Sex, Lies, and Vampires

A national bestseller. "A riveting tale of the American past and a brilliantly realized journey into the heart of darkness." -

The Boston Globe

Winner of the

Chicago Tribune

Heartland Literary Prize

When Robey Childs's mother has a premonition about her husband, a soldier fighting in the Civil War, she does the unthinkable: she sends her only child to find his father on the battlefield and bring him home.

At fourteen, wearing the coat his mother sewed to ensure his safety-blue on one side, gray on the other- Robey thinks he's off on a great adventure. But not far from home, his horse falters and he realizes the enormity of his task. It takes the gift of a powerful and noble coal black horse to show him how to undertake the most important journey of his life: with boldness, bravery, and self-possession.

Coal Black Horse joins the pantheon of great war novels-
All Quiet on the Western Front, The Red Badge of Courage, The Naked and the Dead.

"Gripping . . . echoes the work of Cormac McCarthy." -

The Cleveland Plain Dealer

"A remarkable creation." -

Chicago Tribune

"Exciting . . . a grueling adventure." -

The New York Times Book Review

"Gorgeous and moving." -

The Washington Post Book World

"A singular and poetic addition to the Civil War bookshelf." -

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"Olmstead makes the ride and exciting one . . . Reminiscent of Crane's

Red Badge of Courage

." -NPR's

All Things Considered

"Harrowing . . . [Olmstead] writes like a man on fire." -

The Denver Post