Gone to See the River Man

By: Kristopher Triana

Narrated by: Dani George

Super fans. Groupies. Stalkers.

These people will give anything for the idols they worship, be they rock stars, actors or authors. Or even serial killers.

Lori is just such a fanatic. Her obsession is with Edmund Cox, a man of sadistic cruelty who butchered more than 20 women. She’s gone so far as to forge a relationship with him, visiting him in prison and sending him letters on a regular basis. She will do anything to get close to him, so when he gives her a task, she eagerly accepts it.

She has no idea of the horror that awaits her.

Edmund tells her she must go to his cabin in the woods of Killen and retrieve a key to deliver to a mysterious figure known only as The River Man.

In her quest, she brings along her handicapped sister, and they journey through the deep, dark valley, beginning their trip upriver. The trip quickly becomes a surreal nightmare, one that digs up Lori’s personal demons, the ones she feels bonds her to Edmund. The river runs with flesh, the cabin is a vault of horrors, and ghostly blues music echoes through the mountains. Soon they will learn that The River Man is not quite fact or folklore, and definitely not human - at least, not anymore. And the key is just the beginning of what is required of Lori to prove she’s worthy of a madman’s love.

©2020 Kristopher Triana (P)2020 Kristopher Triana

Not for me

Big horror fan here; this book didn’t do it for me. All the characters are completely sordid and f***ed up, so there’s no pathos to the inevitable fate of our protagonist. It felt like a novel that starts out troubling and just gets worse. If you’re looking for a novel that will leave you in awe of the spectacle of human wrongdoing, then you might like this novel. It’s a short read with the worst of the worst, running the gambit from serial rape and murder to sibling incest. It wasn’t for me.

I also found the use of a character with a mental disability to be problematic in its portrayal. It seems like the character’s “simple” qualities are often used to illicit discomfort or fear, and I found that kind of gross, to be honest. It’s troubling to still see disability being used as a plot device to add “horror” to the events within; it’s a lazy device at best and extremely ableist as a trope.

Like a car crash i couldn’t stop watching

once I started this book, I couldn’t stop. I listened every time I got in my car or started doing the dishes, I thought about it before bed, I thought about it when I got up, I finished it in a day and a half because I was obsessed. creepy gory disturbed. some of the imagery and figurative language is a bit tacky, but overall a great story

Suspenseful Thriller Full of Shocking Reveals

GONE TO SEE THE RIVER MAN was an excellent read that was full of twists and reveals that continued to shock me. I absolutely love a story that has twists that I do not see coming and this story does exactly that. Combine excellent characterization, a great story with professional narration and this one is among my favorites of 2020.

Didn’t like the story

The narrator was absolutely amazing but I hated the story, it is very dark and a bit odd.

amazing story

I will forever be chasing the high of this book, it was so amazingly written. I love all of Triana's books but this story is my all time favorite