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Tom Marsh Adventure #1
Hangtown Creek: A Tale of the California Gold Rush
The majestic landscapes of Brett Harte's California unite with Larry McMurtry's epic old west realism in an explosion of love, lust, murder and betrayal that comes to a powerful climax along a beautiful stream, home to the largest strike in the mines, where a burning barn ignites the passion of a gold rush boomtown and, in one dark night of revenge, earns that stream the name it bears to this day—HANGTOWN CREEK.
- GenresWesterns
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 4, 2011
145 people are currently reading
37 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
July 24, 2016
Review Rating: Five Stars
"A Western Story To Thrill You"
This is a western novel about what we refer to as the Wild West. It is about the Gold Rush Days of 1849 in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. It reflects the rush of perhaps a thousand or more people to this area to mine or pan for gold. They go through hard times to get there only to live in camps, tents, often with little food. The saloons were first housed in tents for those men who found gold to trade it for whiskey or gambling. It's a dangerous time for Thomas Marsh and his three boys, as well as a woman identified as Jack's Indian woman, dressed in deerskin. Jack is the owner of a saloon and is cruel to the woman who runs away with the help of Joshua Stone and Eban Snyder. This novel defines the way of life during those days, it's fast moving, provocative, and the characters are well defined. Oh, and there is romance here, too. Enjoy your trip back to those days of Boom-towns.
"A Western Story To Thrill You"
This is a western novel about what we refer to as the Wild West. It is about the Gold Rush Days of 1849 in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. It reflects the rush of perhaps a thousand or more people to this area to mine or pan for gold. They go through hard times to get there only to live in camps, tents, often with little food. The saloons were first housed in tents for those men who found gold to trade it for whiskey or gambling. It's a dangerous time for Thomas Marsh and his three boys, as well as a woman identified as Jack's Indian woman, dressed in deerskin. Jack is the owner of a saloon and is cruel to the woman who runs away with the help of Joshua Stone and Eban Snyder. This novel defines the way of life during those days, it's fast moving, provocative, and the characters are well defined. Oh, and there is romance here, too. Enjoy your trip back to those days of Boom-towns.
October 3, 2016
It is the antebellum western exploration period of American expansion with settlers heading over the Rockies towards the California territory obtained in the Mexican-American War. A cholera ailing woman, left to die next to her already dead husband and son, is rescued from a broken down wagon on a rugged trail by a hearty mountain man, who then sells her upon her recovery to a crooked mobile saloon keeper, who sets up his crooked tent at new fledging mining camps, seeking gold after news of its discovery at the Sutter Mill. After the death of his mother, young Tom Marsh is helping his Pa and older brothers keep up a fledgling farm in the central valley, when Pa informs them that he has sold the farm to pay off a debt and will be taking his boys north near the Sutter Mill to seek the newly discovered gold. Old Army buddies, Joshua and Eban, have followed gold rumors to a mining camp that appears to be a cunning decoy from the real gold locations, drawing hopeful seekers to a crooked gambling operation in the tented saloon. However, Joshua and Eban disrupt the crooked game and wind up rescuing the saloon keeper’s imprisoned woman. Yet as the three of them head further north to the actual gold locations, they are followed by the vengeful saloon keeper and the mountain man out to take back the woman. Fate will bring all of these characters together next to the gold-filled, creek-fed canyons, where both opportunity and death will clash. Well-versed in the history and ruggedness of the California Gold Rush, which led to eventual statehood for California, the author has created a suspenseful, dramatic, and rough-hewn fictional tale that demonstrates the mix of courage, strength, and evil that arose in the settlement rush in the Sierras of the Golden State. There were a few moments that might have felt a bit of a stretch, but nothing that did not detract from this old-Western style tale.
July 24, 2016
I recommend this book.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a really good book. I really could not put it down. You want to see what happens next Tom went through a lot more than any boy should have to go through. But he became a man in the process. I can,t wait to read more about young Tom. I really hope this will be a series on Tom. I will read everyone I can get my hands on.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a really good book. I really could not put it down. You want to see what happens next Tom went through a lot more than any boy should have to go through. But he became a man in the process. I can,t wait to read more about young Tom. I really hope this will be a series on Tom. I will read everyone I can get my hands on.
July 1, 2016
An Action-Packed Tale of Good & Pure Evil
It's very unusual that a spell-binding frontier novel this well-written is an author's first! Few seasoned writers are so gifted to graphically portray the villains and decent folks so well. A most enjoyable experience worth the reading time.
It's very unusual that a spell-binding frontier novel this well-written is an author's first! Few seasoned writers are so gifted to graphically portray the villains and decent folks so well. A most enjoyable experience worth the reading time.
October 25, 2016
A rip-roaring tale that made me anticipate reading time each night. I'd never read a western before this one and I'm so glad that I decided to try the genre. Wonderful story and characters I grew to love. A recommended read!
March 6, 2017
Don't miss
if you like westerns, with a little bit of history thrown in, you'll enjoy this. A well written adventure, looking forward to the next one and hoping there's many more.
Really, don't miss this one, I'm glad I didn't.
if you like westerns, with a little bit of history thrown in, you'll enjoy this. A well written adventure, looking forward to the next one and hoping there's many more.
Really, don't miss this one, I'm glad I didn't.
