Bring Me the Head of Joaquin Murrieta by John Boessenecker

Bring Me the Head of Joaquin Murrieta

The Bandit Chief Who Terrorized California and Launched the Legend of Zorro

John Boessenecker

Hanover Square Press · Print & ebook · October 21, 2025

"A detailed treatment of the bloody Gold Rush California milieu in which Murrieta moved."—Wall Street Journal New York Times bestselling author and award-winning historian John Boessenecker—as seen on Netflix’s Wyatt Earp and the Cowboy War—brings the authoritative account of one of the most notorious outlaws of the West Joaquin Murrieta’s story is one for the ages.

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Genres
Criminals & Outlaws, Western U.S. History, Hispanic & Latino Biography
Published
Hanover Square Press, October 21, 2025

About this book

"A detailed treatment of the bloody Gold Rush California milieu in which Murrieta moved."—Wall Street Journal New York Times bestselling author and award-winning historian John Boessenecker—as seen on Netflix’s Wyatt Earp and the Cowboy War—brings the authoritative account of one of the most notorious outlaws of the West Joaquin Murrieta’s story is one for the ages.

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Fiercely compelling and epically woven, Bring Me the Head of Joaquin Murrieta details the bloody saga of the Latino outlaw. In myth, he embarked on a noble career as a rebel, fighting against injustice in the rough-and-tumble Wild West. However, though the “Robin Hood of El Dorado” remains a folk hero to many, his extraordinarily dramatic and violent saga has been obscured by layers upon layers of legend—until now. Through meticulous research and never-before-told stories of the bloody trail Murrieta and his band left in their wake, Bring Me the Head of Joaquin Murrieta chronicles their infamous escapades in this brilliant examination of the American story. Award-winning author and definitive Wild West historian John Boessenecker tells the story of Murrieta’s sensational exploits and paints an absolutely gripping portrait of the California Gold Rush era for readers of H. W. Brands and Bryan Burrough. "Boessenecker is by far the most talented author writing about gunfighters today."—Bryan Burrough

Outlaw Legend

Come here for

  • John Boessenecker’s command of California outlaw lore
  • a serious, slightly theatrical take on a legendary bandit figure

Expect

  • Western history with a performance-ready edge
  • the Murrieta–Zorro legend in brisk, high-drama form

Where it sits

Criminals & Outlaws80%
Western U.S. History46%
Hispanic & Latino Biography37%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Hispanic & Latino Biography
  • Lives in History
  • Criminals & Outlaws
  • Lives in Law Enforcement
Show all 8 publisher categories
  • 19th-Century America
  • Civil War Era
  • Western U.S. History
  • Hispanic & Latino History
Authors
John Boessenecker
Publisher
Hanover Square Press
Published
October 21, 2025
Format
Print & ebook
Reading lane
Hispanic & Latino Biography