ABOUT THIS BOOK

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.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Andrew Brininstool is a recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship in prose as well as a finalist for a PEN / Writing for Justice fellowship. His other work has appeared in the Southern Review, VICE, Millions, Tin House, and Best New American Voices. He was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and lives in Grapevine, Texas.

REVIEWS

“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

“In raising the specter of the 1980 riot for a new generation, Brininstool honors the victims who could never tell their stories while also calling for meaningful prison reform in the U.S. High Desert Blood is a beautifully written yet chilling work of true crime that lingers beyond the last page.”—Shelf Awareness

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page

Cast of Characters

Prison Diagram

Prelude to a Riot: December 1979

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Old Man Gloom

Acknowledgments

REQUEST ACCESSIBLE FILE

If you are a student who cannot use this book in printed form, BiblioVault may be able to supply you with an electronic file for alternative access.

Please have the accessibility coordinator at your school fill out this form.

It can take 2-3 weeks for requests to be filled.