Dark River is a compelling young adult mystery about Ronnie, a teenager who moves from the city to a small, isolated town in rural Oregon. Feeling out of place, she forms a strong bond with her ten-year-old neighbor, Karen. When Karen is tragically murdered and her body found in the Santiam River, Ronnie becomes consumed by the need to find the killer. The narrative follows Ronnie's increasingly obsessive investigation, taking her into the dark woods and revealing hidden secrets within the community. This book explores themes of grief, justice, loneliness, and the determination to uncover truth, making it suitable for mature young readers.
Teenager Ronnie's life is transformed by the murder of a ten-year-old neighbor for whom she babysat, and who had helped Ronnie adjust to living at a country inn on the banks of the Santiam River in Hoodoo, Oregon.