May 16, 2022
There are a couple of unrelated people who come together. Two really bad men are after a women who has fortunately escaped with the help of two men who are heading for the gold mines. A young boy loses his two brothers after they also lost their home. He actually saw who the killers were-bit his Dad wants him to stay out of it. When his 2nd brother is killed his Dad takes to drinking very heavily. The boy really tries to take care of him. With the help of a card sharp he is able to get a job in the saloon. When his Dad ultimately dies--he is again helped by the card sharp and lands a jpb with the two men who saved the woman.
There is a lot going on and at the end there is a very happy ending! (But not for the bad guys!!)
There is a lot going on and at the end there is a very happy ending! (But not for the bad guys!!)
September 3, 2019
Good story, frightening at times with some characters to stay well clear of. I was interesting because we had a gold rush in Australia too, but they don't tell these stories. It makes you wonder just what went on here too. But like everywhere they only tell the historical tales they want you to hear, so it was useful to hear and imagine it through a storytellers eyes. Recommended
November 8, 2017
Four star.
This is the first book that I have read by this author and I was pleasantly surprised. It probably won't be my last.
This is the first book that I have read by this author and I was pleasantly surprised. It probably won't be my last.
June 2, 2018
Great novel about the old west. Easy to read and a great story.
June 23, 2020
First of a few really enjoyed the beginning now to crack on with the rest
August 3, 2020
Good book
Read all of the books in order to really enjoy. Storyline continues to grow and develop. Characters are realistic and get better and better.
Read all of the books in order to really enjoy. Storyline continues to grow and develop. Characters are realistic and get better and better.
September 20, 2023
An intriguing well-written tale. Keeps you wanting to know what happens next. John Rose Putnam knows how to spin a story that hold your interest. Highly recoomended.
June 7, 2016
In this epic saga, John Rose Putnam paints a real and gritty picture of life in the Gold Rush era through the stories of each of his characters. A red-haired woman, her husband and son dead from cholera; two army veterans; a widowed man and three sons; three ruthless killers - all of them heading for California. Their quests make for a gripping tale.
My reading tastes are eclectic, and a good book will keep me up late at night, reading when I should be asleep. That was definitely the case with Hangtown Creek. Putnam drew me into the world of gold panning, saloons, traveling by horseback, and much more with his excellent storytelling, filled with memorable characters, vivid description, and historical detail. I'll be reading more books by this talented author.
My reading tastes are eclectic, and a good book will keep me up late at night, reading when I should be asleep. That was definitely the case with Hangtown Creek. Putnam drew me into the world of gold panning, saloons, traveling by horseback, and much more with his excellent storytelling, filled with memorable characters, vivid description, and historical detail. I'll be reading more books by this talented author.
January 22, 2017
I bought Hangtown Creek months before I began reading the story because I have a fascination with gold shows and was intrigued by the cover and title. I thought I’d love this book about the California gold rush. I was not disappointed.
The story was good, the characters were good and the setting was realistic. John wove an interesting story of several groups of people and how their paths crossed, resulting in murder, mayhem, riches, and finally love. The story was suspenseful and riveting. It also touches your emotions as any good book should. Well done John. Not just for men. You ladies will enjoy it as well. Look John up on Amazon.
The story was good, the characters were good and the setting was realistic. John wove an interesting story of several groups of people and how their paths crossed, resulting in murder, mayhem, riches, and finally love. The story was suspenseful and riveting. It also touches your emotions as any good book should. Well done John. Not just for men. You ladies will enjoy it as well. Look John up on Amazon.
April 10, 2016
Not only does the author know his history, but he does a great job bringing his characters to life in this fantastic journey back in time to the California Gold Rush days. As readers follow along in the search for gold they will find many more stories behind the scenes and will feel like they just took a journey back in time. John Rose Putnam knows how to make the past come alive in a page turning adventure readers are going to love
April 10, 2016
Not only does the author know his history, but he does a great job bringing his characters to life in this fantastic journey back in time to the California Gold Rush days. As readers follow along in the search for gold they will find many more stories behind the scenes and will feel like they just took a journey back in time. John Rose Putnam knows how to make the past come alive in a page turning adventure readers are going to love
March 12, 2022
Not only does the author know his history, but he does a great job bringing his characters to life in this fantastic journey back in time to the California Gold Rush days. As readers follow along in the search for gold they will find many more stories behind the scenes and will feel like they just took a journey back in time. John Rose Putnam knows how to make the past come alive in a page turning adventure readers are going to love.
March 14, 2019
A JRP. Western Adventure (TMAB - 1)/Sutters Mill, the Area Around Sitters Mill/ Sacramento/Gold Rush
JRP. has. penned the first no do of the Tom Marsh series, which begins when a father and his three sons well everything and head for the gold fields. Finding good was possible, but improbable and the three son went into the freight business. The story has many characters and in some areas reads like a history lesson. This is an excellent read for the genre......DEHS
JRP. has. penned the first no do of the Tom Marsh series, which begins when a father and his three sons well everything and head for the gold fields. Finding good was possible, but improbable and the three son went into the freight business. The story has many characters and in some areas reads like a history lesson. This is an excellent read for the genre......DEHS
October 25, 2016
A rip-roaring tale that made me anticipate reading time each night. I'd never read a western before this one and I'm so glad that I decided to try the genre. Wonderful story and characters I grew to love. A recommended read!
October 25, 2016
A rip-roaring tale that made me anticipate reading time each night. I'd never read a western before this one and I'm so glad that I decided to try the genre. Wonderful story and characters I grew to love. A recommended read!
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews