The Gun That Wasn't There

by Russell Smith

The Gun That Wasn't There by retired Texas police chief Russell Smith, with an introduction by Elmer Kelton, meticulously outlines the true story of rural West Texas communities under attack by an armed criminal in the 1960s. At times graphic, this vivid true crime story is an unusually perceptive assessment of the criminal mind as told with the surprising empathetic voice of both survivors and victims of crime.

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 29, 2007

About the author

Russell Claude Smith is a Canadian writer and newspaper columnist. Smith's novels and short stories are mostly set in Toronto, where he lives.

Smith grew up in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He attended the Halifax Grammar School and Queen Elizabeth High School, and studied French literature at Queen's University, the University of Poitiers, and the University of Paris III. He has an MA in French from Queen's.

Russell Smith is one of Canada’s funniest and nastiest writers. His previous novels, including How Insensitive and Girl Crazy, are records of urban frenzy and exciting underworlds. He writes a provocative weekly column on the arts in the national Globe and Mail, and teaches in the MFA program at the University of Guelph. He hates folk music.

Reviews

[Chad3006 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an example of superb non-fiction. It reads like a novel, keeping the reader turning the pages, yet, it remains by all appearances steadfastly factual. When the author speculates on what characters did or must have thought, he explicitly states that it is speculation. None of this distracts from the flow of the story however, nor does the author fall into traps of prejudiced opinion, despite being a former police officer himself (the book is true-crime.) This book would be an interesting and engrossing read for anyone, not just those who live in the area the events took place.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Local crime story in West Texas 1960s.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! I recently moved into this area. I know some of the people and families named in this book. It is a great story and I can only imagine how these small west Texas communities looked and bustled about when they were in their hay day. The writer is spot on about the conditions and people. Currently, the west Texas communities discussed are declining and two of them are what one would refer to as ghost towns; bones of old buildings and only a hand-full reside full time on the ranches. The railroad residents are gone. The livestock auction yards are no-more. The only remaining industries are local government, school district and border patrol. It is truly a refreshing step-back in time!