The Devil and the River

By: R. J. Ellory

Narrated by: Eric Meyers, Laurence Bouvard

Length: 17 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

‘When the rains came they found the girl's face. Just her face. At least that was how it appeared...’.

Sheriff John Gaines is called down to the riverside when the body of a teenage girl is found. It is that of Nancy Denton - a girl missing for over two decades. Now she's been found her mother can finally put her memory to rest, but Nancy's body bears horrific mutilations that suggest she was subjected to a terrifying voodoo ritual. As Gaines digs ever deeper into the dark secrets of the town he is forced to confront his own demons…

©2013 Roger Jon Ellory (P)2013 W F Howes Ltd

Critic reviews

"Classic noir… Ellory is beginning to sound like the master [James Ellroy]. I can think of no higher praise." ( Daily Mail on A Dark and Broken Heart)

One of the best writers ever.........!!

Would you listen to The Devil and the River again? Why?

I never thought I would say this, but, yes! Emphatically, yes! It took a while to get me 'hooked' this time. I'm an Aussie and the southern USA slow speech, and slow thinking got in my way to start but Ellory soon hooked me with his superb prose and I continued listening just to take pleasure alone in this; soon I was engrossed in this unusual murder mystery which was really a saga about a small town and a wealthy southern family with a secret that they never wanted to be known. The story meandered like the great Missisippi itself backwards and forwards allover the place and every time revealing another piece of the puzzle our protagonist was attempting to unveil. He had a story too, and as the mystery unfolded so did Deputy Sherrif Gaines story too. The book has many layers, the murder plot, and the intricacies of the lives this murder touched. I devoured this reading quickly and will read again just to savour once more the excellent prose of the author, RJ Ellory, who is fast becoming my favourite.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The protagonist, Sherrif Gaines. A complex character in his own right; looking for direction and meaning in his life and finding it, as the book unfolds.

What about Eric Meyers and Laurence Bouvard ’s performance did you like?

I must admit, that I was not aware there were two performers. For me it was seamless and the voices excellent, for the most part.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I did have an extreme reaction to this book in as much as I was unsure at first whether I was going to enjoy it mainly because of the USA deep south subject matter and just as I was contemplating switching it off, it started to hook me and boy did it ever; I was completely drawn into the story and did not want to put the book down - which I only did once, to sleep.

Any additional comments?

If you love really good writing, get it!