WARNING: A bold, dark, unforgiving Western; an incisive and brooding tale involving violence, oneiric imagery and spoken through many raw, engrossing voices. A gothic American folk tale set in the barren wasteland of "Crook," a region still burdened by lawlessness and lack of providence. A young man named Danton goes in search of his mother after she disappears from the region following the murders of many men from Francis Town, prompting a lynching party. "An there she sat a little less tall, sayin there was a black figure far far away as she keeps walkin over sand and distance. Past memories and family, an she feels alone. Both of us alone looking out across anything real and here, time just moves over to window - his eyes wandering over something further. And then he comes back to his seat an takes a long hard look at rain. There's heat in my throat - heat in my head. He looks at us a while, still moving and still there. Pressed against rain. Rain scorching through black, restless time." Described as a "Faulknerian experiment," Gristmill follows an unconventional narrative, and is written with an invented dialect. This is the literary debut for author Richard M. Thompson. "This is a brilliant read. Intelligent and original. Perfect if you're looking for something a bit different, and not too lengthy. A fantastic debut from Thompson." - Will Mytum