'Bandit Heaven' Review: Is This the End of Tom Clavin's Wild West Chronicles?

BANDIT HEAVEN

The Hole-in-the-Wall Gangs 

And the Final Chapter of the Wild West

by Tom Clavin

St. Martin's Press, 2024

★★★★★

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 billed as the "final chapter of the Wild West" on its cover. However, it makes me wonder, is this truly Tom Clavin's last book about the Wild West? Given his extensive writing on the subject, I wouldn't be surprised if he discovers another fascinating 1800s topic that inspires him to pen yet another volume.

I usually avoid reading reviews or opinions about a book before I share my thoughts, but I made an exception for Bandit Heaven. I came across one reader who complained that Clavin's writing felt formulaic and that his research was outdated. Honestly, it seems like this reader might have a bit of an inflated ego or an envy issue. I wouldn't label Clavin's work as formulaic. He writes historical nonfiction in a way that’s accessible to all readers, regardless of their background. As for the claim about outdated research, I don’t think that’s entirely justified. He indeed skimmed over some history, and I suspect that’s because the publisher wanted to keep the book under 300 pages. Calvin takes on multiple outlaws; he probably had to select the content to create engaging chapters carefully.

The book touches on various infamous figures from the Wild West, including Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid, Kid Curry, and Thomas "Black Jack" Ketchum. Clavin also delves into the role of the Pinkertons and their hunt for those unwilling to leave their life of crime behind. The book features some black-and-white photos midway through that were enjoyable to browse, offering us a captivating glimpse into the lives of these outlaws.

Overall, I found Bandit Heaven enjoyable for what it is: a concise exploration of outlaws from the 1880s to the 1890s. It’s fast-paced; I breezed through the pages and relished every moment. I even picked up a few new insights about these Wild West outlaws that I hadn’t known before.

⁓B.J. Burgess