By 1882, Salida was no longer a dusty little railroad village.

Nearly 3,000 people crowded into a booming town with more than 100 businesses, 18 saloons, high-stakes gambling, sophisticated criminal gangs and brothels run by some of Salida’s most notorious madams.

Dead Bodies & Brothels continues the story through 1882 and 1883, as civilization and new laws collide with an outlaw element determined to hold onto its power—culminating in one of the bloodiest years in Salida history.

Told through the rough-hewn journal of fictional observer Salida Sam, the events themselves are true, drawn from the historical record.

It’s the story of a town growing almost faster than it could control—and the violence, vice and chaos that came with it.