The Reading Bud

Book Blog by Heena Rathore-Pardeshi

Book Review: High Desert (PEOPLE MAKING DANGER) by Adam Fike

Book Details:

Author: Adam Fike
Release Date:
19 March, 2021
Series: PEOPLE MAKING DANGER
Genre: Crime Fiction, Western Fiction
Format: E-book 
Pages: 69 pages
Publisher: –
Blurb:
MUSCLE CAR WESTERN – Hanner only wants to tinker in his desert junk yard, fish for wrecks on the highway and forget his family legacy. A rotten Sheriff, fate and a vault full of organized crime loot have another idea.
Free samples at adamfike.com/books.
PEOPLE MAKING DANGER is a collection of quick, fun, three-act, feature-length stories, full of suspense, surprises and dark humor. All told in the present tense. Like reading a movie.

“What a HOOT… recommended to me by a friend… High Desert is a clean shot at life and crime in the mid-twentieth century… I haven’t laughed so much in years. I plan to start on The Quiet Ones and work my way through them all.”

– BookBub Review 

Review

Rating: 4 out of 5.

High Desert by Adam Fike is a gritty, cinematic slice of crime fiction that perfectly captures the raw, unpredictable energy of the American West. Adam Fike doesn’t just tell a story about a botched heist and the violent, eccentric characters surrounding it, he creates a living, breathing desert landscape where danger lurks behind every gas station, junkyard, and stretch of empty highway. The atmosphere is heavy with heat, dust, and tension, giving the story a visual quality that feels ready-made for the screen.

What makes this tale so compelling is the cast of flawed but unforgettable characters. From Hanner, the hardened junkyard owner with his own rules of survival, to small-time hustlers, con men, and corrupt lawmen, every interaction is laced with suspicion, wit, and the constant threat of betrayal. The dialogue is sharp and often darkly humorous, while the pacing keeps the narrative moving with the same relentlessness as a car engine roaring across desert roads.

Overall, High Desert is a meditation on survival, morality, and the blurred lines between law, outlaw, and everything in between. It’s grim, fast-paced, and at times unexpectedly funny, making it a standout entry in the People Making Danger collection.


You can also read this review at:

Goodreads


Amazon


I love reading your comments, so please go ahead…

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

I’m Heena

Welcome to The Reading Bud, my cosy corner of the internet dedicated to all things books and authors. Here, I invite you to join me on a journey of discovering under-represented books, independent and small press authors, and all things book with a touch of love and loud purrs. Let’s get Reading!

Book of the Month

Read this captivating story on the adventures and hardships of Frank Knightlite, a man who strives to illuminate darkness with his lantern in search of answers to life’s questions.
You can get it here.
October 2025
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  

Reading is like breathing to me.

Recent Posts

  • Author Interview: Stephen C. Pollock

    Welcome to TRB Lounge. Today, I’d like to welcome the author of Exits: Selected Poems—Stephen C. Pllock for an author interview with The Reading Bud in collaboration with Poetic Book Tours. About The Author Stephen C. Pollock is…

  • Book Review: Exits: Selected Poems by Stephen C. Pollock

    Book Details: Author: Stephen C. PollockRelease Date: 12th June 2023Series:Genre: Poetry, Non-FictionFormat: E-book Pages: 54Publisher: –Blurb:Every life is finite. Though circumstance and timing may vary, death remains the one inescapable attribute of the human condition. Awareness of this inevitability…

  • 5 Factors That Affect Property Valuation

    Property valuation is the process of determining the worth of a real estate property. This involves assessing various factors such as location, size, condition, and comparable sales in the area. Valuations are typically conducted by professional…

  • Book Review: Brothers and Strangers: A German-Iraqi Memoir by Junis Sultan

    Book Details: Author: Junis SultanRelease Date: 11th January 2022Series:Genre: Memoir, Non-FictionFormat: E-book Pages: 330Publisher: Brandylane Publishers, Inc.Blurb:Born in Mosul, Iraq, to a wealthy intercultural family, Junis Sultan’s happy, privileged childhood is abruptly cut short by the start of the…

  • Book Review: Carving Up Riley (Riley MacLeod Series # 1) by Paul Flanagan

    Book Details: Author: Paul FlanaganRelease Date: 27th March 2023Series: Riley MacLeod (Book #1)Genre: HumourFormat: E-book Pages: 78Publisher: –Blurb:Meet Riley MacLeod…loving husband…caring father…faithful friend…successful writer…and the world’s biggest idiot. Of course, in Riley’s insane mind he sees himself as the…