Safe Return Doubtful

Thompson is such a great writer that I sense he knew what he was doing when he wrote this. This is far from his best, and the sort of story that can be described as unpleasant, one that leaves a nasty taste in the mouth.
Thompson is good at writing strong female characters, rather than being preyed on they give as much as they take, and are even predators themselves.
But that isn’t the case here.

It’s sort of a western, set in Oklahoma. Rancher Ike King is an odious character, his household includes his sons Boz and Arlie, their Osage wives Kay and Joshie, and their grandchildren.
Old Ike runs his ranch with a firm and violent hand, step out of line and retribution is swift.
This was Thompson’s final novel, an intoxicating mix of cynicism, murder, theft, incest, sadomasochism, misogyny and racism.
Though his last novel in terms of its publication, 1973, it was written in 1954, but perhaps held back due to its language and the places where it goes.
The offensiveness in the book is quite intentional I believe. It’s a piece of writing born out of despair and frustration with the state that such communities are in. As a footnote explains, Thompson writes his own father, and his father’s uncle, into the story, as a Marshall and his Deputy. He goes on to say that it is a piece of fiction, but one wonders.
The book concludes with a sense of hope, but tellingly, this is very much for the whites only.

Goodreads score 3.55 / 5 – My score 3 / 5