When one hears the term “the Old West” or “the Wild West”, several typical visions come to mind. Horses. Mountains. Vast expanses of desert. Saloons. Brothels. Dust. Tumbleweeds. Revolvers. But while this setting is fun and ruthless on its own, some writers enjoy adding an even darker twist to the genre. Hot Iron and Cold Blood: An Anthology of the Weird West by Patrick R. McDonough is a collection of short stories by those who decided to do just that. And with Halloween coming up, these tales are perfect for getting readers into the spooky holiday spirit.
With the Old Wild West as the backdrop, the writers featured in this collection have definitely pushed the envelope. Some of the stories are so outlandish, yet still horrific. They imagined what horrors might appear during this time, and how the townsfolk might react. What if the Old Wild West had it’s own Headless Horseman? Or a zombie-like illness spread amongst the town’s brothels? Or a werewolf that takes over a body that isn’t human?
Hot Iron and Cold Blood has a total of 17 short stories. Here are my favorites among them:
- Texas Macabre by Owl Goingback
- Soiled Doves by Vivian Kasley
- The Night of El Maldito by Ronald Kelly
- Rope and Limb by Jeff Strand
- Hungry by Jesse Allen Champion
I’ll also have to give credit to R. J. Joseph, who wrote the forward. She sets the tone for the collection and hints at what’s to come. And once you’re finished, McDonough wraps up each story for readers in the afterword at the end of the book.
Patrick R. McDonough and R. J. Joseph join us for a Cantina Conversation to talk about the genre and their selection process. Check out the interview on the Cantina Book Club Podcast and order Hot Iron and Cold Blood, available now.
