Death by the River by Alexandrea Weis & Lucas Astor
Some truths are better kept secret.
Some secrets are better off dead.
Along the banks of the Bogue Falaya River, sits the abandoned St. Francis Seminary. Beneath a canopy of oaks, blocked from prying eyes, the teens of St. Benedict High gather here on Fridays. The rest of the week belongs to school and family—but weekends belong to the river.
And the river belongs to Beau Devereaux.
The only child of a powerful family, Beau can do no wrong. Handsome. Charming. Intelligent. The star quarterback of the football team. The “prince” of St. Benedict is the ultimate catch.
He is also a psychopath.
A dirty family secret buried for years, Beau’s evil grows unchecked. In the shadows of the ruined St. Francis Abbey, he commits unspeakable acts on his victims and ensures their silence with threats and intimidation. Senior year, Beau sets his sights on his girlfriend’s headstrong twin sister, Leslie, who hates him. Everything he wants but cannot have, she will be his ultimate prize.
As the victim toll mounts, it becomes crystal clear that someone has to stop Beau Devereaux.
And that someone will pay with their life.
WARNING: Readers of Death by the River will encounter situations of violence and sexual abuse which could be upsetting.
Abandon hope all ye who enter here …
My Thoughts
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
If your looking for a creepy psychological thriller that will keep you on your toes, then this is it.
The story comes at us from many different perspectives, even that of the psychotic killer. What makes this book different is that we are not left too much in suspense for we know whom is doing the killing and actually get his POV while he is doing it. I must say that there were several times that the violence was even too much for me to bare, especially at the end.
I really loved the characters of Dawn, Leslie and Derek. They had their rough spots but seemed to be able to work through it and I really enjoyed the time that the three had together. Derek was the perfect boyfriend and Leslie was a great sister. Dawn had a little figuring out to do and seemed to be caught up in popularity and needed to get her priorities straight.
I have to also tell you that I felt A LOT of rage while reading this book. It will bring out emotions that you never even knew you had in you! I hated Dawn and Leslie’s Mom for the way she treated Derek. She was really a stuck up snob. I couldn’t stand Beau’s mother either for not being able to have a spine and stand up to her son once and for all. Maybe if she had, then he would not have turned out to be the person he was. And Beau, well, I cannot even begin to describe the hatred I felt for him.
This book is not for the weak at heart. Fair warning…there is A LOT of violence, rape, bullying and psychological abuse going on throughout. I did enjoy it and honestly it kept me reading just to find out the end.
Thank you to the authors and Jean Book Nerd Tours for the review copy in exchange of an honest review.
Top Ten favorite Psychological Thriller movies and what about them makes them your favorite.
1. Jaws
2. Cape Fear
3. Psycho
4. The Firm
5. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
6. Silence of the Lambs
7. Gone Girl
8. A Time to Kill
9. Primal Fear
10. Fatal Attraction
Each movie pushes the envelope of fear and creates fears you never had before. I love movies that make you get caught up in the characters. These movies had great characters, especially Jaws. The fish became a fourth character, and no one expected that from a film before then.
Praise for DEATH BY THE RIVER
“… a thrilling psychological work … Catching the current vogue of teen psycho and revenge tales like Bates Motel and 13 Reasons Why … a horrifically brilliant book … Beau Devereaux could have easily been a clichéd psycho, but the plot constructed around him and his development during the novel really shone as a masterpiece of character creation … much in the style of Dexter or Hannibal.” ―K.C. Finn, Multi-Award-Winning Author
“Rare is the story that simmers and rises to a boil so naturally and constantly that the reader manages to be repeatedly shocked … a full-speed rollercoaster that doesn’t slow down until the final page. Employing an evocative setting, powerfully defined characters, and taking along hard look at the darker side of human desire, this novel will catch your breath and hold it until the very end. RECOMMENDED” ―Michael Radon, US Review
“While the authors have written a chilling story here, there’s more to Death by the River than thrills. It’s actually a fascinating study into the effects of good and bad parenting on children. Do it badly and parents, children and society as a whole pay the consequences. This book is not just an exciting read; it’s a sobering one.” ―Viga Boland, Retired high school English teacher and Author of No Tears for my Father: Viga’s true story of incest
“While the story follows compelling characters, it also plunges readers into an intriguing setting. It is ironical that the horrors are taking place along the river that runs so close to a seminary, an establishment that should evoke a powerful sense of God and reverence for life. The characters are sophisticated and readers will learn to honestly hate the villain of the story — he is well imagined and developed with skill. In a subtle way, the authors allow his crooked mind to reveal itself. Like most serial killers, he is a charmer and an intelligent young man, but beneath the cool surface is a cauldron of simmering evil. Weis and Astor have written a riveting crime tale with strong psychological underpinnings. Death by the River is ingeniously plotted, written in gorgeous prose, and featuring a strong conflict that propels the narrative forward. The suspense intensifies as the story moves on, with the reader always feeling as though something awful could happen at any moment, and this feeling grows in intensity until the explosive climax. A real thriller!” ―Romuald Dzemo, Readers’ Favorite
“A suspense-filled thriller steeped in equal parts atmosphere, insanity, and revenge.” ―Mary Ting, Award-Winning Author of ISAN: International Sensory Assassin Network
“Weis and Astor have created something so dark, edgy, and gritty, it will stay with you long after you close the book.” ―Julieanne Lynch, Dragon Award Finalist: Horror (2018)
“… a crime thriller that pulls readers into the twisted mind of the protagonist and holds them engaged till the exhilarating finish. The writing is flawless … Death by the River is psychologically engaging, emotionally rich, and utterly absorbing.” ―Christian Sia
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Alexandrea Weis, RN-CS, CRRN, ONC, PhD, is a multi award-winning author of over twenty-five novels, a screenwriter, ICU Nurse, and historian who was born and raised in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Having grown up in the motion picture industry as the daughter of a director, she learned to tell stories from a different perspective and began writing at the age of eight. Infusing the rich tapestry of her hometown into her novels, she believes that creating vivid characters makes a story moving and memorable. A permitted/certified wildlife rehabber with the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries, Weis rescues orphaned and injured animals. She lives with her husband and pets in New Orleans. Weis writes paranormal, suspense, thrillers, horror, crime fiction, and romance.
Lucas Astor, Lucas Astor is from New York, has resided in Central America and the Middle East, and traveled through Europe. He lives a very private, virtually reclusive lifestyle, preferring to spend time with a close-knit group of friends than be in the spotlight. He is an author and poet with a penchant for telling stories that delve into the dark side of the human psyche. He likes to explore the evil that exists, not just in the world, but right next door behind a smiling face.
Weis and Astor’s first collaboration was the multi-award-winning Magnus Blackwell Series.
WEBSITE: http://www.alexandreaweis.com/
TWITTER: @alexandreaweis
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1211671.Alexandrea_Weis
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/authoralexandreaweis/
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/alexandreaweis/
Giveaway
—Giveaway is open to International. | Must be 13+ to Enter
– 2 Winners will receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card.
NightlyReading 
Yikes!! This sounds like a tough read!! 😨
LikeLiked by 1 person
It definitely was, but well worth it!
LikeLiked by 1 person