Johnny Mime

By Sean Mcdevitt

A corrupt mayor, a town built on secrets-and a deadly conspiracy buried deeper than any silver vein.

The year is 1884. In the booming California silver town of Calico, justice is just another commodity controlled by Mayor Smeaton, a blind tyrant whose network of spies sees everything. The mines are unstable, the water is taxed, and anyone who asks the wrong questions has a habit of turning up dead.

Enter Arthur O'Keefe. Fleeing a tragic past, Arthur arrives in Calico as a traveling medicine man, using the theatrical alias "Johnny Mime" to peddle his elixirs. However, he quickly discovers that this ruthless town needs a cure far more potent than snake oil.

When a string of brutal murders disguised as accidents threatens the people he has come to care for, Arthur drops the act. He aligns himself with two unlikely allies: Rosaleen, a fierce, sharp-witted Irish courtesan, and Chili Davis, a rugged prospector hiding a massive secret of his own. No longer willing to be passive victims in Smeaton's deadly game, this makeshift resistance decides to hit the mayor where it hurts. Arthur must use every trick in his theatrical arsenal to expose the corruption and bring the tyrant down before they become his next victims.

Drawing on historical events and real-life characters from the legendary Mojave Desert camp, Johnny Mime is a gritty, sweeping story of retribution, unlikely heroes, and the defiant spirit of the American West.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0FKY5BVVQ
• ISBN13: 9798294677596
• Release Date: September 2025
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 468 Pages
• Weight: 1.37 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.0" x 9.0"