Bandit Heaven - by Tom Clavin

About the Book

"From multiple New York Times bestselling author Tom Clavin comes the thrilling true story of the most infamous hangout for bandits, thieves and murderers of all time-and the lawmen tasked with rooting them out. Robbers Roost, Brown's Hole, and Hole in the Wall were three hideouts that collectively were known to outlaws as "Bandit Heaven." During the 1880s and '90s these remote locations in Wyoming and Utah harbored hundreds of train and bank robbers, horse and cattle thieves, the occasional killer, and anyone else with a price on his head. Clavin's Bandit Heaven is the entertaining story of these tumultuous times and the colorful characters who rode the Outlaw Trail through the frigid mountain passes and throat-parching deserts that connected the three hideouts-well-guarded enclaves no sensible lawman would enter. There are the "star" residents like gregarious Butch Cassidy and his mostly silent sidekick the Sundance Kid, and an array of fascinating supporting players like the cold-blooded Kid Curry, the gang leader, and "Black Jack" Ketchum (who had the dubious distinction of being decapitated during a hanging), among others. Most of the hard-riding action takes place in the mid- to late-1890s when Bandit Heaven came to be one of the few safe places left as the law closed in on the dwindling number of active outlaws. Most were dead by the beginning of the 20th century, gunned down by a galvanized law-enforcement system seeking rewards and glory. Ultimately, only Cassidy and Sundance escaped . . . to meet their fate 6000 miles away, becoming legends when they died in a fusillade of lead. Bandit Heaven is a thrilling read, filled with action, indelible characters, and some poignance for the true end of the Wild West outlaw"--

Book Synopsis

From multiple New York Times bestselling author Tom Clavin comes the thrilling true story of the most infamous hangout for bandits, thieves and murderers of all time--and the lawmen tasked with rooting them out.

Robbers Roost, Brown's Hole, and Hole-in-the-Wall were three hideouts that collectively were known to outlaws as "Bandit Heaven." During the 1880s and '90s these remote locations in Wyoming and Utah harbored hundreds of train and bank robbers, horse and cattle thieves, the occasional killer, and anyone else with a price on his head.

Clavin's Bandit Heaven is the entertaining story of these tumultuous times and the colorful characters who rode the Outlaw Trail through the frigid mountain passes and throat-parching deserts that connected the three hideouts--well-guarded enclaves no sensible lawman would enter. There are the "star" residents like gregarious Butch Cassidy and his mostly silent sidekick the Sundance Kid, and an array of fascinating supporting players like the cold-blooded Kid Curry, and "Black Jack" Ketchum (who had the dubious distinction of being decapitated during a hanging), among others.

Most of the hard-riding action takes place in the mid- to late-1890s when Bandit Heaven came to be one of the few safe places left as the law closed in on the dwindling number of active outlaws. Most were dead by the beginning of the 20th century, gunned down by a galvanized law-enforcement system seeking rewards and glory. Ultimately, only Cassidy and Sundance escaped . . . to meet their fate 6000 miles away, becoming legends when they died in a fusillade of lead.

Bandit Heaven is a thrilling read, filled with action, indelible characters, and some poignance for the true end of the Wild West outlaw.

Review Quotes

Praise for Bandit Heaven:

"Rather than provide shades of gray, Clavin -- a best-selling author of World War II and Wild West histories -- renders the good, the bad and the ugly." --The New York Times

"The entire cowboy-outlaw era, which reached its climax in 1897 and ended around 1905, comes vividly alive in this kaleidoscopic work ... countless other instances of robbing, stealing and retribution, are woven splendidly into this rousing saga of the closing years of the outlaw epoch of the American West." --Wall Street Journal

"[T]he true stories Clavin recounts -- and Bandit Heaven often reads like a series of enthralling yarns -- are based in deep research." --LA Times

"The book is chockablock full of history and well-told tales that make it a fun read." --The Minnesota Star Tribune

"Everything you need in a true crime story is here, as author Tom Clavin makes the Wild West seem a little wilder ... told along with Clavin's wry sense of humor in unexpected places." --Terri Schlichenmeyer, book columnist

"You like the Old West? Tom Clavin is your man ... [he] knows the territory well." --Parade

"Bandit Heaven is a thrilling account of Wild West crime and adventure ... Clavin's vivid depictions make this book a must-read for history buffs and fans of the Wild West alike." --Shari Stauch for The Post and Courier

"Clavin's Western history ... places the action in the larger context of social change." --Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

TOM CLAVIN is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and has worked as a newspaper editor, magazine writer, TV and radio commentator, and a reporter for The New York Times. He has received awards from the Society of Professional Journalists, Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, and National Newspaper Association. His books include the bestselling Frontier Lawmen trilogy―Wild Bill, Dodge City, and Tombstone―and Blood and Treasure, The Last Hill, and Throne of Grace with Bob Drury. He lives in Sag Harbor, NY.