THE OUTLAW NOBLE SALT by Amy Hardon

This review originally appeared in the May 2024 edition of the Historical Novels Review.

Butch Cassidy’s later years around the turn of the 20th century are reimagined as he leaves his outlaw life and searches for an escape from his past. Butch takes on the pseudonym Noble Salt when he meets famous singer Jane Toussaint and her disfigured son. Butch’s and Jane’s delightfully slow-developing romance takes center stage as finding each other proves the key to freeing themselves of the shackles of their respective pasts.

Story pacing is terrific with stops in a number of well-drawn, period-perfect settings from Paris to New York to the Wild West. The prose is quite enjoyable, particular in giving depth to Butch’s and Jane’s relationship, such as painting his gentlemanly approach, protective instincts, and appreciation of her music. Jane’s resilience, loyalty to her son, and her long-repressed yearnings for love come through as well. While a romance at heart, the period-piece aspects of the story are well-researched and convincing. This highly entertaining novel is a treat for lovers of the 1969 film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid: you can almost see Paul Newman’s charming smile as Noble Salt soothes Jane’s anxieties! Another fine read from Amy Harmon, a bestselling author of seven historical novels and thirteen romance novels.