Unfortunately, the things that I enjoyed about this book make a short list. As someone who reads a lot of historical fiction, I did appreciate that this novel is set during the WPA / New Deal post-Depression era which does not get a ton of coverage. I was engaged with the plot because we were visiting a unique and less frequently written about period. I think the mystery element of where his wife went and why kept me reading through my frustrations with the speed and lack of complexity of the plot and characters.

I'm disappointed that I that this book was 2/5 stars for me. I kept waiting for the plot to pick up and for me to get invested because this book sent me into a huge reading tailspin. I really struggled to pick this book up because I did not care. The plot moved incredibly slowly, and the characters are written in a way where they feel purposefully unknowable or likable. This novel is incredibly slow but without being character driven or having poetic writing, which for me usually compensates. Some moments felt overtly political - Florida and the people there are a wasteland, and the Supreme Court is a corrupt joke - and that took me even more out of the plot. Also, this feels like the gazillionth book I've read without quotations mark, is anyone using them anymore at this point? "What gives - they serve a purpose, let's use 'em guys," said the frustrated reader.

Charles Frazier's latest novel, The Trackers, tells the fascinating story of Val Welch, a young artist hired to paint a public mural as part of a New Deal art project. He travels to Dawes, Wyoming where he will create a mural for the new post office that depicts the local region. Set in Depression-era America, Val constantly encounters extremes in the character's he meets. He lives with a wealthy land owner and his beautiful wife and Val becomes entangled in their lives. Val goes on an unexpected journey that puts his life in jeopardy. Frazier's descriptive writing style brings his reader directly into the novel's plot and his fascinating characters will linger in the reader's thoughts. Although the title is simple, the complex story makes this a wonderful book to read.

The Trackers by Charles Frazier takes a fascinating WPA program during the Great Depression and gives it renewed recognition. Most readers, I suspect, will google the program to view the Post Office murals that still exist. Not only did it provide artists with much needed employment, but it also gave the American people a work of beauty and local pride. The main character is the artist assigned to create a mural for a small town in Wyoming. He is offered lodging at the ranch of an affluent couple. Unlike most books about the Depression, Frazier shows that there were still people at all income levels managing to get by as well as the downtrodden who lived in hobo and migrant camps. The main character quickly becomes involved in the messy romantic relationships of the rancher's wife along with some violent villains. This turn in the story wasn't to my liking because it just seemed too easy and too much drama. I had hoped for a story with the local townspeople that furthered my understanding of this time period. I do appreciate the reflections that Frazier made about women's lives during this time. Women could sacrifice their freedom for the security of marriage, or they could accept possible financial insecurity and threats to personal safety by being alone in the world. I enjoyed Frazier's writing style, and he can definitely tell a tale. I would read another book by him, and I think The Trackers will find plenty of fans.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

The narrator did a fantastic job with this story! His voices were always spot on and I could easily tell when a different character was talking. The story takes place during a time where the people in America were all struggling with finding work and surviving on the bare minimum. It reminded me a bit of On The Road, and I immensely enjoy Frazier’s writing style. He’s so descriptive you feel like you’re right there, experiencing it all for yourself. I definitely recommend this book if you like stories from the 1930’s or just enjoy great writing!

The writing is superb, although the lack of quotation marks takes some getting used to. He can slowly spin a yarn and has a deft hand at weaving in multiple themes. I was sad to see this one end, especially since the ending was purposely vague.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Val was a mural painter, hired to paint the wall of the Dawes County post office, located in the state of Wyoming. Valentine was given room and board in a town in Wyoming, where met rancher John Lang and his wife. Later, Eve disappeared and the rancher asked Val to track her down.
Unfortunately, I struggled with this book, I thought the writing was some of the most beautiful that I’ve ever read. I was able to visualize the places and the characters through the writer’s words. I listened to the novel via an audiobook and the narrator added to the novel. For me, the writing was five stars and the plot was three stars, and overall the novel was a four star novel.

I really wanted to like this book, but only made it about 10% through. Soooo many descriptions without enough plot plot to keep me going. Sorry.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ecco for an advanced copy for review. All opinions are my own.

A big fan of Frazier’s “Cold Mountain,” I jumped into “The Trackers” with much anticipation and wasn’t disappointed!

We follow Val, a Depression era painter sent to Wyoming on a WPA commission. There, he meets Long, a rancher with political ambitions, and his younger wife, Eve, a former singer. After Eve suddenly goes missing, Long sends Val out to find her - and the truth of her past.

The setting, language, time period of The Trackers was vivid and immersive, but I wish I had felt a little more connected to the characters. Still, great writing and I enjoyed the read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ecco for the advance copy of The Trackers.

The Trackers is really beautifully written, and was so pleased to see it stay true to the style that Charles Frazier really excels in demonstrating and pulling the reader into the setting immediately. So much thought and detail went into every sentence. Almost too much at times. I am a fast reader, and this book was pretty slow at times. There were parts that I felt were extraneous and could have been left out. The adventures along the way were entertaining and highlighted great characters, but I think there was a bit of detail, motivations, with the main characters. All that being said, it's a great look into Depression era experiences, both from the rich and poor perspectives.

