A Pastor with no joy and a heart full of doubt. A boy left behind. Each of these characters intersect in the aftermath of the murder of the boy's father committed by Tom, the man on the run.
Not a big book but big themes are explored of faith, family, and fatherhood. The writing style based on past memories and musings for both Tom and the Sheriff give some context to where there find themselves at this point in life. The Pastor following his parents in his vocation, is fleshed out the most. We find him during a crisis of faith when he is drawn into the fallout of the murder. Namely, he ends up with the boy.
A good book filled with mostly sad people but leaves the reader with a sense perhaps there is some hope to be found.
The audiobook was double narrated by Christian Baskous and Dan Bittner both brought life to their characters.
March 16, 2026
Salvation is an elegantly written, dark story and provided all “the feels” I crave from literary fiction and sparingly rendered, imperfect characters (Ian McEwan, Cormac McCarthy, Claire Keegan, Marilyn Robinson). We’re mostly on the run from a crime with protagonist Tom, but C. William Langsfeld’s other two male voices complete a varied picture of masculinity I thoroughly enjoyed. Confused pastor Morris Green is drawn into fallout from the crime via a newly orphaned boy, and aging lawman Tomlinson must dig deep physically and emotionally for the unexpected pursuit of a longtime member of his small, rural community. Spoiler: There wasn’t going to be a happy ending for Tom, but it didn’t take away from savoring his passionate journey. Though no quotation marks, transitions between dialogue and narrative are clear and easy to pick up on. Sentence structure is varied with a lot of fragments that (once you get used to them) enhance Tom’s characterization. Beautiful debut! I look forward to more from work from this author.
April 11, 2026
In my former Book Club we used to debate whether the gender of the author influenced the characters they were portraying. One reader was adamant that men could never portray a woman character with actual depth or understanding. I would often argue the opposite, that gender does not overshadow ability and imagination when it comes to writing novels or character development. I bring this up after reading “Salvation” because it struck me as a story that would appeal to male readers. It certainly wasn’t easy for me to read some of the more visceral passages, but overall it was a fair story, just not one that I would recommend to my friends. The synopsis that accompanies the listing on Good Reads actually has more literary punch than I found in the actual book. But maybe by my saying that, I just confirmed that this book simply wasn’t for me.
January 30, 2026
3.5 ⭐️ This was an interesting read. A very intriguing storyline. 3 main POV’s - Tom, Marshal Tomlinson, & Morris Green. One is running from the law and a lifetime of abuse, One is a lawman tasked with finding a killer and also at a point in his life and reflecting on it, and One is a pastor questioning his faith. The set up was unique reminding me of journal entries. It was a good ending where some are asking if they deserve salvation on one who has found their salvation.
The only thing that made it a bit difficult to read was no punctuation to recognize if it was internal dialogue or an actual conversation. Overall I enjoyed this read.
Thank you Counterpoint Press for my ARC.
The only thing that made it a bit difficult to read was no punctuation to recognize if it was internal dialogue or an actual conversation. Overall I enjoyed this read.
Thank you Counterpoint Press for my ARC.
February 4, 2026
Thank You to CounterPoint Press for this free book in exchange of my honest review of Salvation by C. William Langsfeld.
This is set against the Rocky Mountains and has such an intriguing storyline that had me captivated from the beginning. What happens when Tom murders his best friend Rust? To find out make sure to read this page turner. In this book it explores themes of fathers, sons, religon and more. The author wrote this so well and I loved every character in this one. The ending was well done and was such a vivid reading experience. This was one that I loved a lot and would recommend to any reader, especially to those who love western noir books.
This is set against the Rocky Mountains and has such an intriguing storyline that had me captivated from the beginning. What happens when Tom murders his best friend Rust? To find out make sure to read this page turner. In this book it explores themes of fathers, sons, religon and more. The author wrote this so well and I loved every character in this one. The ending was well done and was such a vivid reading experience. This was one that I loved a lot and would recommend to any reader, especially to those who love western noir books.
March 29, 2026
Meh. Debut novel that tries hard and lands with a thud. The writer loves to set the scene by diving deeply into the landscape and weather and such, but he's no Kent Haruf. He tries to be folksy --eliminating subject nouns, everything is "a couple logs/a couple bottles/a couple trees"-- but it's overdone. He tries the alternating-chapter-with-alternating points of view, but spends too much time with one character. The reading experience also suffers from awful editing ("bails of hay", "the hair under his naval", you can't make this stuff up).
February 9, 2026
Salvation by C. William Langsfeld is a compelling, accessible read that moves quickly while still carrying emotional weight. The story thoughtfully explores how people shaped by very different lived experiences can collide, connect, and ultimately change one another. Langsfeld handles these intersections with empathy, allowing each perspective to feel human and grounded. It’s an engaging novel that stays with you after the final page.
May 5, 2026
Happily picked this up at Denver Book Society under the local author section. It’s gritty and an uncommon look at father/son dynamics, played out through the murder of Tom’s former best friend. I found the multiple points of view between Tom, Gus, Green, and Marshall Tomilson contributed to it being a quick read. I do wish there had been more from Gus and a better understanding of what pushed Tom to do what he did.
April 13, 2026
Brilliant debut novel, still can't believe it's his first and hope for many more. The writing is spare, but spot on, beautiful and brutal, as is the main event in this book.
Langsfeld writes from various points of view, so we are privy to the inner thoughts and motivations of his main characters.
I'll be thinking about this one for a long time.
Langsfeld writes from various points of view, so we are privy to the inner thoughts and motivations of his main characters.
I'll be thinking about this one for a long time.
April 28, 2026
Good novel about individual life journeys through bad childhood and how our reaction to it affects us and those around us. Two boyhood friends experience life together and apart and one ends up dead and other on the run. Questions about killing to save another and how that affects our own salvation. Dark, but good.
March 3, 2026
There was a lot I liked about this dark tale, though some of the relationships felt a bit underdeveloped. Not surprisingly (as a minister), I felt that this character could also have been fleshed out, with a little more description of his crisis of faith.
April 19, 2026
Murder Ballad
The murder is the least interesting part in this book. How can I describe it? To me it's full of sadness. A life lost, another life wasted. There is light coming through the cracks though. It's a small story, but it feels true. I liked it a lot!
The murder is the least interesting part in this book. How can I describe it? To me it's full of sadness. A life lost, another life wasted. There is light coming through the cracks though. It's a small story, but it feels true. I liked it a lot!
March 12, 2026
Meandering tale of friends, fathers and sons.
March 15, 2026
Clean, compact story arc with excellent character development
Want to Read
March 15, 202603.15.2026: per Sunday NY Times new mysteries recommendation; about three Colorado men bound by murder. NOT available locally...;
April 3, 2026
Left me wanting more. Green and Gus what happened there.
April 27, 2026
The writing here really was outstanding, but the story was so incredibly bleak that I just couldn’t resonate with the message.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews