The Strange case of The Mutineer. Why Has Hunter S. Thompson's Final Volume of Letters Vanished?

Hey all,

This might interest anyone fascinated by literary legacy, posthumous editing, and how controversial figures are reshaped after death.

In the early 2000s, a third volume of Hunter S. Thompson’s collected letters was assembled, titled The Mutineer: Rants, Ravings, and Missives from the Mountaintop. It was intended to cover the years 1977–2005—his final decades—and was far enough along to have a title, cover design, ISBN (9780684873176), and an introduction written by Johnny Depp. But it was never published.

What’s especially strange is that in 2009, Hunter’s widow Anita Thompson addressed the delay, saying:

"The Mutineer has such sensitive letters in it that we are postponing it until some of the dust settles. I'd like to see it in the hands of readers as much as you do. Hunter was a gentleman, so it’s best to wait — but not sacrifice the inside story of the last 15 years of his life."

That comment stood out at the time—especially because, although the book supposedly spanned from the late '70s onward, she was already narrowing the focus to just the last 15 years (1990–2005). Now, more than a decade later, references to The Mutineer have quietly disappeared. Original listings are gone, and there’s vague talk of a new “final volume” that ends in 1991—conveniently chopping off the very years she once called the “inside story.”

So what happened?

It’s starting to feel like the “dust” she was waiting on never settled the way they hoped. And rather than deal with the story as it stands, it seems there’s a concerted effort to brush said dust under the carpet—quietly rewriting the narrative and hoping no one notices the missing chapter.

Was the content too revealing? Are we witnessing a subtle attempt to tidy up Thompson’s legacy and protect the reputations of those around him? Or is this just another example of how messy, human stories often get trimmed and polished into something more manageable after the fact?

Would love to hear others’ thoughts—especially anyone who’s looked into this strange case or has insight into how literary estates handle material that’s too complicated to package neatly.