Melinda West: Monster Gunslinger by K.C. Grifant Series: Monster Gunslingers #1
Published by Dreamscape Select on November 18, 2025
Source: NetGalley
Genres: Fantasy, Western
Length: 7 hrs 53 mins
Pages: 248
Format: Audiobook
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In an Old West overrun by monsters, a stoic gunslinger must embark on a dangerous quest to save her friends and stop a supernatural war.
Sharpshooter Melinda West, 29, has encountered more than her share of supernatural creatures after a monster infection killed her mother. Now, Melinda and her charismatic partner, Lance, offer their exterminating services to desperate towns, fighting everything from giant flying scorpions to psychic bugs. But when they accidentally release a demon, they must track a dangerous outlaw across treacherous lands and battle a menagerie of creatures—all before an army of soul-devouring monsters descend on Earth.
The Witcher meets Bonnie and Clyde in a re-imagined Old West full of diverse characters, desolate landscapes, and fast-paced adventure.
I don’t read a lot of westerns but an interesting one will always grab my attention, so a western with fantasy monsters and a female main character made my list. Melinda West and her partner, Lance, make a living killing monsters in a bizarre wild west. The book starts right in the middle of the action. The pair are doing their last job, ridding a town of giant flying scorpions, before buying a ranch to settle down on. Nothing in Melinda’s life is ever simple though. After they get paid they head home, but a stone Melinda takes back with her sets off a series of events that puts those most dear to her at risk of losing their souls. She’s in a race against time to catch the bad guy and rescue the souls.
Melinda is capable, smart, and no nonsense. Lance, when he’s feeling up to par, is charismatic and can charm just about anyone. They make a good team. And they have to; the world here is a tough place, with monster, magic, evil corporations, racism, and rough terrain. The plot moves along quickly with plenty of action and tension. In my head, I knew that things would work out for Melinda in the end, but sometimes it was hard to see how she would get there.
I listened to the audio and the narrator did a fine job. The pace was good and they let the story be the center attention. I will say that I’ve listened to a couple outstand audio productions lately. While Melinda West: Monster Gunslinger was memorable, the audio version itself wasn’t.
About K.C. Grifant
KC Grifant is an award-winning writer based in Southern California who writes and edits internationally published horror, fantasy, science fiction and weird west stories.
Her debut supernatural western novel, Melinda West: Monster Gunslinger (Brigids Gate Press, Feb 2023), described as a blend of Bonnie & Clyde meet The Witcher and Supernatural, has received positive reviews internationally. She is also author of Shrouded Horror: Tales of the Uncanny (Dragon’s Roost Press, 2024), and Melinda West and the Gremlin Queen (Brigids Gate Press, 2025), and the editor of Women of the Weird West (Brigids Gate Press, 2026) and co-editor of Dread Coast: SoCal Horror Tales (No Bad Books Press, 2025).
She is a published short story writer, with dozens of tales appearing in podcasts, anthologies and magazines, including: PseudoPod, Andromedia Spaceways Magazine, Unnerving Magazine, Cosmic Horror Monthly, Dark Matter Magazine, Sley House Presents, the British SF Association’s Fission Magazine, Tales to Terrify, the Lovecraft eZine; Musings of the Muse; Dancing in the Shadows—A Tribute to Anne Rice; the Stoker-nominated Chromophobia; the Stoker-nominated Fright Mare: Women Write Horror, and many others.
She teaches genre and short story workshops and has been a moderator, panelist or speaker at dozens of conferences and events. In 2016, she co-founded the Horror Writers Association San Diego Chapter, an organization that helps to promote the horror genre (read more here) and she co-chaired its flagship event, StokerCon, in 2024. She is also a member of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association and served as an SFWA mentor. Aside from constructing imaginary worlds, she works as an award-winning science writer and editor and likes to haunt coffee shops, comic book stores, labyrinths and carnivals.
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