What do you think?
Rate this book
A Montana sheriff and a seventeen-year-old boy acting as an amateur detective hunt for clues to the identity of a sniper
Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1973
95 people are currently reading
134 people want to read
About the author
A.B. Guthrie Jr.
52 books115 followersAlfred Bertram Guthrie, Jr. was an American novelist, screenwriter, historian, and literary historian who won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction during 1950 for his novel The Way West.
After working 22 years as a news reporter and editor for the Lexington Leader, Guthrie wrote his first novel.
Ηe was able to quit his reporting job after the publication of the novels The Big Sky and The Way West (1950 Pulitzer Prize).
Guthrie died during 1991, at age 90, at his ranch near Choteau.
(Source - Wikipedia)
After working 22 years as a news reporter and editor for the Lexington Leader, Guthrie wrote his first novel.
Ηe was able to quit his reporting job after the publication of the novels The Big Sky and The Way West (1950 Pulitzer Prize).
Guthrie died during 1991, at age 90, at his ranch near Choteau.
(Source - Wikipedia)
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
August 19, 2015
Wild Pitch
A. B. Guthrie
A Sheriff Chick Charleston Mystery Book 1
What a refreshing and sometimes amusing read. I had the kindle version. It's not a very long story so I just took my kindle with me and listened straight through. It's a nice clean read sutable for YA.
The story is set in the small Montana town of Midbury, Pop. 1,500. The Sheriff's territory includes the county also. Midbury has the usual assortment of townsfolk. The town drunk, Old Doc Yak, the sweet little old lady,Mrs. Jenkins, and the town's telephone operator, Mabel. To name just a few. I figured the setting was somewhere in the 1950's or 40's.
Jason (Jase) Beard tells the tail from his point of view. Jase is seventeen and relates events and he sees and interperates them. Jase always has his baseball with him and his dream is to pitch in the major leagues. He hangs around the Sheriff's office, in the summer, and does odd jobs for Sheriff Charleston.
Chick Charleston is sort of a Longmier, Andy Taylor, mix with an unknown past. He is easy going and doesn't carry a gun. When a well known and disliked citizen is shot he takes Jase with him to invistigate and take notes. The case goes slowley and then there is another murder. Are the two murders related? I'm not telling.
I liked the book cover it gave a good impression of the sheriff. The characters were fun and it was easy to like most of them. I liked the way Jase told the story. Some of his deductions were right on others were a bit off. But he is only seventeen, with limited experience.
There are more books in the series and I intend to read all of them.
A. B. Guthrie
A Sheriff Chick Charleston Mystery Book 1
What a refreshing and sometimes amusing read. I had the kindle version. It's not a very long story so I just took my kindle with me and listened straight through. It's a nice clean read sutable for YA.
The story is set in the small Montana town of Midbury, Pop. 1,500. The Sheriff's territory includes the county also. Midbury has the usual assortment of townsfolk. The town drunk, Old Doc Yak, the sweet little old lady,Mrs. Jenkins, and the town's telephone operator, Mabel. To name just a few. I figured the setting was somewhere in the 1950's or 40's.
Jason (Jase) Beard tells the tail from his point of view. Jase is seventeen and relates events and he sees and interperates them. Jase always has his baseball with him and his dream is to pitch in the major leagues. He hangs around the Sheriff's office, in the summer, and does odd jobs for Sheriff Charleston.
Chick Charleston is sort of a Longmier, Andy Taylor, mix with an unknown past. He is easy going and doesn't carry a gun. When a well known and disliked citizen is shot he takes Jase with him to invistigate and take notes. The case goes slowley and then there is another murder. Are the two murders related? I'm not telling.
I liked the book cover it gave a good impression of the sheriff. The characters were fun and it was easy to like most of them. I liked the way Jase told the story. Some of his deductions were right on others were a bit off. But he is only seventeen, with limited experience.
There are more books in the series and I intend to read all of them.
July 12, 2015
The author developed an interesting plot for a murder mystery, had some intriguing characters for the book; but the story fizzled. The location is a western small town, sometime in the twentieth century, but the speech patterns and dialogue did not match the time period. Unless the author wants us to believe this is a town full of illiterates? I found this to be very distracting and was unable to enjoy the book.
August 13, 2017
A "modern Western", taking place in the 1970s or so, in a small town in Montana. Interesting characters, well-fleshed, a plausible story-line and satisfactory conclusion, all told in the voice of Sheriff Chick Charleston's 17-year old volunteer deputy, who pitches for the town baseball team (hence the title). No complaints here!
August 24, 2017
First rate
Mr Guthrie is one of the best. This novel is no exception. Characters that come to life, intelligent humor and a solid and satisfying story line. Montana's own, A. B. never fails to entertain.
Mr Guthrie is one of the best. This novel is no exception. Characters that come to life, intelligent humor and a solid and satisfying story line. Montana's own, A. B. never fails to entertain.
February 13, 2019
This book was published in 1971, but it feels more like the 50's though no date is mentioned. Set in Montana, it recalls a time when the West was no longer wild but wasn't fully civilized either. I lived in Tempe (Phoenix area) Arizona then; I can remember real cowboys, sheep herds coming right through the middle of town, and Gypsies in colorful horse and mule drawn wagons. Small town America, Western style. Guthrie does a fine job evoking that time and place. The mystery is a pretty good one, though there are a few tropes thrown in like the witness who tries to blackmail the killer. There are interesting and well drawn characters who are indeed characters. Every town has them and if you're from a small town you'll probably recognize one or two. A couple small side plots help develop the small town atmosphere. All round a good yarn of a far off time and nearly forgotten place. I reckon you'd enjoy it.
January 4, 2021
More like 2.5 stars. Likable characters, good narrative voice. Like other reviewers have mentioned, it's really hard to determine the time setting-which goes to show how slowly things change in the West. It feels like the 50-60s, but then there is a mention of computers, so who knows.
Some bad language and innuendo.
Some bad language and innuendo.
Read
February 28, 2020The idea of a murder mystery set in rural Montana greatly appealed to me, but there was just way, way too much language and innuendo for me to really enjoy it. Aside from that it wasn't bad for a mystery, though I did have some slight issues with the explanation of the culprit's "motive."
August 10, 2020
I liked this much more than I did his autobiographical Blue Hen's Chick. Liked the story. Liked the characters. The state system has copies of more in the series, and if it ever gets back to the point where we can request things again, I hope to follow up with the series.
March 22, 2018
"Wild Pitch" A B Guthrie
Modern western small town sheriff and murder as told by the Sheriffs teenage friend. Fair read kinda unusual want be reading anymore of these books.
Modern western small town sheriff and murder as told by the Sheriffs teenage friend. Fair read kinda unusual want be reading anymore of these books.
Read
December 16, 2019I liked this book because I like murder mysteries in general. I like how Bud uses names that he knows to make up characters in the story. Overall I like this book.
February 26, 2025
Entertaining
The vernacular.
Small town common sense.
The way the characters viewed their surroundings.
People who are reading for hidden jewels will be glad they picked it.
The vernacular.
Small town common sense.
The way the characters viewed their surroundings.
People who are reading for hidden jewels will be glad they picked it.
December 29, 2016
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 3.5 of 5
When we typically think of 'western' fiction, we're imagining cowboy and wandering soldiers in the 1800's, exploring a vast, largely unexplored wilderness west of the Mississippi River. A.B. Guthrie Jr.'s Wild Pitch is less a western than it is a mystery set in the American Southwest.
I was not aware of the time frame until I ran across in which someone was "led out to his car, which was his own (not the county’s) and brought him maybe enough money in mileage for operation and maintenance." Huh? Someone drives a gas-fueled automobile in the old west? Oh...so it ISN'T the old west... It definitely took me a bit to overcome this expectation.
Sheriff Chick Charleston is a quiet man working in a remote wilderness setting, so when a local curmudgeon is shot during a nighttime picnic, it's business as 'unusual' for him. Buster Hogue has no shortage of people who would want to see him dead, so Chick's list of suspects is plenty long, even for such a small community.
The story is told from the viewpoint of seventeen-year-old Jason Beard who works part-time for Chick. It's a really interesting concept and allows for some unique observations and theories that, coming from a young man, aren't always accurate.
I was reminded of Sheriff Longmire (a series I only recently discovered), though Chick appears a little more laid back than Longmire.
The mystery is nicely developed and the cast of characters from this rural Montana location is quite colorful (and yet most of us can recognize familiar people here). The relationship of mentor/student between Chick and Jason is really fascinating and is what makes me want to read more in this series.
Given Longmire's popularity this is a good time to reissue this older series and I hope it will be enjoyed by a new generation of readers.
Looking for a good book? Wild Pitch, by A.B. Guthrie, Jr., is the first book in a modern western mystery series and should be enjoyed by fans of both mysteries and westerns.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
When we typically think of 'western' fiction, we're imagining cowboy and wandering soldiers in the 1800's, exploring a vast, largely unexplored wilderness west of the Mississippi River. A.B. Guthrie Jr.'s Wild Pitch is less a western than it is a mystery set in the American Southwest.
I was not aware of the time frame until I ran across in which someone was "led out to his car, which was his own (not the county’s) and brought him maybe enough money in mileage for operation and maintenance." Huh? Someone drives a gas-fueled automobile in the old west? Oh...so it ISN'T the old west... It definitely took me a bit to overcome this expectation.
Sheriff Chick Charleston is a quiet man working in a remote wilderness setting, so when a local curmudgeon is shot during a nighttime picnic, it's business as 'unusual' for him. Buster Hogue has no shortage of people who would want to see him dead, so Chick's list of suspects is plenty long, even for such a small community.
The story is told from the viewpoint of seventeen-year-old Jason Beard who works part-time for Chick. It's a really interesting concept and allows for some unique observations and theories that, coming from a young man, aren't always accurate.
I was reminded of Sheriff Longmire (a series I only recently discovered), though Chick appears a little more laid back than Longmire.
