River of Wrath

by Alexandrea Weis, Lucas Astor

Overview

More secrets are about to be uncovered, beginning with the arrival of a handsome stranger, and the discovery of bones long buried beneath the river …

“A deliciously disturbing and addictive series that can only be described as literary crack.” ~Booktrib

Leslie Moore is struggling to get through her last semester at St. Benedict High. Even her relationship with her boyfriend Derek is falling apart. But after receding floodwaters from the Bogue Falaya River expose the bones of a woman, Leslie becomes obsessed with tracking down the killer.

Sightings of an apparition haunting The Abbey send Leslie and her friends back to the scene of the horrors from last Halloween, but no one is prepared for what they find.

After a stranger—the handsome Luke Cross—arrives in town, another girl goes missing, and the sheriff suspects the newcomer is hiding something. Leslie believes the Devereaux family is connected to everything going wrong in St. Benedict. And she means to uncover the truth, no matter the cost.

Not all secrets can be kept silent. Some eventually find their way home.

* * *

“Pretty Little Liars meets True Detective.” ~Laura Quinn, Author of Thicker than Water

“A compelling and masterfully written murder mystery series.” ~San Francisco Book Review

“A rising body count, a dark pact among friends, and a wholly evocative world propel this small-town mystery to epic heights. Highly recommended.” ~BestThrillers

“For those interested in not just murder mysteries, but the underlying influences that create criminal psyches and victims alike.” ~Midwest Book Review

“I was left with an eerie feeling I couldn’t shake off.” ~@Pagesinthebreeze

“From the beginning, this book started off strong [and] reminds me somewhat of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder.” ~@GavinsBooknook

“Murder, family drama, hidden secrets, and supernatural flourishes keep this book as compelling as its predecessor.” ~Fearnerd

“An equally intense and bone-chilling sequel. ~@AlohaBooksAndBujos

“If you’re a fan of creepy ghost stories and gothic murder mysteries you need to jump on this series.” ~ReadAllAboutIt

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781645480174
Publisher:	Vesuvian Books
Publication date:	01/31/2023
Series:	St. Benedict , #2
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Alexandrea Weis, RN-CS, Ph.D., is a multi-award-winning author, screenwriter, advanced practice registered nurse, and historian who was born and raised in the French Quarter of New Orleans. She has worked in nursing for thirty years and dealt with victims of sexual assault, abuse, and mental illness at many New Orleans area hospitals. Brought up in the motion picture industry as the daughter of a director, she learned to tell stories from a different perspective. A permitted/certified wildlife rehabber with the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries, Weis rescues orphaned and injured animals. She lives with her husband and pets in New Orleans. Weis is a member of the International Thriller Writers Association and the Horror Writers Association. www.AlexandreaWeis.com

Lucas Astor was born in New York. He has resided in Central America, the Middle East, and traveled through Europe. He lives a very private, virtually reclusive lifestyle, preferring to spend time with a close-knit group of friends than be in the spotlight. He is an award-winning author and poet with a penchant for telling stories that delve into the dark side of the human psyche. He likes to explore the evil that exists, not just in the world, but next door behind a smiling face. www.LucasAstor.com 

Editorial Reviews

"Alexandrea Weis is one of the most talented authors around and, in a short time, her novels are destined to stand along with authors such as Stephen King, Gillian Flynn, Joyce Carol Oates, and Jeffery Deaver." —The Strand Magazine

"A murder mystery that will delight mature teens and adults who can absorb both the emotional and investigative impact of this compelling story. Weis and Astor craft a powerful tale that moves from adult interests and perceptions to the narrower focus of a teen recovering from tragedy. Not only has everything changed since Leslie Moore's deal with the devil, but so has she. As physical threat and mental illness converge, the story probes not only the process of recovery and guilt, but a messed-up family's involvement in and motives for murder. Readers needn't have prior familiarity with book I to appreciate this continuation of Leslie's dilemmas—but they should. Together, the two books present an intense series of events that are intrinsically woven into Leslie's evolutionary process on many levels, questioning the evolution of heroes, psychopaths, and family connections that not only bind, but damage. The tension and revelations are well-done, making this a special recommendation for those interested in not just murder mysteries, but the underlying influences that create criminal psyches and victims alike." —Midwest Book Review

"The story expands the deliciously murky world of St. Benedict's haunted abbey, the riverbanks where teens go to party, and most of all, the enigma that is the Devereaux family. This time, the family patriarch and town mogul Gage Devereaux takes center stage. An investigation into the sordid Devereaux family history positions St. Benedict as a modern-day Pottersville, with the very soul of the town resting on the combined efforts of Leslie and Sheriff Davis. Wounded by trauma and guilt, Leslie comes into her own as a teen sleuth that is tenacious, clever, and even dangerous. But the story's real heft is fueled by the layers of believable teen psychodrama at the book's core. A palpable angst coexists perfectly with the novel's underlying sexual tension. The Bottom Line: The dynamic duo of Weis and Astor make magic together. A rising body count, a dark pact among friends, and a wholly evocative world, propel this small-town mystery to epic heights. Highly recommended." —BestThrillers 

From the Publisher