The Apostate: and Other Tales of the Southwest

Dive into the contemporary American Southwest with The Apostate and two additional short stories that walk the line between sin and redemption—or lack thereof.

In the titular novella, a shocking carjacking in the parking lot of a bustling Tucson shopping mall sparks a frantic chase across the rugged landscape of Arizona and New Mexico. As a burnt-out college professor and his unwanted companions hurtle toward an unknown fate, their journey becomes a harrowing quest for salvation in the face of uncertainty and death.

“Panhandle” follows Buddy Harris’s return to Seco, Texas, fresh out of prison and seeking solace in familiar streets. But home isn’t what it used to be, and Buddy soon discovers that confronting the past means confronting hard truths, both about himself and those who put him in stir.

Meanwhile, in “Cowboy,” Johnny Dupree lives the life of a carefree cowboy until a chance encounter with a high-maintenance woman shatters his routine. Caught between his love for the open range and the complexities of human connection, Johnny grapples with his own demons in a tale of longing and reckoning.

Riven with themes of personal salvation and the harsh realities of redemption, award-winning author J.B. Hogan delivers a poignant exploration of the complexities of human nature set against the backdrop of the rugged Southwestern landscape.