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Ghost Marshal: A Tale of the Weird West
When a badass woman meets a gunslinging ghost, all hell breaks loose.
Jessica Parker arrives in 1876 Deadwood, only to find her gold miner father brutally murdered. Jessie and her motley companions—including the cantankerous ghost of Wild Bill Hickok—confront a murderous gang of outlaws. They soon find themselves knee-deep in gunfights, Chinese sorcery, barroom brawls, pleasures of the flesh, demon owls, forbidden romance, and a heaping dose of frontier justice. Along the way, Jessie and Bill uncover a bizarre conspiracy that takes them near enough to hell to smell smoke. From prairie wildflower to badass gunslinger, Jessie Parker is destined to become a rip-snortin’ hero of the Weird West—if she lives long enough to tell the tale!
Ghost Marshal is the action-packed first book in John Hamilton’s paranormal Weird West series. Filled with brimstone and bullets, a rogue’s gallery of heroes and villains, and “a massive showdown worthy of the Weird Western genre,” Ghost Marshal will leave readers grinnin’ like a weasel peekin’ in a henhouse door!
Lasso a copy of Ghost Marshal to see Jessie and Bill team up against the ultimate evil today!
Jessica Parker arrives in 1876 Deadwood, only to find her gold miner father brutally murdered. Jessie and her motley companions—including the cantankerous ghost of Wild Bill Hickok—confront a murderous gang of outlaws. They soon find themselves knee-deep in gunfights, Chinese sorcery, barroom brawls, pleasures of the flesh, demon owls, forbidden romance, and a heaping dose of frontier justice. Along the way, Jessie and Bill uncover a bizarre conspiracy that takes them near enough to hell to smell smoke. From prairie wildflower to badass gunslinger, Jessie Parker is destined to become a rip-snortin’ hero of the Weird West—if she lives long enough to tell the tale!
Ghost Marshal is the action-packed first book in John Hamilton’s paranormal Weird West series. Filled with brimstone and bullets, a rogue’s gallery of heroes and villains, and “a massive showdown worthy of the Weird Western genre,” Ghost Marshal will leave readers grinnin’ like a weasel peekin’ in a henhouse door!
Lasso a copy of Ghost Marshal to see Jessie and Bill team up against the ultimate evil today!
- GenresWeird WestGhosts
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 12, 2014
24 people are currently reading
35 people want to read
About the author
John Hamilton
488 books34 followersJohn Hamilton is a best-selling novelist and author of more than 275 nonfiction books for young adults. An Active Member of the Western Writers of America and the Wild West History Association, his work has received critical acclaim from School Library Journal, Children's Literature, The Sioux City Journal, We Proceeded On (the official journal of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation), and many others.
John's young adult book "Battle of the Little Bighorn" earned 2015 Spur Award Finalist honors from the Western Writers of America. He is a two-time winner of the Golden Duck Award for Excellence in Children's Science Fiction Literature, and his epic retelling of the Lewis & Clark expedition, "Lewis & Clark: Adventures West," was a Minnesota Book Award finalist for Young Adult Nonfiction. School Library Journal said "(Hamilton's) books present a remarkable amount of information and provide readers with a clear understanding of complicated issues."
John is also an award-winning photojournalist and landscape photographer. His rodeo photography won an Editor's Choice Award from the National Association of Photoshop Professionals.
John holds black belts in both Tae Kwon Do and Kung Fu. He loves target shooting, baking bread, and playing with Finn, his trusty schnauzer. He can be found most summers with his family either exploring the American West or hiking along Minnesota's rugged North Shore.
Connect with John at: www.johnchamilton.com
John's young adult book "Battle of the Little Bighorn" earned 2015 Spur Award Finalist honors from the Western Writers of America. He is a two-time winner of the Golden Duck Award for Excellence in Children's Science Fiction Literature, and his epic retelling of the Lewis & Clark expedition, "Lewis & Clark: Adventures West," was a Minnesota Book Award finalist for Young Adult Nonfiction. School Library Journal said "(Hamilton's) books present a remarkable amount of information and provide readers with a clear understanding of complicated issues."
John is also an award-winning photojournalist and landscape photographer. His rodeo photography won an Editor's Choice Award from the National Association of Photoshop Professionals.
John holds black belts in both Tae Kwon Do and Kung Fu. He loves target shooting, baking bread, and playing with Finn, his trusty schnauzer. He can be found most summers with his family either exploring the American West or hiking along Minnesota's rugged North Shore.
Connect with John at: www.johnchamilton.com
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 25, 2015
This is what the Weird West genre is all about. Ghosts, gunslingers, Indian Shamans, cowgirls, it's got a little bit of everything.
The ghost of Wild Bill Hickock comes back to help a feisty female avenge her fathers murder, and he wants to avenge his own while he's at it. There are of course a group of bad guys standing in the way, as well as a Chinese Sorceror. The greatest evil, however, is buried at the bottom of the mine. And better not spoken of here...
I would recommend this to any fan of the Weird Western genre, or really any western fan at all. John Hamilton is a bit of an expert on the old west, so you get a bit more authenticity than you would with an average weird western novel. Actually, if you like ghosts and action, this ones for you! I am looking forward to the next volume of Ghost Marshal!
The ghost of Wild Bill Hickock comes back to help a feisty female avenge her fathers murder, and he wants to avenge his own while he's at it. There are of course a group of bad guys standing in the way, as well as a Chinese Sorceror. The greatest evil, however, is buried at the bottom of the mine. And better not spoken of here...
I would recommend this to any fan of the Weird Western genre, or really any western fan at all. John Hamilton is a bit of an expert on the old west, so you get a bit more authenticity than you would with an average weird western novel. Actually, if you like ghosts and action, this ones for you! I am looking forward to the next volume of Ghost Marshal!
November 18, 2014
I'm a huge lover of Western novels and Ghost Marshal ranks right up there with the top ones. The story was great, it kept moving and was full of action and suspense. I enjoyed the budding romance between the two main characters. It was great how they each had to find their strengths and deal with their demons (literally for one of them) as the story evolved. I whole-heartedly recommend this book and will be looking for the next one.
August 31, 2021
Fun light read, ghosts and medicine man, and the bad guys are aplenty...
February 14, 2017
What a fun book!
If you like westerns; ghost stories; good vs. evil; Wild Bill Hickok; Deadwod; St. Peter; nasty, evil villains; and strong, intelligent heroines and heroes, you should try this book. In addition to the various elements involved, Mr Hamilton is an engaging writer and story teller. I hope for a sequel in the near future.
I downloaded this book via Kindle Unlimited.
Merged review:
What a fun book!, June 11, 2016
This review is from: Ghost Marshal: A Tale of the Weird West (The Ghost Marshal Chronicles Book 1) (Kindle Edition)
If you like westerns; ghost stories; good vs. evil; Wild Bill Hickok; Deadwod; St. Peter; nasty, evil villains; and strong, intelligent heroines and heroes, you should try this book. In addition to the various elements involved, Mr. Hamilton is an engaging writer and story teller. I hope for a sequel in the near future.
If you like westerns; ghost stories; good vs. evil; Wild Bill Hickok; Deadwod; St. Peter; nasty, evil villains; and strong, intelligent heroines and heroes, you should try this book. In addition to the various elements involved, Mr Hamilton is an engaging writer and story teller. I hope for a sequel in the near future.
I downloaded this book via Kindle Unlimited.
Merged review:
What a fun book!, June 11, 2016
This review is from: Ghost Marshal: A Tale of the Weird West (The Ghost Marshal Chronicles Book 1) (Kindle Edition)
If you like westerns; ghost stories; good vs. evil; Wild Bill Hickok; Deadwod; St. Peter; nasty, evil villains; and strong, intelligent heroines and heroes, you should try this book. In addition to the various elements involved, Mr. Hamilton is an engaging writer and story teller. I hope for a sequel in the near future.
July 19, 2022
While primarily a SciFi reader, I was encouraged to give this book a try- I would categorize as a a "western paranormal". It was a quick and enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to additional advnetures of the "jesse and Bill", the two protagonists!
December 1, 2022
Weird West
What an incredible experience this book was for me! Cowboys, outlaws, ghosts, and the supernatural. I highly recommend this book!
What an incredible experience this book was for me! Cowboys, outlaws, ghosts, and the supernatural. I highly recommend this book!
December 24, 2023
"Ghost Marshal: A Tale of the Weird West" by John C. Hamilton is a rip-roaring good time that takes readers on an unforgettable journey through the 19th-century rough-and-tumble mining community of Deadwood. It's a tale where bullets and brimstone meet, and the result is a story as hard-hitting as a six-shooter.
