Two days shy of her 41st birthday, two bullets tore into Belle Starr while she rode on her horse. The first shot knocked her to the ground, while the second one served as the death blow. The assailant receded into obscurity, their identity only guessed at in the 100+ years since the assassination. Upon her untimely death, the legend of Belle Starr would be spread far and wide, the newspapers and book industry pushing truth mixed with wild exaggerations. Hyperbole aside, her life was eventful from beginning to end and represents the life of a quintessential outlaw.

"Dane Huckelbridge admirably tackles the arduous task of separating fact from fiction in reconsidering a larger-than-life personality. His work serves as both a revealing biography and a fascinating true-crime mystery."

Belle Starr (born Myra Maybelle Shirley) was descended from a mixed heritage of German and Scots-Irish. Her ancestors had immigrated to the United States in the 17th century, settling in Pennsylvania before relocating further south and west as new economic opportunities arose. By the time of Belle’s birth, her parents --- John “Judge” Shirley and Eliza Pennington --- had moved to Carthage, Missouri. John earned his living through various vocations, from farming to running a hotel. He also was known to own a couple of slaves who assisted Shirley in keeping his business running smoothly. As Belle grew up, Missouri would be fraught with tension over the inhumane institution of slavery and would become a battleground state during the Civil War.

Belle was a product of her time and environment, as she was raised among boys who enjoyed engaging in rough-and-tumble activities. Her horseriding skills had been honed under the tutelage of her older brother, and she utilized her talents in the years to come. The Civil War arrived during Belle’s formative years, and the clashes between Union and Confederate soldiers were often fierce. As the latter retreated South, the Union assumed control of Carthage. Belle started her foray into clandestine activity during Union occupation as she began relaying intelligence to Confederate forces. The death of her brother, Bud, in 1864 at the hand of Union forces wounded Belle and her family. The war’s outcome forced them to move to Texas as they feared reprisals for wartime actions.

Belle was never far removed from desperadoes in her life, whether it be Cole Younger or Jim Reed. Her involvement in illegality went from espionage to harboring fugitives to participating as a sentry during a robbery. While being married to Reed, Belle was forced to flee to California as his involvement in a deadly gang war put his family at risk from retribution. Danger was omnipresent in being an accessory to Reed’s crimes, but Belle didn’t recoil from the unlawful. As years passed, it would be evident that she relished the role of an outlaw.

QUEEN OF ALL MAYHEM is a well-executed book chronicling the life and times of a legendary figure who made her name in the Wild West. Belle Starr was a woman who refused to live her life according to anyone’s conventions. She was a rebel through and through. Her legend was created when newspapers were the dominant medium, and the lurid and fantastical sold the most copies. It continued through the early 20th century via books and movies, yet dissipated as Belle’s image didn’t conform with Hollywood’s vision of women.

Dane Huckelbridge admirably tackles the arduous task of separating fact from fiction in reconsidering a larger-than-life personality. His work serves as both a revealing biography and a fascinating true-crime mystery.