Lost River

By: J. Todd Scott

Narrated by: T. Ryder Smith

Length: 10 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

A blistering crime novel of the opioid epidemic - and its cops, villains, and victims - written by a 25-year veteran of the DEA.

Angel, Kentucky: Just another one of America's forgotten places, where opportunities vanished long ago, and the opioid crisis has reached a fever pitch. When this small town is rocked by the vicious killing of an entire infamous local crime family, the bloody aftermath brings together three people already struggling with Angel's drug epidemic: Trey, a young medic-in-training with secrets to hide; Special Agent Casey Alexander, a DEA agent who won't let the local law or small-town way of doing things stand in her way; and Paul Mayfield, a former police chief who's had to watch his own young wife succumb to addiction.

Over the course of 24 hours, loyalties are tested, the corrupt are exposed, and the horrible truth of the largest drug operation in the region is revealed. And though Angel will never be the same again, a lucky few may still find hope.

©2020 J. Todd Scott (P)2020 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Scott, a 25-year veteran of the DEA, writes with authority about the drug crisis. Don Winslow fans won’t want to miss this wrenching thriller." (Publishers Weekly)

“Scott pushes his narrative to its wild conclusion in rich, organic prose.” (Booklist)

“This grim, gritty novel captures the feeling of hopelessness that the opioid epidemic brings…Well-told but raw as an open wound and not for the squeamish.” (Kirkus Reviews)

Harsh, wonderful story

This is an extremely interesting and well constructed story. There are many difficult realities addressed without being sensationalized. The narrator is one of the best I’ve listened to in a long time. Five stars isn’t enough for his performance.

Lost River

This book is an ugly story, about an American tragedy and reads like historical fiction. It is beautifully written and perfectly performed. This is the second time I have listened to it. I’m looking forward to J. Todd Scott’s next book!

Yet another amazing book

J. Todd Scott does it again! I’m not sure how he does it but even those this didn’t follow his first stories, he got me suckered back in! This man’s imagination to be able to right such books must be through the roof. I literally can’t wait for another book. I know this came out this year but is two in one year too much to ask? Hah!

So good

I’m from the VA Appalachian Mountains and I have many relatives that have gotten hooked on these drugs but thank God I haven’t lost any of them yet. I also have relatives in the law enforcement there that have to deal with the users and sometimes even have to take kin to jail. I could so relate to this story and if you don’t know anyone in this situation you will still learn a lot by listening to this book. I will look for more from this author.

Drugs, dirty cops and the DEA!

I really enjoyed this read! The story made you feel like you were in a Justified TV series. I love the author and the narrator was great! I hope there is a second book with the same main character.

I thought the characters were very good

Good story well told. The plot unfolds gradually and rather slowly at first but revs up along the way

awesome

J TOod Smith words and T RYder Scott narration leads to an awesomest great read

My oh My

after the far empty trilogy, I had no idea where the author would take us next. I could not imagine anything better than the books of the far empty. But now it seems that the author is just beginning to hit his stride. and a narrator is wonderful as always.

"Just OK" Southern Noir

The beginning of this book reminded me of Brian Panowich's work, introducing the reader to a trashy group of drug users/dealers involved in a violent confrontation with a drug cartel. Then the POV starts jumping from one character to another in the town, talking about the same people and events from each character's own perspective (unreliable narrator style).
I'm from a small Southern town where addiction and poverty are a way of life, and I'm used to the convoluted relationships and "2 degrees of separation" lifestyle. However, it seems the author was deliberately withholding information needed to picture the characters and interactions. In real life it would take years to learn who does drugs with whom, who sleeps with whom, who is the baby's daddy, events that happened in the town, etc. However, I don't expect to be fed tiny pieces of this type of stuff throughout a book, only finding out what the current character knows or feels like disclosing. It felt manipulative, and at the end made me want to start over and read the book knowing who all the characters are and how they're related to each other.
Even with the confusion of all the characters and the information gaps, I was headed for rating the book a 4 until the last section, which is from the POV of Paul, the former Sherrif and recent widower. That section of the book was overly wordy and morose. Paul wallowed in self-pity and long boring flashbacks and the narrator slowed his speaking pace making it even worse. It was impossible to relate to any of Paul's actions-past or present, and I was ready for the book to be over.