Thank you to the author for the advanced copy of The River Runs Black in exchange for my honest opinion.
Publisher: Severn House
Published: October 6, 2026
Summary:
A small town on the water where things aren’t as perfect as they look . . .
After the recent death of a teenager by overdose, a record drug seizure along the Canadian border is a game changer for New York State’s criminal investigation team. The detectives are relieved that the haul will never make it to the idyllic small-town streets of Alexandria Bay.
But drugs are still circulating, and the lab results confirm it: the cocaine that killed the teenager and the cocaine from the bust are not the same.
Investigator Tim Wellington and his team seem to be chasing a network of ghosts who use the North Country as their criminal playground.
How long will it be until another Thousand Islands youth becomes not just a victim, but a target? Because the dangerous players won’t shy away from violence when protecting their valuable goods―even if it means gambling with innocent lives . . .
This twisty mystery coupled with heart-pounding suspense will appeal to fans of the Chief Inspector Gamache Mysteries and the Alex Cross thrillers, as well as books by Meg Gardiner, Ann Cleeves, and Ruth Ware.
My thoughts:
It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Tessa Wegert’s books…I loved her Shana Merchant series and am loving this new spin-off series, North Country. This is the second book of that series and I love that there is a crossover with some of the characters from the other series…though no worries if you haven’t read any of those books.
As I have come to expect from this author, this book oozes atmosphere and tension. It’s such a gripping crime story that I just couldn’t put down once I started. The setting is ideal – the beauty of the Thousand Islands contrasts with that constant feeling that something darker is happening underneath.
I love that these stories are never just police procedurals but rather they are blended with messy human drama. The mystery is always at the core, but with the multiple POVs, we are able to see the story from different perspectives, get different lenses on what is going on, and see how different characters reacted to each new development. This led to questioning some of the characters at different times, yet I never figured out the final twist, which totally surprised me.
This was a great addition to an already great series and I cannot wait to see what comes next!
Books in this series:
- In the Bones
- The River Runs Black
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