Nothing Short of Dying: A Clyde Barr Novel (1)

Hailed as a "mega-adrenalized page turner" by Jonathan Kellerman and praised by The New York Times Book Review for its “tough-as-they-come hero [brought to life by] a first-time novelist who really knows how to handle himself,” Nothing Short of Dying imagines a lethal high-plains drifter in the modern West racing to rescue his sister from an army of killers.

Sixteen years. That’s how long Clyde Barr has been away from Colorado’s thick forests, alpine deserts, and craggy peaks, running from a past filled with haunting memories. But now he’s back, having roamed across three continents as a hunter, adventurer, soldier of fortune, and most recently, unjustly imprisoned convict. But once again, his past is reaching out to claim him.

By the light of a flickering campfire, Clyde receives a frantic phone call from his sister Jen. She has just pleaded with him to come rescue her when the line goes dead. Clyde doesn’t know how much time he has, or where Jen is located, or even who has her. All he knows is that nothing short of dying will stop him from saving her. Joining Clyde in his against-all-odds quest is a young woman named Allie whose motivations for running this gauntlet are fascinatingly complex. As the duo races against time to save Jen, it is Allie who gets Clyde to see what he has become and what he can still be.

Vivid with the hues and scents of Colorado’s backcountry—and thought provoking in its exploration of how past, present, and future collide to test resolve—Nothing Short of Dying is “a nerve-wracking, nail-biting roller coaster" (Washington Times), a propulsive, action-driven race against the clock.