In the turbulent 1970s, as the defense boom of Montbray gives way to economic decline, a young migrant from rural Mississippi arrives looking for work and finds a job at Wagner Firearms.

The company is run by 34-year-old Harold Wagner, a tough-talking businessman from Kentucky who fiercely despises being called "Hal" or "Harry" due to painful childhood trauma from his abusive father, who used those names while verbally berating him. Despite the end of the Vietnam War and a sweeping national recession, Harold keeps his factory alive by manufacturing M1911 pistols, .45 ACP ammunition, and M60 machine guns for U.S. allies in Asia, banking on the Second Amendment and enduring global demand. On the high-pressure, volatile factory floor, the protagonist meets Wanda, an 18-year-old newcomer from Alabama. As Harold erupts in fury over a ruined M60 barrel, Wanda quietly reminds the protagonist of harsh economic realities: despite the boss's explosive temper, Wagner Firearms is the only place still hiring, leaving them nowhere else to go in an age of pessimism.

You can find the complete Montbray series via the link below 🔗📚

• Montbray Universe