This book was captivating. For such an incredible story wrapped up in legend and lore, the author does a meticulous job of parsing out what may have truly taken place. I found the whole thing fascinating. I appreciated the effort spent to contextualize the events in the broader history of the time and I learned a great deal. Dane Huckelbridge was a great narrator. I absolutely recommend the audiobook experience. With Hucklebridge's friendly inflection I felt like I was being told a 'tall tale' by a relative or friend. I don't often have this much fun with a non-fiction/biography. Thank you NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult/HarperAudio for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

captivating and thoroughly researched account that brings to life a truly extraordinary and overlooked historical figure. Huckelbridge’s writing is sharp, engaging, and infused with just the right amount of wit, making the book both informative and entertaining.

I understand that authors will use the world and the people around the titular person to show how they were shaped, how they came to be. This book doesn't feel like it took this approached. For a large portion of the book it is more about other people and then Belle gets mentioned like she is also here. The book does focus more on her later on in the book. There are a lot of what ifs and maybes. For a book that is supposed to be a presented as fact it tends to read more as historical fiction. The author's "connection" feels out of place and an excuse to add some pages. There was also some langue used to describes the people that feels unnecessary, like differentiating the indigenous people by an European idea of civilized.

I was promised a biography of interesting woman of the wild west. I was left with more of a history of the clash of the indigenous population and the people forcing them off their land.

A fascinating book about a lesser known historical figure from the Wild West. This book details what is known of Belle Starr's life from birth to death, and where the facts are scanty, it offers potential options based on logical conclusions from existing information and historic context. Well written and well read, I learned a lot from this book.

In Queen of All Mayhem, Huckelbridge takes on the task of bringing some truth to the myth of Belle Starr. I loved the start of this book - leading with a literal bang with Belle's death at the hands of someone who remains a mystery, on ground that Belle felt safe enough on not to have her guns with her. The story then starts at the beginning and wends its way through Belle's life from the upperclass, to a prairie outlaw, Cherokee wife, and mother. I am impressed by the amount of research done by Huckelbridge, and also the way that he states clearly when something can't be proven or is supposition, even when at times this leads to multiple ways to look at something when you'd love a definitive answer. Biographies are already tough, but one on a woman in the age when women were practically dismissed as furniture (even in the case of a badass like Belle) is quite an undertaking. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Myra Maybelle and her brothers, the outlaws that helped make her Belle, Cole and Jim, and learning how she evolved into a Cherokee outlaw with her husbands Sam and Jim. Thank you to HarperAudio and NetGalley for the early listen in exchange for my honest opinion.