The mystery is nicely developed and the cast of characters from this rural Montana location is quite colorful (and yet most of us can recognize familiar people here). The relationship of mentor/student between Chick and Jason is really fascinating and is what makes me want to read more in this series.
Given Longmire's popularity this is a good time to reissue this older series and I hope it will be enjoyed by a new generation of readers.
Looking for a good book? Wild Pitch, by A.B. Guthrie, Jr., is the first book in a modern western mystery series and should be enjoyed by fans of both mysteries and westerns.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
May 26, 2015
Buster Houge is an ornery old man, but while none of his neighbors hate him no one really wants to kill him. At least that is what everyone says. There is only one problem: someone shot Buster in the head at a nighttime picnic. Now it is up to Sheriff Chick Charleston to find out who that person is. The Sheriff is a man with an interesting past, but he is not accustomed to hunting a murderer. When the murderer strikes again the stakes are raised. Will Charleston be able to prevent another murder? None of the locals seem like the kind of people who would become a sniper, but one of them must be. Is it one of the old timers in the area? Is it the retired Geology professor? Perhaps it is the Psychiatrist? No one seems to have an idea.
Wild Pitch is an engaging mystery with a western setting that takes place sometime in the middle of the 20th century. The narrator is Jason Beard, a 17 year old who helps the Sheriff out with odd jobs and hopes to become a major league baseball pitcher one day. Through Jason’s eyes we are able to get a glimpse of the interesting characters who live around the small town of Midbury, Montana. Guthrie is writing more than a mystery in this novel. He gives us a glimpse into the life of a small, rural town in the West. There is the elderly widow who sings hymns everywhere she goes. There is the town drunk, the old doctor, all of the classic characters you would expect. Guthrie’s style is light and humorous. Thanks to OpenRoad Media this novel, and the others in the Chick Charleston series are now available in ebook format. Let’s hope that a whole new generation will be able to discover these enjoyable gems from the Western genre. I know that I enjoyed it and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the books in the series.
Wild Pitch is an engaging mystery with a western setting that takes place sometime in the middle of the 20th century. The narrator is Jason Beard, a 17 year old who helps the Sheriff out with odd jobs and hopes to become a major league baseball pitcher one day. Through Jason’s eyes we are able to get a glimpse of the interesting characters who live around the small town of Midbury, Montana. Guthrie is writing more than a mystery in this novel. He gives us a glimpse into the life of a small, rural town in the West. There is the elderly widow who sings hymns everywhere she goes. There is the town drunk, the old doctor, all of the classic characters you would expect. Guthrie’s style is light and humorous. Thanks to OpenRoad Media this novel, and the others in the Chick Charleston series are now available in ebook format. Let’s hope that a whole new generation will be able to discover these enjoyable gems from the Western genre. I know that I enjoyed it and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the books in the series.
April 8, 2021
The jacket blurb of my copy talks about how Guthrie wanted to step away from the more serious Western genre of his previous books to take a break with a light-hearted mystery, and that's exactly what Wild Pitch is. Throughout, I kept thinking of Guthrie as an older PGA pro taking a break from the Masters by spending time at a local 9 hole course. He's not playing at his career best but he's still better than most on the course.
Guthrie clearly is having fun with writing more colorful characters (most of whom have alliterative names: Charleston, Phillip Phillips, etc.) that would seem out of place in his earlier, more serious work. There are descriptive segments that do rival The Way West but these are fleeting as for the most part, this is a simple story told in a simple manner by an author just having fun.
Guthrie clearly is having fun with writing more colorful characters (most of whom have alliterative names: Charleston, Phillip Phillips, etc.) that would seem out of place in his earlier, more serious work. There are descriptive segments that do rival The Way West but these are fleeting as for the most part, this is a simple story told in a simple manner by an author just having fun.
January 12, 2011
This is a wonderfully written mystery which takes place during the '70s in the foothills of Montana. Guthrie has a very engaging way with words. The story is told from the point of view of a seventeen year old almost deputy who is the sidekick of a small town Chick Charleston. There are two murders to solve in an area where this is an unknown happening. This is accomplished with humor, nice pace and an occasional poetic turn of phrase by Pulitzer Prize winner Guthrie. I want to read more from this author. I see he wrote one mystery in the early '40s ,also with a western theme which I will try to get a hold of.
September 3, 2016
Western Mystery that takes place in a small town in Montana, where the sheriff doesn't wear his gun, and solves two murders committed with the same weapon. With the help of his teenage helper, who is also the narrator of the tale, they compile the clues and flush out what the sheriff describes as an "invisible skunk." Witty story telling as the plot thickens.
July 27, 2015
One of Guthries later novels, an interesting murder mystery in a small Montana town. The sheriff who is the protagonist lead character is reminiscent of a James Garner character,(Nichols?) in one of his later TV shows. A fun read without all the politics of an Arkady Renko story...
August 30, 2016
Remember enjoying this when I read it back in the 80s.
Want to read
February 28, 2019Synopsis: when a man disliked by everyone is shot at the town picnic, it's up to Sheriff Chick Charlson to catch the killer.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews