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Cross Dog Blues: Book One of A Great Long Story to Tell
AMAZON BEST SELLER in Historical Fiction and Historical Thrillers
AMAZON #1 BEST SELLER in Blues
AN ADVENTUROUS AND POWERFUL NOVEL about how, and more importantly why, from the cotton fields of Mississippi, blues music changed the world, and how the world changed one young man.
"...this is storytelling at its best..." -- Fortean Times Magazine
"...poignant...heartening...insightful..." -- Kirkus Reviews
In 1915, in a moonlit room in a boarding house in Texas, Charlie Patton -- the enigmatic inventor of blues music -- founds a shadowy alliance with Huddie 'Lead Belly' Ledbetter and Blind Lemon Jefferson. A pact is made, and the seeds of revolution are sown. Back at the Dockery Plantation in the Mississippi Delta, with the help of the likes of Son House, Howlin' Wolf, Robert Johnson, and others, Charlie's plan spreads across the South, and then across the country. But these bluesmen have no way of knowing where this dangerous road will lead. Nor do they know the Ku Klux Klan is watching.
In 2002, Franklyn O'Connor -- an adventurous and penniless youth -- sits at a lonely bar in the train station of his small upstate New York hometown holding a one-way ticket to the Crossroads in the Mississippi Delta. There he hopes to track down his deadbeat father, who walked out on his family when Frank was five. With nothing but his rucksack and the unsolicited assistance of a little old man called Furry Jenkins, Frank soon unwittingly drifts into the middle of a combustible racial feud at the intersection of a still divided society. A shocking truth waiting down the line.
With the rambling pioneers of blues music leading an unforgettable cast of characters, this raw, rousing and often hilarious breakout novel delivers a breathtaking view of life, livin', love and hate in America in the 20th century, and the mysterious beginnings of the music that provided the soundtrack for it all...THE BLUES.
AMAZON #1 BEST SELLER in Blues
AN ADVENTUROUS AND POWERFUL NOVEL about how, and more importantly why, from the cotton fields of Mississippi, blues music changed the world, and how the world changed one young man.
"...this is storytelling at its best..." -- Fortean Times Magazine
"...poignant...heartening...insightful..." -- Kirkus Reviews
In 1915, in a moonlit room in a boarding house in Texas, Charlie Patton -- the enigmatic inventor of blues music -- founds a shadowy alliance with Huddie 'Lead Belly' Ledbetter and Blind Lemon Jefferson. A pact is made, and the seeds of revolution are sown. Back at the Dockery Plantation in the Mississippi Delta, with the help of the likes of Son House, Howlin' Wolf, Robert Johnson, and others, Charlie's plan spreads across the South, and then across the country. But these bluesmen have no way of knowing where this dangerous road will lead. Nor do they know the Ku Klux Klan is watching.
In 2002, Franklyn O'Connor -- an adventurous and penniless youth -- sits at a lonely bar in the train station of his small upstate New York hometown holding a one-way ticket to the Crossroads in the Mississippi Delta. There he hopes to track down his deadbeat father, who walked out on his family when Frank was five. With nothing but his rucksack and the unsolicited assistance of a little old man called Furry Jenkins, Frank soon unwittingly drifts into the middle of a combustible racial feud at the intersection of a still divided society. A shocking truth waiting down the line.
With the rambling pioneers of blues music leading an unforgettable cast of characters, this raw, rousing and often hilarious breakout novel delivers a breathtaking view of life, livin', love and hate in America in the 20th century, and the mysterious beginnings of the music that provided the soundtrack for it all...THE BLUES.