The story kicks off with a bang when Jessica Parker, our badass female protagonist, arrives in 1876 Deadwood, only to find her gold miner father brutally murdered. She's understandably upset about this, and she's not the type to sit around weeping into her handkerchief. Instead, the tragedy ignites a fire inside her, turning her from prairie wildflower to tough-as-nails gunslinger. Joined by the cantankerous ghost of Wild Bill Hickok, she confronts a murderous gang of outlaws, and the action never lets up.
The unlikely partnership between the spirit of Wild Bill and Jessie is a unique and captivating aspect of the story. It's like a meeting of two great minds, only with more gunfights. Their exchanges are laced with humor, which is as refreshing as a cool drink of water in the heat of a Deadwood summer. Bill's gruff exterior belies a softness that contrasts beautifully with Jessie's perceived frailty, a façade that crumbles to reveal a core tougher than granite, and a hell of a lot tougher than any gold nugget. The duo uncovers a conspiracy that leads them on a hell-raising adventure, complete with gunfights, Chinese sorcery, barroom brawls, and demons.
Hamilton's writing style is sharp and elegant, creating an atmosphere so palpable that you can almost smell the gunpowder and whiskey. I mean, all you have to do is read the first sentence, and you’re instantly there: "Death was in the air, like a stale breeze flowing from a crypt. It floated through the gold-rush town of Deadwood, filling everyone’s hearts with dread. Not that it was anything special. Death stalked the streets here every day. As long as you got out of the way, what was one more corpse." It's clear this isn't Hamilton's first rodeo; his research is thorough and his narrative style engaging.
In the end, the story did a marvelous job of resolving Jessie’s tragedy to her satisfaction while setting readers up for future adventures. I personally was left wanting to know more about the fate of Jessie's friend, Annie. But perhaps that's a tale for another day. Overall, Ghost Marshal is an exhilarating read, and I highly recommend it for anyone who loves a good Western with a weird twist. John C. Hamilton is a seasoned storyteller, with several writing awards notched on his proverbial pistol, and this book is another bullseye. He's created a world that leaves readers grinnin' like a weasel peekin' in a henhouse door, and I can't wait to see what's next in The Ghost Marshal Chronicles.
The story kicks off with a bang when Jessica Parker, our badass female protagonist, arrives in 1876 Deadwood, only to find her gold miner father brutally murdered. She's understandably upset about this, and she's not the type to sit around weeping into her handkerchief. Instead, the tragedy ignites a fire inside her, turning her from prairie wildflower to tough-as-nails gunslinger. Joined by the cantankerous ghost of Wild Bill Hickok, she confronts a murderous gang of outlaws, and the action never lets up.
The unlikely partnership between the spirit of Wild Bill and Jessie is a unique and captivating aspect of the story. It's like a meeting of two great minds, only with more gunfights. Their exchanges are laced with humor, which is as refreshing as a cool drink of water in the heat of a Deadwood summer. Bill's gruff exterior belies a softness that contrasts beautifully with Jessie's perceived frailty, a façade that crumbles to reveal a core tougher than granite, and a hell of a lot tougher than any gold nugget. The duo uncovers a conspiracy that leads them on a hell-raising adventure, complete with gunfights, Chinese sorcery, barroom brawls, and demons.
Hamilton's writing style is sharp and elegant, creating an atmosphere so palpable that you can almost smell the gunpowder and whiskey. I mean, all you have to do is read the first sentence, and you’re instantly there: "Death was in the air, like a stale breeze flowing from a crypt. It floated through the gold-rush town of Deadwood, filling everyone’s hearts with dread. Not that it was anything special. Death stalked the streets here every day. As long as you got out of the way, what was one more corpse." It's clear this isn't Hamilton's first rodeo; his research is thorough and his narrative style engaging.
In the end, the story did a marvelous job of resolving Jessie’s tragedy to her satisfaction while setting readers up for future adventures. I personally was left wanting to know more about the fate of Jessie's friend, Annie. But perhaps that's a tale for another day. Overall, Ghost Marshal is an exhilarating read, and I highly recommend it for anyone who loves a good Western with a weird twist. John C. Hamilton is a seasoned storyteller, with several writing awards notched on his proverbial pistol, and this book is another bullseye. He's created a world that leaves readers grinnin' like a weasel peekin' in a henhouse door, and I can't wait to see what's next in The Ghost Marshal Chronicles.
November 17, 2018
Ghost Marshal
By John C. Hamilton
Ravenfire Media of Eden Prairie, MN
ISBN 978-0-9828459-5-0
310 Pages
The western genre contains shoot-em-ups, bad guys, good guys, gold mines, saloons, and horses. Here in GHOST MARSHAL, add some spectral features (a la Stephen King) and a good touch of Asian folklore and you get a new, thrilling angle on the western genre. Drop the whole package in the middle of the era of Gold Fever in the Black Hills of South Dakota, and oh, what a tale for the reader!
Storyteller John Hamilton knits a yarn with all these elements to give the reader a fun, innovative story, set in the Old West. Meet Jessie, whose father is murdered over a gold mine. No shy wallflower, this lady! She can handle herself well among the nearly all-male population of Deadwood, as she confronts an unsavory sheriff, a judge of questionable morality, and the usual squad of bad guys. Her confidence is multiplied by a unique friendship with Wild Bill Hickok, who has just found himself in the form of a ghost, thanks to an attack from behind during a poker game. The two of them assist each other in surprising ways as they chase down their foes, bickering with each other all the way.
The bad guys? In addition to those already mentioned, there’s the leader of the Chinese population of the town, who derives certain talents from the dark side. There’s the henchmen who are willing (and very able) to take down whoever they are ordered to take down. All of them are quite nefarious – some downright fully evil. Add in some other characters (a down-on-her-luck lady of the evening and a mostly-blind storekeeper, for example) for some pathos and comedy.
Author John C. Hamilton blends all these characters in a story that keeps the reader active. Don’t expect much down time between episodes of action – confrontations in rainy cemeteries and smoke-filled saloons, ambushes in the dark streets of Deadwood and the deep caves of the gold mines – they’re all there, carefully and cleverly worded to give the reader the sensation that he is right in the middle of the fracas.
Pick up John C. Hamilton’s book GHOST MARSHAL for a creative, scary, funny, creepy gallop through a story in the Old West. It’ll make you wish you were sitting in a saloon, beer at the ready, keeping your eye on the drunk at the end of the bar and wondering about the eerie sounds coming from who knows where.
By John C. Hamilton
Ravenfire Media of Eden Prairie, MN
ISBN 978-0-9828459-5-0
310 Pages
The western genre contains shoot-em-ups, bad guys, good guys, gold mines, saloons, and horses. Here in GHOST MARSHAL, add some spectral features (a la Stephen King) and a good touch of Asian folklore and you get a new, thrilling angle on the western genre. Drop the whole package in the middle of the era of Gold Fever in the Black Hills of South Dakota, and oh, what a tale for the reader!
Storyteller John Hamilton knits a yarn with all these elements to give the reader a fun, innovative story, set in the Old West. Meet Jessie, whose father is murdered over a gold mine. No shy wallflower, this lady! She can handle herself well among the nearly all-male population of Deadwood, as she confronts an unsavory sheriff, a judge of questionable morality, and the usual squad of bad guys. Her confidence is multiplied by a unique friendship with Wild Bill Hickok, who has just found himself in the form of a ghost, thanks to an attack from behind during a poker game. The two of them assist each other in surprising ways as they chase down their foes, bickering with each other all the way.
The bad guys? In addition to those already mentioned, there’s the leader of the Chinese population of the town, who derives certain talents from the dark side. There’s the henchmen who are willing (and very able) to take down whoever they are ordered to take down. All of them are quite nefarious – some downright fully evil. Add in some other characters (a down-on-her-luck lady of the evening and a mostly-blind storekeeper, for example) for some pathos and comedy.
Author John C. Hamilton blends all these characters in a story that keeps the reader active. Don’t expect much down time between episodes of action – confrontations in rainy cemeteries and smoke-filled saloons, ambushes in the dark streets of Deadwood and the deep caves of the gold mines – they’re all there, carefully and cleverly worded to give the reader the sensation that he is right in the middle of the fracas.
Pick up John C. Hamilton’s book GHOST MARSHAL for a creative, scary, funny, creepy gallop through a story in the Old West. It’ll make you wish you were sitting in a saloon, beer at the ready, keeping your eye on the drunk at the end of the bar and wondering about the eerie sounds coming from who knows where.
May 17, 2016
This was an interesting twist on the Wild West with a very dishy Wild Bill turning up to help a young lady who is not to be messed with! This is not my usual fare as far as books go but I thoroughly enjoyed it and would definitely read more in the series. Exciting and quite a bit of fun.
October 30, 2019
What a fun read! I loved the blend of old west, supernatural, and the fierce protagonist determined to get vengeance for her father's murder.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews