Book Review: Sunset Blood
Authors: Wade Peterson & David W. Wright
Genre: Horror Western / Vampire Thriller
Rating: ★★★★☆

Review:

Sunset Blood is a genre-blending adrenaline shot to the chest—a blood-soaked, bullet-riddled Western that pits outlaws and lawmen against an ancient vampire threat. Co-authors Wade Peterson and David W. Wright deliver a tight, visceral tale that hits the gas early and never lets up.

The plot kicks off with a classic setup: the notorious “Wild Six” gang robs a stagecoach and unwittingly releases Lord Braga, an undead horror sealed away in a sun-scorched valley. What follows is an uneasy alliance between Sheriff Jedidiah Scott and outlaw Cal “Trigger” Jones, who must bury their personal vendettas to survive something far worse than each other.

Peterson and Wright do an impressive job marrying the grim tone of a spaghetti Western with the supernatural dread of vampire horror. The dusty, desolate landscape becomes a crucible for rising tension, drenched in heat, blood, and desperation. The authors don’t rely on cheap scares or shallow tropes—instead, they ratchet up the suspense through claustrophobic settings, shifting alliances, and brutal, well-paced action.

The character work is a highlight. Trigger and Jed feel like flesh-and-blood men torn from the pages of a dime novel, haunted by their pasts but driven by survival. Their reluctant partnership gives the story emotional weight, grounding the more fantastical elements in hard-earned grit.

While not groundbreaking in plot, Sunset Blood excels in execution. The pacing is sharp, the prose efficient, and the set pieces cinematic. At just over 250 pages, it’s built to be devoured in a couple of sittings, with every chapter ending like the cock of a six-shooter before the next showdown.

Bottom Line:
Sunset Blood is pure pulp fun—gory, gritty, and unapologetically fast-paced. If you're looking for a fresh take on Western horror with sharp characters, vampire carnage, and plenty of firepower, this one earns its spurs. Highly recommended for fans of From Dusk Till Dawn, Bone Tomahawk, or anyone who thinks the only thing missing from a cowboy standoff is a vampire lord.

A decent western horror centred around vampires. This has great action and suspense. I enjoyed some of the character building, but felt there could have been more. I think this is a great read for readers who love action in their westerns.

Thank you NetGalley, Wade Peterson, David W. Wright, and Sterling & Stone for this advanced readers copy.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sterling & Stone for the ARC copy. This has not affected my review at all, which are my own thoughts.

"Gold was the prize. Blood was the price". And indeed they paid with blood, because the Wild Six, Cal "Trigger" Jones' band, opened something they never should have opened. A dead person's chest, a creepy stone box that rises goosebumps across six bodies, carrying the corpse of Lord Braga, an ancient vampire with a taste for chaos and a thirst that won’t quit no matter how many bullets Cal shoots into him. Trapped in a valley sealed by rock and fate, the outlaw and the righteous Sheriff, Cal and Jedidiah, will have to join forces to save face and lives of the town of Sunset. But with betrayal at every turn, blood on every doorstep, and Braga turning folks faster than Cal can fan the hammer on his six-shooter, salvation may come too late.

Cowboys and vampires? Sign me up anytime! No, really, 'cause Sunset Blood combines two elements I'm enjoying at the moment: vampires in any font, which have always been one of my favorite creatures to explore in media; and the western genre, which I enjoy from time to time and I'm trying to introduce myself more into little by little. So, the moment I saw this one, I knew it was a must for me. So I'm really grateful that I could read an ARC!!

Anyway, with the actual review so I can convince y'all to read it, or, at least, pique y'all's interest.

I have to congratulate the authors on managing a well balanced distribution of the story between the vampires as a threat to Sunset and its people, and outlaw Cal Jones and his rivalry with Sheriff Jedidiah, 'cause these aspects were the strongest points of the book. Both the characters as individuals and in the different relationships portrait throughout the book. I'm gonna play the parents card and say "that I don't have a favorite because all characters were amazing and well-crafted and developed"....

...Which is half a lie because my favorite is, indeed, Cal Jones, one of the protagonists, half the POVs of the novel, outlaw with a moral code and a tragic story that won my heart by the end of the book. I was rooting for him all the way, whether because he was one of the main characters and we get to know him intimately, or because he was the most relatable character of the book (for me), but I wanted to see him succeed no matter what. I only wish that his relationship with the members of the Wild Six have been explored a bit more before Lord Braga made his stellar appearance and chaos ensued, because, counting Cal, they're six people and I feel like we could have explored more those relationships between them and with Cal before all of IT with a few more pages. This is my personal taste, it's nothing that hinders the novel, that for sure.

Of course, as said, the rest of the characters were as good, 3 dimensional and with fulfilling roles that created conflict, added to the plot in all the senses and made tension explode all around. Lord Braga with his evilness and intelligence, Jedidiah with his righteousness and determination to save his people, the Wild Six with their ideals and motivations to follow Cal around, even Sunset's people with their willingness to live and fight the vampires even if they don't comprehend it.

And the world..!!! Vampires portrait as the fear-inducing creatures that they are and that I always love to read about, and the concept of Sunset as this isolated city, due to several circumstances...Really, just quite cool and consistent, which is something I always look forward to, just as good characters. But I was really feeling this blend of the fantastical and horrific with the western genre, so I might start reading (or, at least, looking for) most stories like this one.

Overall, an amazing story that blends the horror of being hunted by quasi immortal vampires with the horror of having to work with the person that probably hates you the most to save life, while dealing with past and present trauma and the challenges to the character's moral code that will force them to make difficult decisions. With complex characters and complex relationships that will leave no one indifferent, whether for good or for bad. Completely recommended for lovers of vampires, cowboys or both and a good ol' outlaw-sheriff rivalry. Sunset Blood is a must and I need people to read it so I can discuss it with someone, thanks :)

Publishing date: 06.05.2025 (DD/MM/YYYY)
Thank you to NetGalley and Sterling & Stone for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

DNF at 33%

This was sadly not for me. Could not get properly into it. Nothing wrong with the story, also nothing wrong with the writing. Just didn't hook me like it should.

I will say, there are not that many vampire westerns, and this does do the trick as far as concepts go. So if you like the concept, I do recommend you try it out. Giving this 3 stars from what little I read.

This was a lot of fun! Im a fan of the old west and enjoyed this one. It was brutal, it was dark and it was fun.

God I will always love a western. Carl “trigger” jones and Jedidiah made a wonderful duo in this action packed adventure to save the town. Outlaws and justice team up. Loved the world building , back stories , and just over all vibes of this story 🥹 highly recommend

3.5 stars – Fangs, firepower, and a gritty good time

Sunset Blood is a blood-soaked horror western that delivers exactly what you'd expect: outlaws, vampires, and a town caught in the crossfire. The concept is killer—an outlaw gang accidentally unleashes an ancient vampire during a stagecoach heist—and once things get going, it’s a wild, violent ride.

That said, it does take a little while to find its footing. The early chapters feel like they’re figuring out the tone and pace, but once the blood starts flowing and alliances are tested, it really hits its stride. Trigger Jones and Sheriff Scott make for a compelling pair—enemies forced to fight something far worse than each other.

Not perfect, but definitely worth checking out if you like your horror with grit, guns, and a splash of supernatural chaos.

Very cool book. The setting and action are both very fun. Genre mash-ups rarely work well, but this one is great. Definitely recommend!