This was a fun and engaging splatter Western read and I enjoyed it more than I expected. The characters are a hoot.

Spaltter western noir. A fresh entry into pulpy extreme horror. The layered persecutive had thought and care, keeping me unrested the whole read.

According to the publisher, Robert Essig's "Sing Me A Death Song" is the "latest stand alone entry in the wildly popular Splatter Western line". It is that - but it is so much more! I've read so much Western horror lately, but Essig's book is something else! Essig takes a small town horror story, a flawed main character, and a series of extremely spooky happenings, puts them in the Western blender, and comes up with the perfect splatter horror novella in western dress: you have supernatural adventure, curses, magic, psychics, graphic violence and gore, nasty gangs, loathsome psychopaths, some really good instances of dark humor, banter, and just the right amount of vulgarity, and lots of grim attitude, gruesome moral dilemmas, and gunfights! You can easily visualize the plot, and feel the desolation of the Wild West landscapes. And the ending... the brutality, oh man, the brutality! A must-read for all kinds of horror fans!

"Sing Me a Death Song" by Robert Essig is a gripping Western noir that plunges readers into a desolate landscape where violence, mystery, and a haunting melody intertwine. The story follows Blue Covington, a man returning to his family ranch, only to find it overrun by a brutal gang. As he delves deeper into the situation, he uncovers a sinister plot involving a trio of musicians who sing death songs, dooming their victims to a gruesome fate.

Essig's writing is vivid and atmospheric, painting a bleak picture of the American Southwest. The characters are complex and morally ambiguous, adding layers of intrigue to the narrative. Blue Covington, the reluctant hero, is a compelling figure, haunted by his past and driven by a thirst for justice. The villainous musicians, with their macabre talent, create a sense of dread and suspense that permeates the entire novel.

While the plot is engaging, the pacing can be uneven at times, with some slower sections that may detract from the overall momentum. Additionally, the resolution of the mystery could have been more satisfying, leaving some loose ends untied. Despite these minor flaws, "Sing Me a Death Song" is a well-crafted Western noir that offers a unique blend of violence, music, and suspense. It's a must-read for fans of the genre, particularly those who appreciate a dark and gritty tale.

(Rounded up from 2.5)

The premise and plotting of this bloody revenge tale are great. The novella starts with multiple storylines happening simultaneously that later join together for the final act, which isn’t something you see in this genre. The bloody violence isn’t overwhelming, but when it comes it doesn’t hold back. The action is a little bit of a mixed bag, not generally elaborated on and written in a somewhat direct and terse manner, but for some of the scenes that made it even more brutal feeling. I’d have liked to luxuriate in at least one action set-piece a little longer, but overall it worked, and was complemented by the gory aftermath. It is clear there is more to the characters than the stereotypes that they could easily fall into. Overall, it was a quick, fun read. If horror westerns are your jam then you will have a good time with this.

Unfortunately, it did leave me wanting a little more. Most of the exposition was blunt, much more “tell” instead of “show.” This was how our characters’ histories and emotions and everything were kind of filled in, with this exposition that didn’t ever really give the feel of what was going on. It felt like the kind of narration you might find in a short story, where space is limited and you want to get to other things quickly, but that made it feel out of place here. I would have liked it to be on display than in discussion. The characters were similar, in that there was discussion of their histories in such a way that they weren’t simple stereotypes, they had more to them, but you didn’t see very much of that, it was just mentioned. I appreciated the depth that was given to the characters but again it felt more explained to me than something I experienced in the course of the narrative. Finally, the dialogue didn’t really win me over. The language and vernacular of the time and place were well done, that felt natural, but a lot of the conversations felt a little stilted.


It is not a bad story, like I said the premise is fun, and the pace works well for the story being told. The way the story moves across different perspectives and different story threads was well done. It kept the story feeling like it was moving, and it was never boring. Some of the character and narrative work could have been a little bit elongated, to really rope me in and convince me to care for these characters, but I still had a fun time with this nasty little story.

