When a cocksure father hatches a simple insurance fraud scheme, he has no idea its failure will lead his family into the maelstrom of America’s most violent prison riot. High Desert Blood takes you inside the walls of the Penitentiary of New Mexico, offering a gripping true crime journey through the heart of a system that failed its inmates, its staff, and the society it was meant to protect.
Through meticulous research and compelling storytelling, Andrew Brininstool unveils the conditions that led to the infamous 1980 riot, a catastrophic event that left a permanent scar on the American penal landscape. Snaking through the storyline, we meet Gary Williams, a nonviolent first-time offender thrust into a world of chaos, and his brother, Jeff, a career criminal who mysteriously vanishes during the riot. After his release, Gary’s relentless quest for the truth about his brother’s disappearance leads him to a similar tragic fate.
This book offers an unflinching look at the brutality and corruption that plagued the prison, shedding light on the systemic issues that made such a disaster inevitable. High Desert Blood is not just a chronicle of violence and despair; it’s a call for reform.
“I’m surprised it’s so well written and thought out structurally. I intend to buy a box and hand them out as gifts. The writing is clear, concise, and the pace moves diligently to keep the reader’s attention riveted. Brininstool explains the cause and effect of the events, which lends the book a purpose and meaning even the best novelists lack.”—Jimmy Santiago Baca, author, The Misfits
“Andrew Brininstool has mastered the craft of giving voice to those whose stories are rarely told. With a meticulous eye for detail, Brininstool weaves together the experiences of the many people affected by the tragic events that unfolded at the Penitentiary of New Mexico in 1980: from inmates and their family members to guards, politicians, and local community members. His writing evokes the haunting New Mexico landscape in which these events unfolded, situating the tragedy within the deep history of punishment in the Southwest. This story resonates far beyond the borders of New Mexico, though; it is also a stinging indictment of the failures of the twentieth-century carceral state and a testament to its devastating long-term impact on the nation. High Desert Blood makes clear the continued misguided attempts to reckon with or rectify its most troubling iterations.”—Holly M. Karibo, author, Rehab on the Range
