Joel Williamsen

Barrelhouse Boys Joel Williamsen

It is 1894, and Nebraska's glittering state capital draws young Bud Gardner away from drought and poverty towards a precarious existence within his uncle's saloon, extended family and eccentric circle of bootleggers. But amidst the whores, oddballs, and shady characters of Lincoln's Haymarket district, Bud discovers Anna Marie, a fiery Czech girl-and the deadly forces that connect Chicago 's railroad strikes, Omaha's slaughterhouse riots, a grisly Lincoln train wreck, and a local black man that has "conveniently" been accused of causing it. Weaving together an intriguing storyline with the real historical events and luminaries of turn-of-the-century Lincoln, Nebraska, including John J. Pershing (commanding the Nebraska Corps of Cadets), Willa Cather (reporter for the State Journal), and Charles Dawes (lawyer and future Nobel Peace laureate), Barrelhouse Boys is a fictional romp through the gaslight era that shouldn't be missed. Nebraska Life Magazine: "Full of unexpected twists...vivid detail and lively dialogue. One inspired novel." Omaha World-Herald: "A fascinating event in Nebraska history...refreshingly readable...great historical facts and a likable hero...with mystery, romance, bigotry and riots." Lincoln Journal Star: "Rookie author Joel Williamsen creates an intriguing work of historical fiction. "The Barrelhouse Boys" is a mystery about a fatal Lincoln train wreck that might be connected to slaughterhouse riots in Omaha and railroad riots in Chicago. ... His interest in and extensive research of the history of his home state is evident in his first novel." Fremont Daily Tribune: "... Those who buy the book can see Williamsen's puzzle-solving and fact-ferreting skills. ... a puzzle -- an 1890s train wreck that remains a mystery ..."