262 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 6, 2015
73 people are currently reading
192 people want to read
About the author
Richard M. Brock
3 books13 followersRichard M. Brock is the author of the acclaimed blues thriller, Cross Dog Blues, as well as the picaresque adventure, Up a Tree, and the all-new wilderness thriller, Hurricane Canoe. Lauded by Kirkus Reviews as “true brilliance” and “an exhilarating exercise in suspense,” his novels have an average Amazon review of over 4.5 stars. Originally from the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York, he and his wife now live in Colorado. Follow along at Facebook.com/RichardMBrockAuthor or learn more at www.RichardMBrock.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
October 18, 2016
Blueprint of the Blues
I can't even begin to tell you what an impact this book has had on me! I am most fortunate in the fact that I have been able to hear and feel the music of many of these great blues men up close and personal at The Shaboo Inn in Willimantic, CT. and various other New England clubs back in the '70's and early 80's. Their music moved me...touched my soul, stirred my passion and now, because of this book, I begin to understand what moved them....their pain, their passion, the struggles. I also see how today's world still remains very much parallel to those times...times that many choose to perceive as no longer existent. Can't wait for Book 2 from this Great storyteller!
I can't even begin to tell you what an impact this book has had on me! I am most fortunate in the fact that I have been able to hear and feel the music of many of these great blues men up close and personal at The Shaboo Inn in Willimantic, CT. and various other New England clubs back in the '70's and early 80's. Their music moved me...touched my soul, stirred my passion and now, because of this book, I begin to understand what moved them....their pain, their passion, the struggles. I also see how today's world still remains very much parallel to those times...times that many choose to perceive as no longer existent. Can't wait for Book 2 from this Great storyteller!
March 26, 2017
Historical fiction at its best, can't wait for books 2 and 3.
This book was great on a lot of levels, it was short, historical, thrilling and harsh all at the same time. Not knowing much about blues history I read the story not knowing how accurate the author was and I'm not sure it really matters. The story is so good on its own. The author does include an afterword at the end where he tells you how much of the story and characters he used that he pulled from what is known about early blues and what parts he embellished.
The book has 2 stories, the origins of blues music and racism in the south. The hardest part of the book to stomach; racism and the hard life for a black person living in the south; although we are taught about racism and the Ku Klux Klan, we forget that, even today, racism still exists in many parts of the south.
This book was great on a lot of levels, it was short, historical, thrilling and harsh all at the same time. Not knowing much about blues history I read the story not knowing how accurate the author was and I'm not sure it really matters. The story is so good on its own. The author does include an afterword at the end where he tells you how much of the story and characters he used that he pulled from what is known about early blues and what parts he embellished.
The book has 2 stories, the origins of blues music and racism in the south. The hardest part of the book to stomach; racism and the hard life for a black person living in the south; although we are taught about racism and the Ku Klux Klan, we forget that, even today, racism still exists in many parts of the south.
July 22, 2020
The blues, to me, was always shrouded in mythos and folklore. The music touched upon, in its rawest sense, the human condition. Cross Dog Blues does the same here. If you're reading it, you already have a sense of the blues and its importance. This book definitely will expand your love for the blues and make you want to learn more. My second pilgrimage to Clarksdale is already in the works. Can't wait!
March 26, 2016
For Blues fans, this is a most engaging read. Brock intertwines two stories about a hundred years apart and takes the crossroads metaphor to new heights. Some folks (like myself) are old enough to have seen some of these blues legends in person before they passed the torch to younger, and mostly more amplified ones. But that only enhances the appeal as icons like Blind Lemon Jefferson and Charley Patton come alive with all their hard drinking, harder traveling, slide guitar intensity. I'm hopeful that Cross Dog Blues will introduce the truth and history of Blues music in this country to new generations and thus serve as another significant way to keep it alive for many more generations to come.
February 19, 2019
Like the Blues, this book is a treasure. Compelling Story!
This book is historical fiction but of the highest caliber. Once I started reading it I couldn’t put it down and read it all in a day. I can’t wait for books two and three. Mr. Brock is a born storyteller. His characters come to life both real and fictional. Even if you’re not a fan of the Blues, you all be a fan of this book. Can’t recommend it highly enough.
This book is historical fiction but of the highest caliber. Once I started reading it I couldn’t put it down and read it all in a day. I can’t wait for books two and three. Mr. Brock is a born storyteller. His characters come to life both real and fictional. Even if you’re not a fan of the Blues, you all be a fan of this book. Can’t recommend it highly enough.
August 28, 2025
A rollicking good historical fiction story with the Father of the Delta Blues, Charley Patton. Those who, like me, have visited many of the places in this book (Dockery Farms, the train station in Tutwieler, Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale, Robert Johnson’s grave, and the famous Crossroads, will feel a return to these places. Those who haven’t…adventure awaits.
October 31, 2019
I've loved the blues for a long time so I decided to jump on this book before I even knew it was a historical fiction. Cross Dog Blues tells an exaggerated tale of the origin of blues music as we know it today along side a modern(ish) day story that'll tie in towards the end. It isn't until the end, after the story where the author makes clear what is a stretch of the truth and what is real, and even suggest you go look into the facts on your own, which you will have to do.
The story is fun and interesting, should be you interested in blues you will likely enjoy this book, though I think it's entirely unnecessary to stretch the truth considering the history is already interesting. Richard really pushes the Klu Klux Klan hard from the early 1900s even to it's remnants in the 2000s which just feels a bit unreal given they're not really a thing like they once were (thankfully!).
I will warn you, the ending is a cliffhanger and considering it's been out for four years, I believe it's safe to assume that books two and three may never see the light of day, regardless the story is still fun.
The story is fun and interesting, should be you interested in blues you will likely enjoy this book, though I think it's entirely unnecessary to stretch the truth considering the history is already interesting. Richard really pushes the Klu Klux Klan hard from the early 1900s even to it's remnants in the 2000s which just feels a bit unreal given they're not really a thing like they once were (thankfully!).
I will warn you, the ending is a cliffhanger and considering it's been out for four years, I believe it's safe to assume that books two and three may never see the light of day, regardless the story is still fun.
May 24, 2022
A wonderful story about the beginnings of the Blues
Starting back in the first days of the 20th century, only a few decades after the end of the Civil War, Cross Dog Blues details the birth of the Blues. You meet the legendary players of the time: Henry Sloan, Charley Patton, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Huddy Leadbetter, Son House, and more.
This is not a romantic, fuzzy portrait of past glorious music. You learn of the trials and tribulations of the Black men who struggled their way out of post-slavery days to create a new type of music. This is more than a musical journey. And it is well worth your time. A very readable document of an important time in America and how it shaped the lives of certain young musicians and shaped what we call the Blues.
Starting back in the first days of the 20th century, only a few decades after the end of the Civil War, Cross Dog Blues details the birth of the Blues. You meet the legendary players of the time: Henry Sloan, Charley Patton, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Huddy Leadbetter, Son House, and more.
This is not a romantic, fuzzy portrait of past glorious music. You learn of the trials and tribulations of the Black men who struggled their way out of post-slavery days to create a new type of music. This is more than a musical journey. And it is well worth your time. A very readable document of an important time in America and how it shaped the lives of certain young musicians and shaped what we call the Blues.
July 14, 2020
Most books that I read, I enjoy. How much depends on the place I am in at the moment. This book went well beyond all of that. Richard M. Brock’s book is beautifully written. I saw each scene that he described vividly. I felt each word that he had written and savored all of them. This was an exceptional book that I would recommend to anyone. I cannot wait until the next book comes out, and I will definitely read every book this author ever writes! Thank you Richard M. Brock for giving me such a gift to have experienced and one to think about long after I finished the last page!
April 22, 2022
history or fiction?
The story is told over two timeframes, early 1900’s and early 2000’s. How do the two stories align? Well, one deals with the origin of blues music and the other is a search for a run-away blues playing father. The early years include many famous blues players such as Blind Lemon Jefferson, Leadbelly, Charlie Patton, Son House and Robert Johnson, all familiar characters as I love the blues.
I’m not sure how much truth there is in the story but it left me wanting to read book two in the series.
The story is told over two timeframes, early 1900’s and early 2000’s. How do the two stories align? Well, one deals with the origin of blues music and the other is a search for a run-away blues playing father. The early years include many famous blues players such as Blind Lemon Jefferson, Leadbelly, Charlie Patton, Son House and Robert Johnson, all familiar characters as I love the blues.
I’m not sure how much truth there is in the story but it left me wanting to read book two in the series.
June 19, 2022
This is an amazing work of historical fiction. Mr Brock brought the legends of the Blues To life and tells their stories. He paints the early 1900s in a raw truth. As a southerner I'm not sure if the Rednecks in the early 2000s is entirely accurate. 😃 I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
If profanity and a true picture of the past upsets you, you should get over it and read this book. 16 and up.
If profanity and a true picture of the past upsets you, you should get over it and read this book. 16 and up.
May 11, 2017
Great historical fiction / thriller that cleverly intertwines legendary bluesmen and their use of music in combatting racism within their time. The concept of the "blueprint" was quite intriguing. The accounts of racism were somewhat gut wrenching and quite stirring. I am looking forward to books two and three.
July 14, 2017
This book is so good. I can hardly wait for Book 2. It's historical fiction about the Mississippi Delta and the birth of blues music. The author brilliantly weaves truth with fiction and it is a page-turner. A young man goes to the Crossroads in search of the father who walked away from the family some 20 years earlier. He finds danger, adventure, blues music and much more.
September 29, 2020
Powerful Stuff
Brock has written a masterpiece of Blues history and influence. His portraits of the Blues greats are achingly brilliant and touching. His very real depiction of the lives of Black People in the South is chilling and profound. This is a book that will rattle your soul, but then will sing it to sleep with a blues melody.
Brock has written a masterpiece of Blues history and influence. His portraits of the Blues greats are achingly brilliant and touching. His very real depiction of the lives of Black People in the South is chilling and profound. This is a book that will rattle your soul, but then will sing it to sleep with a blues melody.
February 3, 2023
Absolutely Amazing! This historical fiction book takes place over two time periods and it sinks you right into both of them. One part takes place during the beginning of the blues and the other takes place during our modern day. The chapters jump back and forth between the two and leave the reader wanting more.
May 7, 2025
A raw, soul-stirring journey that captures the heartbeat of the blues and the resilience of the human spirit. This novel doesn't just tell the story of a young man rising from the cotton fields of Mississippi it sings it, with every note echoing the cultural power and pain that shaped a generation. Unforgettable.
May 22, 2020
Ain’t nothing like the Blues!
The makings of the forefathers of the Blues and how this rich music came to be! Exquisite and soul turning storytelling at every turn, placing you at the foot of the blues live from the Delta!
The makings of the forefathers of the Blues and how this rich music came to be! Exquisite and soul turning storytelling at every turn, placing you at the foot of the blues live from the Delta!
July 10, 2020
Entertaining Read
Entertaining journey into the past to experience a walk in the shoes of the founding fathers of blues. A visceral look at race and the art form that arose from the depths of the struggle of black men in a post slavery south. Well done!
Entertaining journey into the past to experience a walk in the shoes of the founding fathers of blues. A visceral look at race and the art form that arose from the depths of the struggle of black men in a post slavery south. Well done!
January 5, 2023
Cross Dog Blues reads Lea historical novel
If you love the blues this a very good read. The me!ding of the two stories was brilliant. Looking forward to the continuing series. Lots of old time bluesmen appear in the story.
If you love the blues this a very good read. The me!ding of the two stories was brilliant. Looking forward to the continuing series. Lots of old time bluesmen appear in the story.
February 8, 2018
Good book, read as an e-book which put me to sleep. Really liked this book, the blending of two stories fact and fiction worked very well. Can't wait to read parts 2 and 3!
March 17, 2019
Amazing and honest
Fascinating look at the early days of blues tied in with modern times.
Music has powers to soothe the man.
Fascinating look at the early days of blues tied in with modern times.
Music has powers to soothe the man.
January 14, 2021
Cool way to learn history
May 29, 2023
I love the subject matter and the mood my concept of the Delta evokes.
My issue with the books is multifaceted - as I know a fair bit (far from expert, but knowledgable) I found the name checking and the faux historical intersections of talents to be annoying at best.
The “modern” story was ham handed and clunky - I felt the primary characters’ dialog (ironically) off-key. Not the content or the swearing (there is a ton and I swear like nobody’s business) but it just seemed leaden and (sorry) hackneyed.
Lastly - this was clearly supposed to be book 1 of a series…
My issue with the books is multifaceted - as I know a fair bit (far from expert, but knowledgable) I found the name checking and the faux historical intersections of talents to be annoying at best.
The “modern” story was ham handed and clunky - I felt the primary characters’ dialog (ironically) off-key. Not the content or the swearing (there is a ton and I swear like nobody’s business) but it just seemed leaden and (sorry) hackneyed.
Lastly - this was clearly supposed to be book 1 of a series…
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 7, 2025
Loved this book. Fun entertaining adventure with blues history intertwined.
December 2, 2015
I loved getting sucked into the world of this book and the quirky characters that had voices and pacing the tone of the blues they made. The structure of beginning each chapter with the time and place worked especially well to orient the reader and move the book forward. I also loved the cover and the extra bonus of getting a guitar pick was utter brilliance in the area of marketing. I was grateful that the author included a note at the end that teased out a bit of which parts were fact and which fiction but choose to believe the whole book. I small criticism would be that as painful as the scenes were where characters died, there was one scene I wished the author would have included with the death of one key character but that's just me, I think the book stands just fine without it. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. Great debut!
August 26, 2016
This is a novel that traces the early history of blues music in the USA in an interesting way. It follows the careers of the earliest blues players, especially Charlie Patton, Blind Lemon Jefferson, and Huddle Ledbetter (better known as Leadbelly). But also, as a novel, it narrates numerous personal episodes of these artists and those they encountered during their careers. Many of these are dramatic stories of life, love and death that are told in a way that is entertaining reading as well as being informational about these important early inventors of this original American music, the blues.
Whether these stories are historically accurate in every detail is less important than the fact that the stories convey the depth and importance of these early music pioneers.
Whether these stories are historically accurate in every detail is less important than the fact that the stories convey the depth and importance of these early music pioneers.
August 21, 2015
Cross Dog Blues is a book you will not want to put down. The story is engaging, taking you back to a time when Blues and slavery were alive, when people were fighting for the right to be human. The music would play through my head as I became encompassed by the characters. The writing created vivid scenery making you feel as though you were in that time and place. It is the perfect combination of reality and imagination and taught me a thing or two! It definitely made me want to get into the Blues. It leaves you ready to read the next books to come!
March 8, 2016
History, intrigue and the suspense you long for
This a very good read, the author's ability to pull young to this narrative is remarkable. The names Charlie, Lead Belly, House, Muddy and my personal favorite Howlin a proverbial who's who of the Blues....remarkable, I can't wait for the next one....you can't help but feel the Blues after reading this book... The way you are almost at the Dockery plantation or in the swamp with Furry..... I can't get enough......
This a very good read, the author's ability to pull young to this narrative is remarkable. The names Charlie, Lead Belly, House, Muddy and my personal favorite Howlin a proverbial who's who of the Blues....remarkable, I can't wait for the next one....you can't help but feel the Blues after reading this book... The way you are almost at the Dockery plantation or in the swamp with Furry..... I can't get enough......
August 22, 2016
Interesting approach but the writing was only so-so. The arguments between Furry and main character were repetitive and the over use of 'Bahhh' as a dismissive objection wore thin. Near the end I found an incorrect use of "your" in place of "you're," which I see daily on Facebook, but in a published book? Copy editor was asleep at the switch I think.
December 3, 2015
Two different eras: the early nineteenth century and a cast of legendary and historical bluesmen; the new Millenium and a young man in a search for his father. And connecting both is the Crossroads, and the menace of watching Klansmen.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews