Al’s Book Blog- Pale Horse Coming by Stephen Hunter

Stephen Hunter is most noted for his Bobby Lee Swagger character. His novel Point of Impact was made into the movie Shooter. In Pale Horse Coming we get to meet his Dad, Arkansas Police Sgt Earl Swagger. He's as tough and honest as his son. When Earl goes looking for a missing friend he stumbles into a private hell, Thebes State Penal Farm in Mississippi. It's as bad as you can imagine and Swagger barely gets out alive. His escape is one of the most haunting chapters in the book. Swagger swears he will return to Thebes, free the men trapped there and shut it down. He recruits violent men to combat the evil men running the prison farm.

Pale Horse Coming is a very well written book but not for the faint of heart. It's graphic, earthy, and violent. If you're a fan of Dave Robicheaux from James Lee Burke I think you'll like the Swaggers. But be careful, Hunter has written a lot of books. If you like one you'll find yourself like me reading more of them.