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  • Signs Of Life: A moving Western about prejudice, forgiveness, friendship and love

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Signs Of Life: A moving Western about prejudice, forgiveness, friendship and love Kindle Edition

by Chris Towndrow (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.8 out of 5 stars (29)

From a man's quest for self-forgiveness and reconciliation emerges an unexpected and touching love story.

Arizona, 1878. When long-time widower Earl finds an injured deaf youth on the prairie, he reluctantly decides to help the boy as compensation for not being there to save his own wife and baby from a Mojave raiding party years earlier.

He lodges the youngster, “Bill”, with a local widow, Laura, whose daughter is deaf. Soon, sign language and shared loss deepen their friendship and begin his healing. Together, they stand firm against the town’s prejudices, led by the boorish Mayor Potter.

But just when Earl believes his life has turned a corner, and he is ready to embrace love for this new woman, he learns the truth about his lost family.
As his dark past threatens to return, Earl must face his guilt and prejudice or risk losing everything again.

Can Earl overcome his past failings and face down danger?
Will Laura’s kindness and faith be repaid?
Can the boy’s mistakes be fixed?
Will love prevail?


Signs Of Life is a slow-burn Western where guilt, prejudice and found family are tackled with hands and hearts.
This book will appeal to those who enjoyed Clint Eastwood’s portrayal of grouchy mid-lifer William Munny in “Unforgiven”. It’s been compared to “Open Range”, and shares that film’s mid-life love story and a central character looking to put his past behind him. It’s also been likened to JoJo Moyes’ “The Giver Of Stars”, which deals with prejudice and boasts a strong female central character.
  • Second chance romance
  • Found family
  • Disability rep
  • Redemption
  • Emotional scars
  • Lone hero
  • Revenge
  • Widower & widow
  • Damsel in distress
  • Sunny vs grumpy

REVIEWS:

“This is not only a gritty Western, it’s a love story. It has everything you could want in a brilliant read and more. It was a book I devoured in two sittings as it took me to another time and place. A book that will surely bring the love of Westerns to a new audience.” - Reader

“This did everything that I was looking for in a Western novel, it worked with the time-period. Chris Towndrow has a great writing style for the genre and I was hooked with these characters.” - Reader

“This was a quaint, charming book, perfect for anyone looking for a Western fix!” - Reader

“I don't read very many Western romance novels but I really did enjoy this one. I really enjoyed how the author described the characters, the way of life and the story was full of action and drama.” - Reader

“This is a very character driven story that is an entertaining read. The scenes of town life felt realistic, and the dialogue also felt appropriate to the period. Earl’s character growth and evolving emotions felt believable and his road to forgiveness is a major theme.” - Reader

“Everything about this book had me immersed in the story. The authenticity of the dialogue, the descriptions, and the characters all held me right there. I really enjoyed the romance in the story. It was so nice to see the transformation in Earl. A Western with heart that had me invested in the characters and the outcome, too!” - Reader
Read more
Previous slide of product details
  1. Print length
    391 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Accessibility
    Learn more
  4. Publication date
    April 4, 2023
  5. File size
    3.7 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
Next slide of product details

From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This is a classic Western story, told with feeling and confidence. There is a real feeling for nature, and for male interaction, elements which make the experience of reading Westerns so satisfying."


"A moving tale about friendship, prejudice, and survival. Thank you for sharing this wonderful story. The characters are beautifully drawn and your dialogue is exceptional. You have skilfully reflected the era, location, and culture in your dialogue and found a clear voice for each of the characters. It will appeal to women readers as much as men. JoJo Moyes' Giver of Stars is a good comparison to make."


"This is not only a gritty Western, it's a love story. It has everything you could want in a brilliant read and more. It was a book I devoured in two sittings as it took me to another time and place. A book that will surely bring the love of Westerns to a new audience." *****


"This did everything that I was looking for in a Western novel, it worked with the time-period. Chris Towndrow has a great writing style for the genre and I was hooked with these characters." *****


"This was a quaint, charming book, perfect for anyone looking for a Western fix!" ****


"I don't read very many Western romance novels but I really did enjoy this one. I really enjoyed how the author described the characters, the way of life and the story was full of action and drama." ****


"This is a very character driven story that is an entertaining read. The scenes of town life felt realistic, and the dialogue also felt appropriate to the period. Earl's character growth and evolving emotions felt believable and his road to forgiveness is a major theme." ****


"Everything about this book had me immersed in the story. The authenticity of the dialogue, the descriptions, and the characters all held me right there. I really enjoyed the romance in the story. It was so nice to see the transformation in Earl. A Western with heart that had me invested in the characters and the outcome, too!" *****

About the Author

Chris Towndrow has been a writer since 1991.He began writing science fiction, inspired by Asimov, Iain M Banks, and numerous film and TV canons. After a few years creating screenplays across several genres, in 2004 he branched out into playwriting and has had several productions professionally performed. This background is instrumental in his ability to produce realistic, compelling dialogue in his books.His first published novel was 2012's space opera "Sacred Ground". He then changed focus into "hard" sci-fi books, and the Enna Dacourt pentalogy was completed in 2023. He has always drawn inspiration from the big screen, and 2019's quirky romantic black comedy "Tow Away Zone" owes much to the film canon of the Coen Brothers. This has been his most well-received book to date, and spawned two sequels in what became the "Sunrise trilogy". His first historical fiction novel, "Signs Of Life", was published by Valericain Press in 2023. In 2023, Chris returns to his passion for writing accessible humour and will devote his efforts to romantic comedies. The first of these scripts, "Floored", publishes in April 2024. Chris lives on the outskirts of London with his family and works as a video editor and producer. He is a member of the UK Society of Authors.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BS1QMHCQ
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Valericain Press
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 4, 2023
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3.7 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 391 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1739230616
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Best Sellers Rank: #1,816,861 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.8 out of 5 stars (29)

About the authors

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Previous page
  1. Jim LaVigne

    Jim LaVigne

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Jim LaVigne is the author of genre-crossing popular fiction, including the apocalyptic PLAGUESVILLE, USA, published by Permuted Press, a division of Tor Books, LIVING ON BAR TIME (nominated for a Minnesota Book Award), and BEARWOOD, a huge, haunted house book unlike any other. His work is known for engaging, average human characters, realistic, brisk dialogue, innovative plots and a strong vein of dark humor. He is also a prolific essayist and the author of CODE TWO ONE, a memoir of coping with his wife’s terminal cancer. Mr. LaVigne is a life-long Minnesotan who lives in the Minneapolis area and also enjoys making music, hiking and camping (especially in the Rockies) and travel adventures.

    Contact: Jim.lavigne@icloud.com

    See more on the author's page
  2. Chris Towndrow

    Chris Towndrow

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Chris Towndrow has been a writer since 1991.

    He began writing science fiction, inspired by Asimov, Iain M Banks, and numerous film and TV canons. After a few years creating screenplays across several genres, in 2004 he branched out into playwriting and has had several productions professionally performed. This background is instrumental in his ability to produce realistic, compelling dialogue in his books.

    His first published novel was 2012’s far-future, post-war space opera “Sacred Ground”. He then changed focus into near-future sci-fi adventures, and the "Enna Dacourt pentalogy" was completed in 2023. In a similar vein, “Nuclear Family” was a venture into post-apocalyptic fiction.

    He has always drawn inspiration from the big screen, and 2019’s quirky romantic black comedy “Tow Away Zone” owes much to the films of the Coen Brothers. This spawned two sequels in what became the “Sunrise trilogy”.

    His historical fiction novel, the reflective Western romance “Signs Of Life”, was published by Valericain Press in 2023.

    Chris then returned to his passion for writing accessible humour and is focussing on romantic comedies. Writing under the new pen name Chrissie Harrison, his rom-com debut, “Floored”, published in April 2024 to great reviews. May 2025 saw the publication of “Wicket Maiden”, a genre defining rom-com set in the world of women’s cricket.

    Chris lives on the outskirts of London with his family. He is a member of the UK Society of Authors, the Alliance of Independent Authors, and the Romantic Novelists Association.

    See more on the author's page
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Customer reviews

3.8 out of 5 stars
29 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

  • Jennifer Bohnhoff
    5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Western will Satisfy
    Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2023
    Format: Kindle
    Chris Towndrow's SIGNS OF LIFE is a classic western historical novel set in Arizona in 1878. The lead character, Earl, lost his wife and infant son in an Indian raid twenty years before and has become an isolated and embittered old man. When he and his only friend find an deaf young man in the desert who's been bushwhacked, Earl is reluctant to get involved. He takes the hapless youth to the school teacher in a nearby town has a deaf daughter and is willing to take him in. this begins a series of events in which Earl discovers the fate of his family and finally begins to heal and live again. Like many westerns, this novel has its share of fist fights, barroom brawls and shoot outs. However, it also has romantic elements and the themes of accepting people with disabilities gives it a modern sensibility. A moving tale about friendship, prejudice, and overcoming hardship, this novel will appeal to both women and men.

    I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Debra H.
    3.0 out of 5 stars Slow start but picked up after that for a great reading experience
    Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2023
    Format: Kindle
    At first I had difficulty getting into this novel for the first 1/3 or so. It definitely got better after that when events in the lives of the characters started happening which sparked my interest and kept me reading to find out more and what was going to happen next. There were tragic parts along with sweet events just like anyone's life. I would recommend and read more by this author.

    I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
    Helpful
     Report
  • NanaP
    5.0 out of 5 stars A really great old West story
    Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2025
    Format: Kindle
    Signs Of Life by Chris Towndro, this isn’t your shoot em up bang bang type western but more one about the gritty hard times in 1800 Arizona. After Earl loses his family he goes from a happy family man to an embittered one who has no patience for the world around him. When he meets a scared death boy he does his best to help him having no clue that this boy will be the one that brings him the answers he didn’t even know he had questions for. From the town folk to life I won the range I found this book was authentic well done well written and at times emotional. There is a slight romance in the story which I thought they should’ve had more but then I guess it wouldn’t have been the same book. If you love stories about the great wild West but more about how they lived although they do have gun toting violent people in the book and Indians the story is so much more than that you will absolutely love this book I totally did. #BooksSprout, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview,.

    I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • TVR-Andy
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very good
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 11, 2025
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I started reading this story and wondered if it was for me. In the end I throughly enjoyed it. It is the story of tragedy ruining a life, of a strong friendship, of fear, love, discovery and happiness. All aspects of the human condition.
    Report
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