“The Trackers,” by Charles Frazier, Ecco, 336 pages, April 11, 2023.

During the Depression, artists received New Deal commissions to paint murals in post offices and libraries. Painter Val Welch travels westward to Dawes, Wyoming, to paint a mural in the town’s new post office.

John Long, a wealthy art lover, and his wife. Eve, have agreed to host Val at their ranch. Eve used to sing with a cowboy band. Long thinks he will be picked to fill a future vacancy in the U.S. Senate. Faro, an older cowboy, is Long’s right hand.

The work goes well for a couple of months. Then one day, Eve flees home with a valuable Renoir painting. Long asks Val and Faro to go in opposite directions to find her. Val travels to San Francisco, Seattle and Florida. As his search for Eve continues, he soon turns up secrets that could mean changes for all of them.

Frazier paints an interesting picture of life in the west during the Depression, but “The Trackers” is a little slow in the middle. There is some violence. Eve’s reason for running came as a surprise, but the ending is satisfying.

This is Charles Frazier’s fifth novel. His first, “Cold Mountain,” won many awards, including the National Book Award, in 1997. That is my favorite of his books.

In accordance with FTC guidelines, the advance reader's edition of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Charles Frazier’s The Trackers is clanging all my bells and whistles with a dive into the Depression-era Works Progress Administration, a Yellowstone-ish ranch house complete with its own personal Rip Wheeler persona, a mysterious and independent heroine and plenty of noir atmosphere. I’d read it again and many more like it!

THE TRACKERS reads like a black and white 1930’s film, where the characters all have secrets and misdirection constitutes most of their pursuits. Author Charles Frazier has written a novel that could easily have cast the notable film actors of the era. The difficulty is that style of tale is melodramatic today; we like our characters today to be both more complex in motivation and more subtle in behavior. There is nothing wrong with this book it just feels altogether too familiar without any of the enjoyment that might engender. For lovers of noir films, this tale will delight. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

In his newest novel, Charles Frazier takes readers to depression-era Wyoming where a young man named Val Welch has been sent to paint a mural for the Post Office that represents the region.

Val is being hosted by wealthy landowner and art lover, John Long and his wife Eve. The three begin having dinner together and staying up late drinking and telling stories of the past. Eve led a fairly free life riding the rails and singing in western bands until she married Long.

As Val is nearing completion of his mural, Eve leaves home and Long enlists his help in trying to find her. It seems Eve has a somewhat shady past and Long needs to know if she was married and if her husband died or if he is still alive. Val ends up risking a lot to appease Long in finding Eve. There are several other stories at play that have an influence on the characters.

I found this to be somewhat of an odd story with odd characters, each of whom has a past that we may never fully know. I did enjoy Val’s journey to find Eve.

I liked the story and Frazier’s descriptive writing, but it was not my favorite of his novels. Readers who enjoy learning about the states and the depression-era life will enjoy this novel.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Ecco for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to recommend this to readers and offer my honest review.

Master storyteller Charles Frazier, author of his famous Cold Mountain, returns with his fifth novel, a gripping historical adventurous story, THE TRACKERS. Set during the Great Depression era, America features a young artist on a New Deal assignment to paint a new post office mural in a small Wyoming town that turns into a mysterious road trip across the country.

Set in rural Dawes, Wyoming, and ventures through Florida, Washington, and to the West to California.

THE TRACKERS is a stunning new novel that paints a vivid portrait of life in the Great Depression while following the story of a painter recruited to chase down missing artwork and the woman who fled.

It is 1937, The Great Depression: featuring a 27-year-old Virginia artist, Valentine Welch (Val), sent by the federal government to paint an uplifting mural on a wall for the new post office.

With the assignment comes free room and board with John Long, a wealthy rancher, and his younger wife, Eve—a former cross-country band boho singer. Once he arrives, he learns the ranch is filled with drama and intrigue.

Main Characters:

~Val Welch, the visiting artist, is at loose ends after his fiancée elopes with another man hired to paint a post office mural.
~John Long, an aspiring senator and avid art collector, has agreed to host Val at his sprawling ranch.
~Eve Long, John's wife, a teenage hobo turned Western swing band singer.
~Faro, Long’s right-hand man, a ranch hand. An ageless cowboy rumored to have fought alongside Billy the Kid.

Val spends his days painting and nights drinking and talking with Long and Eve until she disappears with a valuable Renoir painting from her husband’s collection.

John wants Val to find Eve, and he becomes a tracker. He puts the PO project on hold for a road trip across the country to find Eve. John, once a WWI sniper, aspires to become a Senator, and rumor has it Eve had a first husband, Jake, and they may not be divorced.

For Val, there are complex personal entanglements from envy, admiration, and resentment of John and the fact he is attracted to Eve. So Val hits the road pursuing a mysterious woman, a stolen painting, and an idea of his future.

Eve's character is quite enigmatic, especially for a woman in this era. Her personality is influenced by the Depression, after leaving home during high school from a poor family. From hitchhiking to hopping freight trains while seeking work. She is a SURVIVOR. But when she feels threatened or caged, she runs.

