The River [Hardcover]

Mary Jane Beaufrand (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 10, 2010

Veronica Severance feels cut off from the world. Forced to move from the city to rural Oregon with her parents, she is haunted by loneliness and by the chilling sounds of the Santiam, the river that runs through her backyard.

Through the fog of isolation, Ronnie finds herself becoming close with Karen, a young girl who she babysits. But when she discovers Karen's body on the banks of the Santiam, the victim of a supposed accident, Ronnie feels compelled to uncover the truth.

As she becomes increasingly obsessed with solving Karen's death, Ronnie is led deeper and deeper into the woods surrounding the river and to the dark secret hidden within its midst.

The River is a darkly atmospheric story of murder, isolation, obsession and dark secrets that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.

(2010)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Following her father’s emotional breakdown, Veronica moves with her family from Portland to tiny Hoodoo, Oregon, where her parents open an inn. Her father’s condition improves and her mother, a celebrity chef, is just fine, thank you. But Ronnie is bereft, unable to get over all the things she’s left behind in the big city. And then the young girl she’s been babysitting dies—an accidental drowning, the authorities think, but Ronnie’s not so sure and sets out to investigate. Beaufrand does a nice job of building suspense and integrating a gradually developing romance that surprises Ronnie and will satisfy readers. Less rewarding is the gradual unraveling of the plot and an ending that is at once predictable and anticlimactic. Nevertheless, the characters are appealing, the setting is well realized, and there is more than enough suspense to satisfy most mystery fans. Grades 8-12. --Michael Cart

Review

[star] "...insightful and often surprisingly funny...the story is really about Ronnie, and she feels entirely real. Compelling." (Kirkus )

"Atmosphere is the name of the game here, and Beaufrand brings it generously... With its blend of richly realistic character and slightly uncanny ambiance, this will be a favorite with fans of mysteries that tug the heartstrings." (BCCB )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; 1 edition (February 10, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316041688
• ISBN-13: 978-0316041683
• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 1 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,178,312 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Surprising and Compelling, February 11, 2010

By 

Vania Stoyanova "Reverie Media Book Reviews" (Atlanta, Ga) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The River (Hardcover)

I must admit that my first inclination is to grab fantasy books which tend to be exciting and fun. So when I started reading THE RIVER by Mary Jane Beaufrand I wanted more pizzaz and drama. But although it's not an action packed drama the book kicks off with a bang when Ronnie (Veronica) finds her friend Karen dead in the nearby River. Karen isn't just a friend, she's more like an adopted little sister to Ronnie who's been pushed aside by her large family and found a companion in Ronnie. But with Karen's death, Ronnie doesn't understand how this sure-footed explorer can drown in the River she knows so well. Shortly after Ronnie finds she needs to be mindful of her safety and finds the River holds many secrets and mysteries of her own that are a threat to Ronnie and her friends and family.

The story unfolds like a rug. At first slower and it speeds up to that action packed drama I wanted! It crashes and booms like the River and I was not only left gasping for air but also teary eyed. Beaufrand tells a vivid story with beautifully descriptive imagery that transports you to this little town in Washington. Her angst and turmoil are wretched and ring true as you followed Ronnie through her difficult journey.

I was most captivated by Beaufrand's beautiful writing style and as the pages came to an end, I was left wanting more from this author. But in the end I was satisfied and it has taught me a lesson: Realistic Fiction can be just as exciting and dramatic as fantasy and I can't imagine missing this heart-warming, thrilling story. In short: this book was amazing!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars What would you do in Hoodoo?, October 29, 2011

By 

broiderqueen "army mama" (Southern Oregon) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The River (Hardcover)

Ronnie understood why her family (plus some additional "foster" members) decided to move from exciting Portland, Oregon to tiny, boring Hoodoo, Oregon. But she misses her friends, Starbucks, Nordies - and starts to run (literally) to offset the boredom.

She finds out that everyone knows your business in a small town. But one bright spot to her, surprisingly, is her young friend Karen, who starts showing her the hidden highlights of living in her new nature-driven environment.

But then Ronnie finds the body of Karen in the river and the rest of "The River" tells the story of Ronnie, grieving for her little friend and trying to figure out what really happened to her.

The ending was a little predictable but I enjoyed the rest of the book enough to overlook that. This is a fairly short book, written for young readers, but it kept my interest all the way through. I enjoyed the auxiliary characters and especially liked the way the romance was handled. Characters were fleshed out enough that I could picture them clearly while I was reading.

I recommend this to any young reader (probably 12 years and up) that enjoys mysteries, nature or family drama books, or any adults that want a quick, decent read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Review: The River by Mary Jane Beaufrand, February 9, 2010

By 

J. Omullane "Book Whisperer" (Bloomington, IN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The River (Hardcover)

The River is an intricate web of love, lies, loss, obession, and crime that promises to be unforgettable. Veronica is a young woman trying to find her place in a new world. Having being uprooted from her home in rural Oregon; she now finds herself in a sleepy town full of mystery. She begins to find her place with the help of a young girl named Karen, although, when running one evening she comes across a body in the river which turns out to be that of her young friend. Unable to revive Karen's little body she is distraught with failure, and soon becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to her young friend. Only this mission of redemption may prove to be more than she had hoped for when it appears there may have been more to the death of this young girl. The river in this story plays a large role, almost taking on a life of it own. Expect abrupt changes of direction in this story; nothing can be taken a face value. The twist are extreme and somewhat disorienting the story lacks smooth transition for these changes, but if you follow them through you will find yourself in masterful story that will leave you questioning your own personal safety.

**Special Thanks to Little Brown Books for Young Readers for the ARC