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The River Is Dark (A Liam Dempsey Thriller Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Joe Hart (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 10,441 ratings
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In a small town along the Mississippi River, separate but nearly identical attacks have left two married couples brutally murdered in their homes. A young boy—the lone survivor of the killings—now lies comatose in the hospital. And the police’s only lead is the boy’s terrified description of the assailant: a “monster.”

Enter former homicide detective Liam Dempsey, whose estranged brother fell victim to the killer. Dragged into the investigation as a suspect, Dempsey vows to solve the case and clear his name. But two things stand between him and the truth: a web of local politics, and the grim secrets the victims held close. All the while, a murderer with boundless hatred continues to raise the body count.

As the troubled ex-cop tries to pull justice from the town’s emotional wreckage, he realizes that his could be the next life lost to the killer’s ruthless, twisted plan for revenge.

Revised edition: This edition of The River Is Dark includes editorial revisions.

Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 2
    Liam Dempsey Thrillers
  2. Print length
    242 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publisher
    Thomas & Mercer
  6. Publication date
    September 23, 2014
  7. File size
    484 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  11. See all details
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  1. “Sometimes that’s all life is, you know? Doing something different to support what you really want.”
    Highlighted by 84 Kindle readers
  2. “Sacrifices are necessary and prudent. Triage the soul and you’ll be successful.”
    Highlighted by 52 Kindle readers
  3. Lightning cut a jagged gash across the sky, which healed with the sound of repeated thunder.
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Hart approaches every sentence with a precision and care that armors the entire piece with a welcome sturdiness. More than anyone else, Hart’s delicate touch with landscape and character reminds me of the great James Lee Burke...If you love stories that get your pulse racing and dump adrenaline into your bloodstream, there is so much to love within these pages.” —Blake Crouch, Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Wayward Pines Trilogy

About the Author

Joe Hart was born and raised in northern Minnesota, where he still resides today. He’s been writing horror and thriller fiction since he was nine years old. He is the author of five novels and numerous short stories, including the books Singularity, Lineage: A Supernatural Thriller, and Midnight Paths. When he’s not writing, Joe enjoys reading, working out, watching movies with his family, and spending time outdoors.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00K2EOONS
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Thomas & Mercer (September 23, 2014)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 23, 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 484 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 242 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 10,441 ratings

About the author

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Joe Hart

Joe Hart

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Joe Hart is the Edgar Award winning and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of fifteen novels that include The River Is Dark, Obscura, The Last Girl, and Or Else. He lives with his family in Minnesota. For more information on his upcoming novels and access to his blog, visit www.joehartbooks.com.

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
10,441 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!
Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2021
Verified Purchase
Joe Hart paints with words and his palette pulls you into the narrative.

The small town of Tallston, MN experiences four grisly murders in a span of two weeks. They are do similar they must be connected, but why.

Liam Dempsey, brother to Allen Dempsey, comes to Tallston following the murder of his brother. Liam is struggling with his own demons after a line-of-duty shooting that resulted in his being unable to continue his career as a homicide detective.

Following a fifth murder, a homeless man is arrested for all five murders, but Liam is positive he did not commit the murders. Furthermore, Liam feels they are connected to a proposed paper mill scheduled to be built on a tract of land originally owned by the first victims, and he feels the crimes are personal, but how and why.

A great read and the end is unanticipated!
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Stuart Brkn Johns
4.0 out of 5 stars #abrknpoet reviews The River is Dark
Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2023
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The River is Dark is a fast-paced and gripping thriller by Joe Hart, featuring ex-homicide detective Liam Dempsey. Liam is haunted by his past and suicidal thoughts, until he learns that his brother and sister-in-law have been brutally killed in a small town on the Mississippi River. He travels there to investigate the murders, which are part of a series of vicious attacks by a mysterious and ruthless killer. Along the way, he meets Nora, a local journalist who helps him uncover the dark secrets of the town and its inhabitants. Liam must face his own demons and confront the monster that lurks in the river, before he becomes the next victim.

The book is well-written and engaging, with a strong protagonist and a compelling plot. The author creates a tense and atmospheric setting, where the river is both a symbol and a source of horror. The story is full of twists and turns, and keeps the reader guessing until the end. The book also explores themes such as family, guilt, redemption, and justice. The River is Dark is a thrilling and satisfying read for fans of mystery and horror genres.

4 Brkn Stars
2 people found this helpful
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Ronald J. Adams
3.0 out of 5 stars Ronald’s take
Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2023
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Interesting, if implausible, story with an unexpected twist or two at the end. Being the grouchy old octogenarian that I am, I thought the romance dimension played poorly, at best. Still, not a bad read: fairly straightforward, easy to follow, and not overly abstract.
One person found this helpful
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robert c
5.0 out of 5 stars great pace!!
Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2023
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Hart can write! I usually take several days to read a book but this one I finished in a few hours. The novel accelerates at an exceedingly rapid pace dropping hints here and there as to what may come at the end. It has good character development and a plot that will keep you guessing until near the very end! I am on to Liam Dempsey #2 as soon as get a good night’s sleep!
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robuster
4.0 out of 5 stars robuster
Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2024
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I read this book some years back and enjoyed it then . I think it is a great story . It’s well written , to the point without being overly descriptive. Great hook .
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Shane .D Keene
5.0 out of 5 stars Joe Hart can write whatever the hell he wants to.
Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2014
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The River Is Dark is a departure for Joe Hart whose previous novels (at least the ones I've read) have been extremely well crafted and enjoyable supernatural horror novels. And Joe is damned good at delivering a hell of a scare in that genre so I was slightly skeptical when I saw that this book was a thriller. Still, I was so impressed by his writing in Lineage that I went ahead and threw the faith flag in and bought this book. Now that I've read it I have no regrets.

While this book isn't billed as horror and doesn't cling to any of the tropes of horror, it is still a very dark and scary tale in which Mr. Hart leads his protagonist, ex-homicide detective Liam Dempsey on a harrowing trip through the darkness of the human soul. Along the way Liam has to contend with his own checkered past while at the same trying to find a savage, seemingly vengeful killer in a small town whose secrets run deep and dark as the river in the title.

Joe Hart is a master of character and I quickly found myself heavily invested in Liam's future. The rapid-fire action and gut-wrenching tension of the story yanked me through a long, delightfully terrifying night to a shocking, brutal and wonderful climax.

Whether you are a fan of Joe Hart's previous horror works or a thriller/horror fan who is just discovering him, I promise if you like your fiction dark and meaningful and your character's real, you cannot go wrong with this novel.
13 people found this helpful
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Artina Mitchell
4.0 out of 5 stars Mystery, Murder, Drama, Love
Reviewed in the United States on December 20, 2023
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This was a great short read. I stayed interested and curious about the outcome. I was right there with the main character trying to figure out who didn’t it and why. The past love brought to the present was just enough to distract you from dwelling on the gory details of murder. I’d recommend.
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Cheryl Stout
5.0 out of 5 stars “The river is dark, and the night isn’t something to swim in.”
Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2016
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I'm quite a fan of author Joe Hart. I've been on kind of a mini-readathon of some of his books and stories over the last few days. And this book is another fine example of WHY I'm spending my time doing this.

Liam Dempsey used to be a homicide detective. Now he's just a broken man trying to deal with his nightmares. And things ramp up when he gets a phone call that his brother and his brother's wife have both been murdered.

Dempsey heads to Tallston, Minnesota to take care of funeral arrangements (even though he and his brother had not been close) and to also see if he can figure out what happened. In the process he tangles with the Sheriff, the Mayor, a Bureau of Criminal Apprehension agent and more. He finds out this wasn't the first murder recently in Tallston and then his investigative antenna really start twitching.

Hart is a master at character development and also at setting scenes. I could easily imagine the people in this story and could almost feel the mosquitoes biting and the heavy blanket of humidity along the Mississippi river near Tallston as Dempsey does his best to solve these crimes.

I'm now off to read the second Liam Dempsey book THE NIGHT IS DEEP. If you enjoy imperfect detectives and twisty mysteries, you should try out this book.
5 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Teresa Burrows
5.0 out of 5 stars Very good read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 21, 2023
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I enjoyed this book very much it was exciting and tense in places a good story line worth reading I enjoyed it too the end
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maryann
5.0 out of 5 stars Book one of 2 that I know of great read if you read this there is no way ...
Reviewed in Australia on December 25, 2017
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Book one of 2 that I know of great read if you read this there is no way you wont be hanging for book 2 exciting suspence danger and all the good things up their with dean koontz loved it
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Shelley
5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping from start to end!
Reviewed in Canada on August 11, 2016
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Great story! This author is one to watch. I've read his novels and have never been disappointed! Not once..
Shelley Roberts
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Debra
3.0 out of 5 stars Okay
Reviewed in Australia on January 18, 2017
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A somewhat gory thriller and a touch too slow for my liking. I liked the characters and thought they were well written, and the scene setting was done really well. I didn't appreciate the ending and the explanation for the killings. I didn't really buy that, and think it could have been handled better. An okay read.
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Ashrae
4.0 out of 5 stars Good Series Opener
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 15, 2016
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This genre is my bread and butter read so I am pretty hard to please when it comes to discovering new series. This series piqued my interest as I was drawn to Liam as a character from the blurb. Ex-cop with nothing really left to live for due to deep seated guilt over a horrible mistake. Yup, that really does appeal to me, honest! Add to this potentially good main character the violent double murder of his brother & sister-in-law and you've pretty much lit Liam's fuse and I was quite intrigued as to see what he would do next. And, as it turns out, he does a lot. Most of it true to the genre and a bit formulaic if I'm honest, but there was something refreshing about this book that didn't quite send me into the reading rut that alot of this genre does.
So, Liam rocks up at his brothers with a desperate need to get information and, in his own way, assist the cops with their investigation. This doesn't really go down too well as you can imagine but Liam persists and soon teams up with old flame Dani to continue what the authorities are, in his opinion, bodging royally!
As already mentioned, I really did get on well with Liam as a character. His interactions with Dani didn't really sit as nice with me as maybe they could but I can't quite put my finger on specifically why. The story was on the whole good, although I did twig maybe a bit early, although I didn't quite get all of it and so I wasn't really too upset. The action at the end was a bit thick and fast and Captain Scarlet did pop into my head a couple of times!
So for me, this book had some positives and some negatives. It was a good, easy read that didn't tax me too much thinking wise. Liam is a good main character and the others (if we see any of them again) also have potential. I have to remember that this is the first in a new series and there is always a necessary amount of scene setting to be had in book one and I really don't mind that as long as it shows potential. From the looks of things, this is quite a well established author who appears to be branching out into a new (for him) genre. I hope that this good start will allow him to give himself more leeway in the second book to go a bit outside the box genre-formula-wise. I'll find out in a bit cos I am just about to start book two.
10 people found this helpful
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