Salvation - by C William Langsfeld (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Tom Horak has just murdered his best friend, Rust Hawkins. Morris Green, the town's Lutheran pastor, is experiencing a profound crisis of faith, questioning the very existence of God. And Marshal Thomlison, the local peace officer looking forward to retirement, is now thrown into the middle of a murder investigation. Following his violent act, Tom retreats to a cabin in the hills, remembering the events of his hardscrabble childhood--a rural upbringing on a ranch with a distant mother and abusive father. Rust Hawkins's son is taken in by Pastor Green, since the boy has nowhere else to go. Thomlison's murder investigation acts as a kind of Greek chorus commenting on the various threads of this moving novel: What could cause a man to commit such a violent act? What does this isolated community owe to one another? Can Tom find the peace he is searching for, even with blood on his hands? Can Pastor Green discover enough faith in our human condition to help Rust's orphaned son, and can their growing bond perhaps offer the family life that each is sorely lacking?"-- Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

Set against the Rocky Mountains, this emotionally charged Western noir explores themes of fathers and sons, men and masculinity, and religion and spirituality through the lens of an unimaginable act--one best friend murdering the other

"Langsfeld's writing hits like a brushfire: sparks that seem harmless quickly burn you alive. It is searing and direct and quite possibly a perfect voice for our world." --Dane Bahr, author of Stag

A small rural Colorado town is in a state of crisis at the height of winter. Tom Horak has just murdered his best friend, Rust Hawkins. Morris Green, the town's Lutheran pastor, is experiencing a profound crisis of faith, questioning the very existence of God. And Marshal Thomlison, the local peace officer looking forward to retirement, is now thrown into the middle of a murder investigation.

Following his violent act, Tom retreats to a cabin in the hills, remembering the events of his hardscrabble childhood--a rural upbringing on a ranch with a distant mother and abusive father.

Rust Hawkins's son is taken in by Pastor Green, since the boy has nowhere else to go. Thomlison's murder investigation acts as a kind of Greek chorus commenting on the various threads of this moving novel: What could cause a man to commit such a violent act? What does this isolated community owe to one another? Can Tom find the peace he is searching for, even with blood on his hands? Can Pastor Green discover enough faith in our human condition to help Rust's orphaned son, and can their growing bond perhaps offer the family life that each is sorely lacking?

Salvation is a stunning debut novel that tackles big themes with moving prose and a propulsive plot set against the grand and sometimes foreboding natural beauty of the Rocky Mountain West.

Review Quotes

Named a Most Anticipated Book of the Year by Los Angeles Times, The Orange County Register, Cowboys & Indians Magazine, Debutiful, & CrimeReads

"Langsfeld, who lives in Western Colorado, writes with bone-deep knowledge of his setting. He paints a portrait of collective isolation, of the ways in which men turn inward rather than reckoning with their deepest selves." --Sarah Weinman, The New York Times

"There are echoes here of Thornton Wilder's The Eighth Day . . . and also of John Updike's In the Beauty of the Lilies . . . I like thrillers that work a little theology into the plot: the mysteries of a crime--not just whodunit, but a whydunit--can throw a little light on the mysteries of creation and existence." --Tom Zoellner, Los Angeles Times

"This novel shows how intergenerational violence often leads to just more violence, killing more than friendship and family ties . . . Much of the dialogue is in the realistically gruff, sparse cadence of rugged individuals, punctuated by shrugs and jarringly interspersed with unexpected discussions on the afterlife or the value of forgiveness, lending a surprising depth to these often inarticulate characters . . . 3 stars (out of 4)." --Kathleen Lance, The Denver Post

"There's a Cormac McCarthy quality to this novel . . . It is a powerful book, at once easy to read and yet troubling. But that's okay: Salvation seems to be meant to trouble its readers, and we're suggesting it's well worth the trouble if you'd like to ponder the themes of guilt, forgiveness, and grace." --Jon M. Sweeney, Spirituality and Practice

"[P]ulse-pounding . . . Like all great crime thrillers, Salvation offers plenty of atmosphere, style, and suspense. But the real magic of C. William Langsfeld's debut is the depth he brings to the story, because beneath the crime sits a layered exploration of fatherhood, faith, and the possibility for redemption." --Michael Welch, Chicago Review of Books

"Yellowstone meets Paul Schrader in this examination of faith and sin." --Paul Wilner, Alta

"We need more Rocky Mountain literature in the world and Langsfeld invites readers into a very specific kind of life in the mountain region." --Adam Vitcavage, Debutiful

"Langsfeld handles the difficult material with a delicate hand, telling a compelling story of survival and violence." --Dwyer Murphy, CrimeReads

"In different ways, all of the characters struggle with unanswerable questions concerning belief, family, community, and violence. So powerful is the language and reflection in this, Coloradan Langsfeld's first novel, the plot is secondary . . . Steeped in existential despair, this stripped-down novel at its best rises to the level of roots masters Michael Farris Smith, Tom Franklin, and Brian Panowich--great company for a writer who will only get better. A haunting fait accompli captured by a strong new voice in Western noir." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Elegiac . . . Like the novels of Tom Franklin and Willy Vlautin, Langsfeld's meditative noir sanctifies lives steeped in pain and regret, yet still lit by the faint possibility of a brighter tomorrow. It's an auspicious first outing." --Publishers Weekly

"Atmospheric . . . The Rocky Mountain West setting adds to the tension, the landscape serving almost as its own character in the story. Readers can feel the harsh beauty of the natural world in Langsfeld's writing . . . Fans of brooding western noir in particular will enjoy this book." --Booklist

"Langsfeld delivers a stark, lyrical meditation on fathers and sons and the dwindling chances of redemption in this impressive debut . . . [T]his is a potent and philosophical query into the nature of salvation and how different it is for each person searching for it. This debut opens a door into the hearts of men traumatized by their fathers and the ways violence perpetuates itself, despite redemption's proximity." --Library Journal

"Our Western lands, beautiful and remote, often become the keepers of our souls. Yet it is our friends and families that redeem us. C. William Langsfeld's taut, righteous, gripping novel reminds us how hard love in a magnificent place can be--and how essential. This debut novel is a beautiful story that cuts deep." --Alyson Hagy, author of Scribe

"Langsfeld's writing hits like a brushfire: sparks seemingly harmless then quickly burns you alive. It is searing and direct and quite possibly a perfect voice for our world." --Dane Bahr, author of Stag

"In Langsfeld's debut, we find a gut-punch of a novel that explores exactly what the title presents: salvation. In a complicated and dark world, redemption is forged by carving our own path, seeking our own justice. With a voice all its own, this novel is gracefully written and also extraordinarily riveting. One of those books you can't put down--and you're a bit sad when it ends." --Laura Pritchett, author of Stars Go Blue

"Salvation by Cosmo Langsfeld reflects both the hard edges of life in the Colorado high country and the gentle side of small town life. Langsfelds's prose arrives like a snowstorm, each sentence accumulating into a deep and inescapable story. This is a story of the American West readers want from an author with the background to tell it." --Arvin Ramgoolam, a 2022 MacDowell Fellow and co-founder of the Mountain Words Literary Festival

About the Author

C. WILLIAM LANGSFELD lives in a small town on Colorado's Western Slope.