A Small Disturbance on the Far Horizon

By: Richard Babcock

Narrated by: Mikael Naramore

In the stark Nevada landscape of the 1950s, A Small Disturbance on the Far Horizon explores the aftermath of a murder through the intertwined lives of three individuals. Tom Lang, a deputy sheriff, finds solace in a secret affair with Ettie Calvert, the wife of his overbearing partner, Ronnie. Their lives unravel when Adam Ott, a troubled teenager, impulsively murders Ronnie, setting off a harrowing chain of events that culminates in a deadly pursuit through the rugged mountains. Against the backdrop of the country's nuclear bomb tests, which ominously shadow the narrative, Tom, Ettie, and Adam each wrestle with their choices and seek redemption from the haunting consequences that relentlessly pursue them.

©2025 by Richard Babcock, used with permission of Regal House Publishing, LLC. (P)2025 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Relentless humanity, vivid imagery

Each character is so finely, deftly engraved into a beautifully deliberate story pace. The desert and mountain, the homes and offices and paths seem to become characters as well. Babcock minutely describes both sweeping vistas and the smallest movements. He gives us compassionate insight and into the hearts and fullness of each individual person. One of the best novels I’ve ever read.