Val uncovers many SECRETS. Eve's character takes center stage along with Vals. Fargo is another fun character adding to the triangle. He is an older, cynical mysterious ranch hand/cowboy (think Yellowstone), who works on John's ranch—a perfect example of the old frontier West.

A CLASSIC! THE TRACKERS tells a powerful story of everyday people during an extraordinary period of history that will resonate with our current time.

I thoroughly enjoyed the "story behind the story" by Frazier and the inspiration behind the book, and how this story came to light, you can find it here on his website. As with his previous books, it started with a photo.

A lyrical literary fiction, full of action, and vivid descriptions, infused with history and well-developed characters —a coming-of-age story of Val as he explores the land from the South, east, West, and north. There are struggles in Depression-era America and class/financial divides. From the crash, and the years after, from despair to hope in this dynamic story of American history.

How does it mirror our own?
LITERARY HUB INTERVIEW: "Charles Frazier on How the Past Converses With the Present. Jane Ciabattari Talks to the Author of The Trackers "

JC: ” While working on The Trackers, did you find ways in which that period in American history mirrors our own? Were you motivated and energized by this resemblance?

FRAZIER: "I didn’t start out looking for similarities between then and now, but the farther I went in my reading the more the similarities became impossible to ignore—issues like racial and economic inequality, fractured and fractious politics, the environmental disaster of the Dust Bowl, the threatening rise of fascism around the world, the deeply political Supreme Court. I’d say I was more energized than motivated by the similarities."


As a NC native near Asheville, where the author is from, a big fan of his writing! Frazier fans will enjoy this one! Highly recommend.

Thanks to #Ecco via #NetGalley for a gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review. #CoverCrush Also purchased the hardcover copy.

Blog Review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: April 11, 2023
April 2023 Must-Read Books

It is hard to believe that it has been 25 years since I read Charles Frazier's Cold Mountain. I fell in love with his writing style, and he once again enamored me in this new novel, The Trackers.

The time is 1937. America is still in the throes of depression and President Franklin D. Roosevelt has started the "New Deal". Valentine "Val" Welch is an artist whose former professor helped him procure a WPA job painting a mural inside the post office of Dawes, Wyoming. The mural is to be called "The Trackers". He stays with a wealthy rancher, John Long, who has ambitions of becoming a U.S. Senator. Long is married to the much younger, Eve, who had lived a transient life. Another resident of the ranch is the mysterious Faro, who had served with Long during World War I. Val quickly becomes entangled in the Longs' lives. When Eve mysteriously disappears, John hires Val to track her down.

This historical fiction beautifully displays a portrait of America. While traveling coast-to-coast, Val experiences an incredibly bumpy airplane ride on a prop plane, a visit to a Hooverville camp for the homeless, backwood people who are quick to resort to violence, politicians who care more about status than relationships, smoky old bars, and cowboys full of interesting tales.

John Long and his wife Eve, host Val (Valentine Welch) who has been commissioned to paint a mural representing the region for their new Post Office. John is a WWI sniper and wealthy art lover who with political aspirations and his wife, Eve, had a past riding the rails and singing in a band. They have a hired man named Faro who is a real cowboy. Soon Val becomes a part of their lives talking about art and life. When Eve takes off with one of John's prized and valuable paintings, John asks Val to track her down.

Thus begins the journey....

Charles Frazier can write, and his vivid descriptions put readers right in the midst of the story along with his characters. He depicts a time in the past, showing people and their ways of life. I had high hopes for this book but like the other books I have read by him (except Cold Mountain) this was a solid three stars for me. I enjoy his writing and yet there was just that little bit of something that was missing for me to feel more connected to the characters and their story.

The Trackers is the story of Val, a Depression era artist who is lucky enough to land a WPA commission to paint a mural in the post office of small town Dawes, Wyoming. A wealthy rancher named Long and his wife Eve agree to host him for the duration. But when the rancher's wife disappears, along with one of her husband's Renoirs, Long hires Val to track her down. (The title refers not only to the name of the mural Val is painting, but also to the efforts required to find Eve.) My favorite character is Faro, the old ranch hand with flexible morals, who does what he believes to be just, and not what the law stipulates.

I loved the idea of it. The setting is beautiful. Frazier has a way of setting the scene that I really enjoy. I found the pacing to be very slow. I felt like it took me forever to read this book. The description and dialogue were great but it wasn't enough to keep me invested in the story. I kept waiting or the payoff.

I just had so much trouble trying to get into this book. In the end, I just couldn’t connect with the characters or the writing style. Is anything so wrong with correct punctuation and quotation marks? There was no flow. Maybe that was the point. Maybe we were supposed to feel unbalanced and abrupt. Maybe it was meant to invoke the Depression Era darkness. It didn’t work for me. I was really disappointed.

Sadly, I couldn't catch the rhythm of this one. I'm abandoning it. The dialog was odd, led by a dash rather than quotation marks, and I had trouble following it. It felt almost "stream of consciousness," and I couldn't get into the story.

Thanks, NetGalley and Ecco, for the Digital Review Copy. Unfortunately, it wasn't a good fit for me.