By Zach Dunkin
One might think it would be a stretch for novelist Larry D. Sweazy to switch from writing award-winning Westerns to writing mysteries. Not so, says the longtime Noblesville resident.
“Most all of my Westerns have really been mysteries or thrillers,” Sweazy said. “Plus, there’s usually a law enforcement element and a crime in most Westerns, so the progression from one genre to the other was a natural evolution for me.”
With its release set for Jan. 5, Sweazy’s “A Thousand Falling Crows” (Seventh Street Books) sees the author returning to a favorite subject, the Texas Rangers, the brave souls of his award-winning Josiah Wolfe, Texas Ranger Western series.
But instead of being set in the 1870s Wild West, this story takes place in the Depression Era 1930s, when gangsters like Bonnie and Clyde resorted to robbing banks to make a living.
“What I really wanted to explore was the vacuum Bonnie and Clyde left behind and the desperation of the Great Depression and Dust Bowl,” Sweazy said. “It all serves as a backdrop to my main character, Sonny Burton, as he finds a new way of living after losing his job and his right arm.”
This is Sweazy’s 11th published novel since 2009. His writing has won several awards, including the Western Writers of America Spur Award for Best Short Story of 2005 and Best Paperback Western Novel of 2013. He also won the Will Rogers Medallion Award in 2011 and 2012, and was honored with the Best Book of Indiana in 2011 for his Josiah Wolfe, Texas Ranger Western series.
“When you think about it, Westerns have involved and now reach into the 21st Century,” he said. “Look at TV shows like ‘Justified’ and ‘Longmire.’ Those are modern-day Westerns. I hope this book falls into that category as well.”
Book signings
Author Larry D. Sweazy will have a pair of book signings at Barnes and Noble Booksellers. From 5 to 8 p.m., Jan. 5, he will be at the Noblesville location at 17090 Mercantile Blvd. From 1 to 4 p.m. Jan. 9, he will be at 8645 River Crossing Blvd., Indianapolis. For more, or to purchase his books, visit www.larrydsweazy.com.