I want to thank the author, the publisher Dead Sky Publishing | Death's Head Press, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thanks so much to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me this eARC in exchange for a review. Surprises await the reader as this is another excellent entry into Death's Head Press weird western or horror western series. It appears to be a slight departure from novel length works towards novella length works but I'm ok with that. This novella focuses on several well drawn characters, a plot filled with emotion and gore, and a satisfying ending. Readers will love this story. Highly recommended.

Dread and a feeling of darkness is the main thing I took with me from this book. I received a free eARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this opportunity.

"Sing Me A Death Song" by Robert Essig" is my first experience with the Splatter Western genre, and it’s perfect for Halloween reading!

The story centres on three haunting musicians whose eerie death songs have sent shivers through a local community. As fear spreads, some townsfolk try to flee, hoping to escape the deadly melodies, while others stay behind, clinging to pride or holding onto the belief that they might survive. Essig’s mix of horror and dark humour stands out, especially against the harsh and unforgiving landscapes of the American West, where bizarre and gruesome events unfold.

I found myself drawn into the themes of mortality, the ways people react under pressure, and the intense psychological toll of fear. The writing is captivating, and the story flows well, making it hard to put down. For my first foray into the Splatter Western genre, it’s an intense, unforgettable read!

The eerie coverage is indeed haunting!!!!!

Finally found a splatter western that I LOVED!!! Yay!!

This genre is so hard for me; I seem to have a love/hate relationship with most books that fall into this category.

Essig’s novel was brilliant though, full of supernatural events, gunfights, bounty hunters, and brutal murders.

“His screams came in ear-bleeding pitch, high and dripping with terror and pain.”

Blue’s received word that a band of marauders have taken over his mother’s ranch. As he sets out to get their land back, he finds the nearby town of La Plateau has its own troubles; a cursed band has taken up residence and brought a dark magic with them.

“News travels slow across countless miles of dusty plateaus and desolate hills.
Travels about as fast as a stagecoach can ride or a horse can gallop, that is if the rider doesn’t run into trouble on the way.
News dies then.”

Grab this book for its spectacular plot, imaginative and unique characters, and its captivating cover (by Luke Spooner).

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Dead Sky Publishing/Death’s Head Press for a copy.

Blue Covington, an established bounty hunter has caught wind that his family's ranch has been taken over in La Plateau.
A trio of musicians have been terrorizing the inhabitants of La Plateau with their death songs.
Blue returns to his hometown to settle things, with the help of his old lover Louise, who can read palms.

Fantastic read, and my first from Robert Essig. Won't be the last. Fast paced, violent and imaginative- all that I could want from a splatter western. Will be purchasing this book to add to my physical collection when it comes out.

Saddle up partners for this fantastic western horror novella which features gruesomely bloody kills, a revenge story, and black magic.

Blue is a bounty hunter with a reputation. When he finds out his momma's ranch has been taken over, he heads back home to reclaim it.

But his town has another problem. A group of traveling musicians with supernatural powers sing death songs each night. Whomever they sing it to is brutally killed in the night and it appears they can't die.

With a psychopathic group holed up at the ranch waiting to kill Blue, and this group of murderous musicians, Blue is headed back to more than he bargained for.

This story is going to place all these elements together and creates a horrifying, bloody, and (at times) heartfelt narrative which will keep you reading until the end.

The characters are ones you'll love and loathe and there's a palm reader who will play her part and really rounds this novella out wonderfully.

Filled with wild west vibes and teeming with atmosphere and dread, I can highly recommend this western horror.

I got this arc for review on netgally.
Might be 4.5 stars but definitely more of a 5 stars then a 4 stars.
I was intrigued with the synopsis and very quickly got invested in the story and it's characters even if a lot of them weren'tvery lukeable. It was gruesome in parts and the death songs very terrifying to think about. I really liked the book.