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In this dark, gripping mystery, a brutal murder unearths old secrets that should have stayed buried.
A body just turned up in the small town of Portland, Pennsylvania. The crime is eerily similar to a twenty-year-old cold case: another victim, brutally murdered, found in the Delaware River. Lead detective Parker Reed is intent on connecting the two murders, but the locals are on lockdown, revealing nothing.
The past meets the present when Becca Kingsley, who returns to Portland to be with her estranged but dying father, runs into Parker, her childhood love. As the daughter of the former police chief, Becca’s quickly drawn into the case. Coming home has brought something ominous to the surface—memories long buried, secrets best kept hidden. Becca starts questioning all her past relationships, including one with a man who’s watched over her for years. For the first time, she wonders if he’s more predator than protector.
In a small town where darkness hides in plain sight, the truth could change Becca’s life—or end it.
Reviews
An Entertainment Weekly New and Notable selection
“Deep, dark, and affecting–Karen Katchur’s latest will keep you glued to the page.” InStyle
“Suspenseful…[The] gripping ending will leave readers eager for the sequel…” Publishers Weekly
“Katchur is an engaging writer who ably navigates the dynamics of small-town life and the darkness that lurks beneath…Suspense with a tense family drama at its core.” Kirkus Reviews
“A darkly rich family drama about a young woman reconciling her childhood with the adult she has become. River Bodies centers on veterinarian Becca Kingsley, who is forced to return to her hometown because her estranged father is dying…Katchur skillfully uses the Delaware River as a metaphor to show the division in Becca’s life…A return visit with Becca is a must.” Associated Press
“River Bodies is an astonishingly evocative and emotionally resonant novel, its suspense balanced brilliantly between stylings that are both subtle and sublime. While Karen Katchur’s name may very well be new to mystery aficionados, this outstanding effort would tend to suggest she’s poised to leave an indelible mark.” Criminal Element
“Deftly braiding suspense, crime, and the search for trust and truth, Katchur works a modern Deliverance out of a harsh rural location, with potential that she more than justifies in her plot twists, pacing, and growth of character.” New York Journal of Books
“River Bodies is a complex story of small town loyalties and relationships, and the nature of family ties. A lurking sense of danger flows like the Delaware throughout, drawing the reader along in its current to the shocking end.” Authorlink
“Karen Katchur’s River Bodies has it all: a horrific murder, mysteries resurrected from the past, a story line packed with tension, and vivid characters to bring it all to life. A riveting thriller that suspense readers will love.” —Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author
“With a striking sense of place and a foreboding feeling of unease throughout, I was glued to the story. With relationships so complicated and layered that they feel like your own and plot twists that will leave you gasping, River Bodies is an unforgettable read.” —Kate Moretti, New York Times bestselling author
“Karen Katchur is a master at writing into the dark spaces of our intimate family relationships, and River Bodies is her most stunning work to date.” —Mindy Mejia, author of Everything You Want Me to Be
“River Bodies weaves an engrossing mystery with richly developed characters for an enjoyable, fast-paced read.” —Laura McHugh, award-winning author of The Weight of Blood
“Dark secrets of the past flow into the present in this emotionally resonant, deeply insightful tale of family bonds, betrayal, violence, and redemption. Part engrossing love story, part riveting murder mystery, River Bodies is a must read.” —A. J. Banner, USA Today bestselling author of The Twilight Wife
“Karen Katchur weaves together a twisting braid in River Bodies, a multigenerational tale that dares us to examine not only the secrets we hide but the reasons we hid them in the first place.” —Jenny Milchman, USA Today bestselling author
“River Bodies is a dark, fast-paced, and gripping suspense with characters you won’t forget. It’s filled with old family secrets designed to protect but that instead pull everyone apart. A must read!” —Hannah Mary McKinnon, author of The Neighbors