An utterly unique historical thriller from master storyteller and fan favourite Joe Lansdale - set in a time when America was still a wild and unsafe place to venture...

Acclaimed author Joe Lansdale's landmark tale of love and vengeance at the dark dawn of the East Texas oil boom.

Jack Parker knows all too well how treacherous life can be. His parents did not survive a smallpox epidemic. His grandfather was murdered. Now his sister Lula has been kidnapped by a bank robber.

Alongside bounty hunter Shorty, an eloquent dwarf with a chip on his shoulder, and Eustace, the grave-digging son of an ex-slave, Jack sets off to rescue Lula.

In turn-of-the-century Texas, that quest is likely to turn dangerous. Murderous outlaws find their homes in the remote wilderness. Oil wells spurt liquid money from the ground. And blood and redemption still rule supreme.

"A master of noir laced with laugh-out-loud black humour . . . horror, bloodshed and laughs" - Shortlist

"This latest work reads like a dark version of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and feels like a Coen brothers movie. It's the perfect mix of light and dark, with plenty of humor mixed in" - Houston Chronicle

"The Bard of East Texas is back . . . Memorable characters, a vivid sense of place, and an impressive body count make THE THICKET another Lansdale treasure" - Booklist

"Storytelling laced with bravado, good humor, action, and heart . . . As captivating as the best of Larry McMurtry and written in a style reminiscent of Mark Twain. . . This title cannot help but captivate readers." - Library Journal

"A gently legendary quality makes this tall tale just about perfect" - Kirkus Reviews