by John Hart
First published 2011
Adam Chase comes back to the only home he ever knew after five years hiding in New York City. The river that runs through Rowan County witnessed the trauma that shaped his childhood and the murder charge that drove him away. He was acquitted but nobody believed his innocence. Within hours of his return, someone beats him up. His family confronts him. The women he loves don't know what to think. Then bodies start appearing. The small town turns against Adam again. He must fight to prove he didn't kill anyone while trying to win back the life he wants. The same violence and greed that filled the riverbanks years ago still poison everything. Adam's violent streak made him a fighter, but now he faces enemies who will do anything for money, family, and revenge.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Rowan County, New York City
Period: 21st-century
400 pages · Paperback · St. Martin's Griffin
Content warnings: violence