Author of The Drowning River
All about The Drowning River! Read the summary/synopsis. Check out some reviews. Read an excerpt.
The Drowning Riverby Kim Byrne
Published by Five Star/Gale/Cengage
Release Date: June 17, 2009
Order from:
IndieBound | Amazon | B&N
Synopsis:
"I thought you were dead."
Those were the last words Elise Moloney
expected to hear when she came to
Wickman College as a graduate student.
Nestled along the windswept dunes and
seacoast of Cape Cod, Wickman was home
to a tragedy the year before when troubled
Hannah McPhee fell from a bridge into the
freezing currents of the Drowning River.
With gasps and stares, Elise's fellow grad
students insist she is a dead ringer for Hannah.
The more she explores Hannah's past, the more she loses herself in a labyrinth of deceit, betrayal, and danger, unearthing life-shattering secrets. Convinced that Hannah's death was no accident, Elise investigates with new friends at her side: an over-sexed roommate with a supermodel body and two men who desire Elise for very different reasons. In the small town of Oceanside, everyone has something to hide. With each discovery, Elise comes closer to the truth and a confrontation with a killer - where one final victim will face death in the Drowning River.
This fast-paced suspense novel will keep you turning the pages while Byrne's sarcastic voice and fresh, quirky characters leave you wanting more. The twists come fast and furious with a final punch no reader will expect.
Praise for The Drowning River:
"A debut with romance, thrills, chills, red herrings and a surprise ending." - Kirkus Reviews
"The Drowning River, a debut novel for Kim Byrne, is a gripping, emotion-packed tale of betrayal, greed, and secrets. From the intriguing prologue to the hang-onto-your-hats suspenseful conclusion, this story grabbed me and kept me reading late into the night. With touches of humor, great character development, and a host of possible suspects, The Drowning River is one terrific mystery. This is a great start for a very promising author." - Romance Reviews Today
"The Drowning River by Kim Byrne is a very enjoyable read with characters that stick with you. ...if you are looking for an easy book to slip into with so many twists and turns that the ending is a complete surprise, then look no further than The Drowning River. I recommend it to lovers of both mysteries and suspense. It will satisfy both desires. Be sure to pick up your copy today! " - Love Romances & More Reviews
"Kim Byrne navigates treacherous currents of family skeletons, lovers' secrets, and hidden motives in this suspenseful mystery, and brings it ashore with an exciting conclusion. When you dive into The Drowning River, you won't want to come up for air." - New York Times bestselling and Agatha Award-winning author Toni L.P. Kelner
“The Drowning River pulled me in and kept me submerged in breathless suspense as I tried to figure out whodunit. An exceptional debut! Kim Byrne has crafted a masterpiece ebb and flow edge-of-your-seat intriguing mystery. Readers will find themselves caught in the currents of every twist, every turn, and every shock until the final page.” - April Star, author of The Wanderlust Mysteries
"The Drowning River offers an intriguing glimpse into the partying life of a small Cape Cod college, and Byrne has come up with an equally intriguing mystery, which offers plenty of suspense." - I Love a Mystery Reviews
Excerpt from The Drowning River:
“Sounds like it came from there.” Kat pointed to a darkened alley nestled between two short brick buildings. “Let’s check it out.”
“No way,” Elise said, shaking her head.
Kat clucked like a chicken and turned toward the alley.
Elise sighed and lagged behind.
They crept up to the red brick building and peered around the corner down the alley. It felt surreal, like Elise was trapped in a Scooby Doo episode. Of course, she’d be Velma the nerd and Kat would be Daphne the beauty queen.
The alley was dark, but a streetlight on the sidewalk illuminated enough to make out the bumps and shadows. A large dumpster leaned against the wall overflowing with greasy pizza boxes. A shuffling noise startled Elise, and she jumped back. Kat, on the other hand, pushed forward into the alley.
A moment later, Kat cackled. “What do we have here? Need some help, girl?”
“Screw you. I’m fine,” came a slurred female voice.
“Just a drunk girl, Elise. You can come out now!”
Elise rolled her eyes and rounded the corner into the alley. An obviously wasted woman lay on the ground amidst a bunch of trash. Her unnaturally red hair resembled a bird’s nest, and her right high heel had the remains of a garbage bag attached to it.
“I just tripped and fell. I’m okay.” She refused Kat’s hand and tried to push herself up using her arms, but slipped and reluctantly grabbed Kat’s arm.
Elise moved closer and asked, “Do you want us to walk you home?”
The woman looked up into Elise’s face and froze, her mouth gaping open, her eyes widening, until she sucked in a sharp breath and shrieked like a horror scream queen. Elise covered her ears with her hands as the echo amplified off the walls. The woman scrambled up Kat’s arm and ran the other way down the alley, intermittently screaming and pointing at Elise until she was out of view.
Moments later, in the stunned silence left behind, Elise realized she couldn't breathe and fell to the ground.