The Unkillable Frank Lightning is a genre bending delight. A completely original, lyrically written tale that reflects such diverse influences as Frankenstein, Pet Sematary, Whose Life is it Anyway, and so much more. A Gothic Horror-ish, Weird Western Tale that honors its influences while also serving to demystify certain aspects of same. Really good stuff!

The book follows Dr. Catherine Coldbridge, a former military doctor who dabbles in the occult, as she hunts down the "monster" she created twenty-five years prior when she brought her murdered husband back from the dead. Accompanying Catherine are two hired killers who expect to correct the mistake made all those years ago and dispatch the title character back to whatever Hell it escaped from.

Most of the story takes place in Texas in 1905, a time and place where the myth of the "Old West" is alive and well and celebrated as fact. The doctor's first person narration with its precise almost overly mannered phrasing captures the era well while adding a certain urgency and sense of authentic horror to the mission that she and her deadly companions are on.

The first half of the book is more reflective and thoughtful as Dr. Coldbridge ponders how she got to where she is and all she lost along the way. Although it does serve up a more literary classic-type of horror vibe at times I found that part of it to be a little too slow. At about the halfway point the story takes an interesting turn (not quite a twist but compelling nonetheless). That's when things really get moving and kick into high gear.

As soon as I realized that this book was written by the same author who wrote The Legend of Charlie Fish I knew I wanted to read it. I had no idea at the time that this book exists in the same world as Charlie Fish and has a couple of Easter egg callbacks (If you haven't read The Legend of Charlie Fish it's okay, The Unkillable Frank Lightning is not a direct sequel, if you have you'll be delighted).

BOTTOM LINE: I enjoyed this book an awful lot. It's slow in a couple of spots but overall it's a great story. Some of the best genre-bending fiction I've encountered in some time, it ranks right up there with the great Mojo storyteller Joe R. Lansdale.

This western retelling of Shelleys classic remains true to the original story while giving readers a breath of something new and exciting.
I didn't consider this a gory horror novel, but I would call it if anything a paranormal western cozy historical horror with some literary fiction. This book gives us the scary spooky western vibes that you get with a sprinkling of occult magic, western bars, spirit world, queer representation and a badass female main character Catherine. Catherine is a doctor, occultist and a widow in Texas in 1879. Catherine works her magic and brings her now dead husband back to life. But he is not the same Frank, and we all know bringing someone back from the dead, well, they are never really the same, are they?
Josh Roundtree does an outstanding job with memorable characters, great writing and grabs your attention from the start. I zipped through this book in just a few sittings, and you will not be disappointed. This book will be a definite purchase for me!

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I don't know quite how to describe this one. Take a gritty Western advenure where a woman is travelling with a pair of hired killers, determined to destroy her husband. Add in the fact that she's the one who pieced him together and resurrected him after he died in battle twenty-five years earlier and that he's performing with a Wild West Show, shot full of arrows at every performance to prove he's "unkillable." It's fast paced and bloody and absolutely entertaining and if you like horror movies and Westerns it's probably for you.

**Thank you NetGalley and Tachyon Publications for a digital ARC of this book.

I don't typically care for the "western" theme/genre. However, when I read that it was like a Wild West Frankenstein story, I was willing to give it a try. I am so very glad that I did!

This story follows Dr. Catherine Coolbridge. She's not your typical doctor. Catherine did extra studies that no typical doctor has. Her husband, Private Frank Humble, was killed during a Sioux attack. With the help of a friend of her husband's, Catherine visits the war site and discovers her husband's destroyed body. Using body parts from other deceased soldiers, she brings him back to life. Unfortunately, the resurrection did not go as planned and Frank goes on a killing spree then flees. Years later, she decides she must correct her failure and kill the monster she created. But when she runs into The Unkillable Frank Lightening, plans change. Follow along as all hell breaks loose!

The characters were well-developed and likable. It was fast-paced and well-written. It was quite a quick and easy read. It also had me hooked. I HAD to know what would happen next. It was an amazing adaptation of Frankenstein with a western twist and I 100% recommend this book to anybody who likes something a little different. Likes when 2 genres collide. And Josh Roundtree did an excellent job! I will be reading more of his work.

This story was absolutely both fun and dark. It was a clever take on the Marry Shelley classic with all the ingenuity of the original. Nothing about this felt old, but in doing so it kept the nostalgia.
I would love to see this as a movie.

The Unkillable Frank Lightning by Josh Rountree is an eerie, evocative blend of gothic horror and Western grit that grabs hold and doesn’t let go. Set between 1879 and 1905, the novel masterfully immerses you in two versions of the Old West—one soaked in dark magic and raw grief, the other steeped in dusty redemption and Wild West theatrics. Rountree’s atmospheric writing is transportive; you feel the scorched plains, the sting of regret, the rumble of hooves, and the quiet desperation clinging to each character. This isn’t just a Frankenstein retelling—it’s a story of loss, guilt, and identity with six-shooters and spells.

What sets this novel apart is its aching emotional core. Catherine Coldbridge isn't your typical heroine—she’s complicated, brilliant, and burdened with the consequences of resurrecting the man she loved. Frank, the “unkillable” gunslinger she creates, is more human than monster by the time their paths cross again. And that’s the haunting question at the center of it all: What would you do for love? And who has to pay for it? With unforgettable characters and themes of creation, consequence, and redemption, this is a slow-burning stunner that’ll stick with you long after the last page.

Fun weird western horror. The tale of Frankenstein and his monster is thrust into late nineteenth century Texas and replaced with Dr. Catherine Coldbridge and her husband, Frank. Shortly after their wedding Frank is killed quite brutally and Dr. Coldbridge swiftly takes action using magick she's learned in the past decade to resurrect her dude. The story switches between 1879 (the year of Frank's death and rebirth) and 1905 when Catherine has gone to destroy her honey bunny, assuming he's still the belligerent monster she saw emerge when he was first reanimated.

The characters are great. Catherine is complex and definitely fits into a morally gray space. There's also a queer love element that was quite endearing. Frank and the gang from the Wild West Revue end up being very dimensional which I hadn’t anticipated. I expected more of the typical tropes you find in westerns, but this is a period Rountree has dropped himself into fluidly and he clearly knows it well. The world building is fantastic and it was easy to envision the setting.

I loved the female doctor narrator circa 1879. Catherine’s memories of her time serving as a field medic were super interesting. There are a few tales I could imagine stemming from her time saving the lives of fallen soldiers so I’d love to see Rountree use her again. She’s also very well fleshed out. I could identify with her and she’s not the usual maniacal evil scientist you imagine a la Dr. Frankenstein. If weird, historical horror with preternatural vibes is your jam this is definitely recommended. I also appreciate how magick is used in the book. It’s featured but also not relied upon to the point where every plot hole is fixed with it. Very well done and not overpowering. All in all a solid read and Rountree is an author to watch.

Call it Frankenstein meets Unforgiven, and you wouldn’t be wrong. Josh Rountree’s The Unkillable Frank Lightning earns every bit of that comparison. There’s shootings and stabbings. Arrows flying, horses chasing, folks lit on fire. Drinking, swearing, conjuring. Kinda like a Hee-Haw after-party once the cameras have been put away. This genre-breaking read captures the dirty wild west and then turns it all crooked as if stylized in a Mike Mignola Hellboy comic. Rountree’s cooked up a bold entry in the historical horror game, and fans of either genre ought to take note: this one ain’t to be missed.

Set in the early 19-aughts, Dr. Catherine Coldbridge is searching for a hulking, killing brute of a man - if you can still call him that - going by the handle of Frank Lightning. Used to be Frank Humble, back when he was six feet under. But now he’s walking again, thanks to some lightning, spellwork, and a heart that refused to quit. Catherine aims to fix that mistake, once and for all.

Rountree plays with time, and memory, and the myths we tell ourselves to sleep at night. Although leaning much more into the fictitious world of the dark arts than Mary Shelley’s Romantic-era debut breached, Rountree incorporates questions on humanity, of rising above a beastial nature, and the complications of both overconfidence and true love. About individuality and acceptance and how damn easy it is to give way to the monster inside. Most of the story rides shotgun with Catherine, and through her we get the aching weight of pursuit, of regret, of not knowing if you’re the hunter or the haunted.

Catherine brings along hired killers - twin brothers - with mis-intentions of safety in numbers. Frank, she learns, is part of a Wild West Roadshow where he is considered family among the misfits. Throughout the story, prejudices arise. Rountree does his best to shatter such archaic, lazy thinking; timely stuff that unfortunately bears repeating.

The Unkillable Frank Lightning skewers more into magic than science but this ain’t no Harry Potter tomfoolery with wands and backwards-sounding names. This is Lovecraft by way of Robert E. Howard, with a side of Brian Keene apocalyptic-voodoo. The magic here is nasty and raw laced with gunsmoke and grave dirt. Both blood-heavy and booze-soaked. These are the kind of spells that come with a cost, and sometimes that cost is your soul… or someone else’s. Josh Rountree unearthed a grave and has invited you to jump on in.

The Unkillable Frank Lightning is a mighty attractive read. Can’t wait to see what Josh Rountree conjures up next.


Thank you, Kasey Lansdale at Tachyon Publications for the preview ARC and the introduction to Josh Rountree. Happy trails, indeed!

Cowboys, Frankenstein vibe, and magic

This was definitely a very different western book than I’ve read before. We have a cowboy version of Frankenstein or even a zombie brought back with the use of magic. I enjoyed the story line and the plot though it wasn’t anything remarkable for me. I feel the author is very descriptive and gave some decent gore which I also enjoyed but overall it fell a little short for me


*I received a free ARC from NetGalley*

I want to preface this by saying I'm a huge fan of this author's 'The Legend of Charlie Fish'.

'The Unkillable Frank Lightning' unfortunately did not work for me and I ended up DNF'ing it.

What I did enjoy was the writing style, and I was also very intrigued by the setup; a Frankenstein retelling set to the American West.

What didn't work for me are the following:
I thought the main character's experiences with mysogyny were heavyhanded. The subtleties of mysogynistic behaviour and the way it feels to be treated that way were missing from the page, in my opinion, which made it unrelatable to me as a woman.

I thought that the mystery of what had happened and its consequences were explained too early, and this tempered my curiosity. Personally I do not enjoy banter or cold, faked or forced relationship between characters. I see how this dynamic had its place in the story, but it took me out of it and make it hard for me to invest and care about the characters.

I'm sure there is an audience for this book, but this time it wasn't a fit for me. Thank you to Tachyon Publications and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this title.

Cozy thriller? Paranormal western? I enjoyed this writing style. It successfully made me as the reader feel like I was in a western novel. The author has a way with words that is calming even when describing a harrowing situation. Our main female character is insightful and matter of fact.

The vibes:
- occult magic
- raising from the dead
- horseback shootouts
- western bars
- field medicine
- female doctor not afraid of some good whiskey
- spirit world
- queer representation

I would not describe this as horror. I was never truly worried for the characters or tense while reading this. Which makes the cover feel misleading to me. It’s a great book but it’s more of a cozy horror or literary fiction. If you prefer not too scary spooky books and want some western vibes with spooky feels, this book is for you.

I expected this to be one of my favorites books of 2025, but it wasn't a fit for me. I gave up at 51%.
A doctor hires a pair of brothers to kill her husband who became a killer when she resurrected him from the dead.
At the outset, it was a fast, easy read. I liked the concept and the setup. It's an unusual and promising premise that caught me as soon as I saw the cover and description.

Strengths:
An ambitious, brave female main character who is over fifty
Old West setting
Supernatural elements
Doesn't glorify attacks against indigenous people

Distractions:
Pace lagged at times
Dual time lines undercut suspense
Disappointments in regard to the 'monster'

Unfortunately, I didn't become engaged with the book. I didn't feel much of anything for any of the characters. The ideas intrigued me, but it didn't satisfy my horror craving. Rounded up to three stars for the imaginative concept and appealing setting.
These things are a matter of taste. The author has appreciative fans and many readers find this book entertaining. I recommend checking it out to see if it's a fit for you.

Thank you, Tachyon Publications for the eARC for consideration. These are solely my own opinions.

With a pacing that is uneven this horror story is still interesting enough to make me want to keep on reading. A nice story with some horror in it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A stunning remix and reimagining of the Frankenstein story for the weird, wild west. Rountree has a gift for character and dialogue, and here he beautifully captures the eloquent vulgarity and brutal beauty of the romanticized American West.

What an exciting concept! This book started off very strong, and the writing is solid throughout. I was very engaged with Catherine's quest and looking forward to meeting the titular character. However, the middle and end of this book has a lot of plot packed in, and it almost felt like the setup in the first 40% or so was for a different story. I think I expected a bit more of a slow burn, and wasn't sure where it was going as it picked up, but on the other hand, wild west gunfights, cruel sheriffs, and feral magic are nothing to complain about. All in all, I really liked this book, but I would recommend it to someone who is looking for lots of excitement(in which case, the setup in the beginning may feel a little slow) rather than someone who wants a southern gothic about the implications of resurrection and eternal life. It's there, but it didn't feel like The Point. 3/5 for slightly inconsistent pacing and some unearned plot resolutions while being a fun ride overall.

This gave off a Frankenstein vibe and I loved it. She just wanted to save the one she loves but it went wrong. I do wish this book was longer but it is a wonderful palette cleanser between books.

Universal monsters in an off-kilter, but less romanticized version of the old west. It's a concept that shouldn't work, or at least should come off considerably more pulpy. Against all odds, Rountree has now written two books, in a shared universe no less, that pull this off admirably, even remarkably. Rountree infuses the Unkillable Frank Lightning with heaps of pathos, heart and humanity, and a pace that takes its time getting to the destination without ever growing boring. Sign me up for more of this world.

The Unkillable Frank Lightning is a riveting witchy weird western retelling of the Frankenstein story, with a sympathetic monster (whether we’re talking about the creator or creation) and a cast of characters straight out of the Wild West. Though action-packed, Frank Lightning is also full of heart and examines what it means to be human and to live a life.

Frankenstein in the American (weird) West. One minor complaint, the novel follows two timelines and neither has much action for the first third of the book, making it just a touch slow to start. But once the action starts there are bullets flying. A female doctor who also dabbles in the dark arts resurrects her late husband after he is killed in an encounter with a band of Indians. Unfortunately Frank comes back as a souless killing machine and the good doctor has to flee. The second timeline follows her decision to track Frank down and stop the monster. Of course it is no longer a simple solution.
I was very pleased when references to the authors first book (The Legend of Charlie Fish) started to appear.
Despite the slow start I will happily pick up the next book from Josh Rountree.

I’m having such a hard time trying to find how to properly review this book. I thought it was quite frankly (😌) incredible. it was emotional, and mesmerizing, and just overall Good. Josh Rountree’s writing is so so spectacular. every word felt like it was thought over and picked to be the best one.

A woman hires two killers—brothers—to help her set out on an unbeatable task, to kill her late husband. And the rest of this story was not at all the route I expected it to take. By the end, I was so emotionally attached to some of these characters I was in tears, and I haven’t cried over a book the way I did in awhile. Finding out that this takes place in an expanded universe has me so excited to pick up the others, knowing that Rountree pulled inspiration from folk takes and some universal monster movies for the rest of the stories he’s written.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for a review.