“Ronnie’s life has recently gone through a massive upheaval; her father burned out on his job and moved the family to a rural town in Oregon to open a B&B. The ray of light in her life is Karen, a ten-year-old girl Ronnie babysits who shows her the wonder of her new world. All of this comes crashing down when on a run Ronnie finds Karen’s lifeless body floating in the river. This is a fantastic book. I could not put it down! This is not a light read; it is an atmospheric story that deals with death, isolation, friendship and drug abuse. The novel tackles these topics in new and interesting ways, without succumbing to the clichés you see in many teen novels. I would recommend this for female readers (since it is told exclusively from Ronnie’s point of view) around 15-18.”—Amber, Seattle Mystery Bookshop
Face Out
The River by Mary Jane Beaufrand
May 11, 2011