A River to Die for

I have read other books by this author and like her style and her characters. I am into mysteries with admirable characters and solid values.

Carrie and Henry are newlyweds. Rob, Carrie's son who is a college professor with an interest in American Indians, calls and invites them on a camping/fishing trip with Catherine. She is Henry's long-lost half sister that Rob is now dating. Henry is thrilled about the trip. Carrie is not. So she decides to stay home. There are many caves with artifacts where they're camping by the Buffalo National River. Rob and Catherine set off to explore. They get separated and Catherine is kidnapped by thieving locals. Rob scales a cliff to a cave and blacks out. Henry gets very concerned when they don't return. Carrie does too when she finds out. So she and her friend set out to join in the search. Can they be found safe and sound? Will Carrie or Henry be in danger, too? I love this series. Carrie and Henry are such likeable characters. I love the various settings of these books as well. The peripheral characters really add to the mix. There are always plenty of twists and turns before getting to the conclusion to keep me turning the pages! I highly recommend this book!

RIVER TO DIE FOR by Radine Trees Nehring Radine Trees Nehring is known for her . . . to Die For series, fun reads with sixties-plus year olds, Carrie, Henry and friends, solving mysteries in historic places in Arkansas. RIVER follows this formula as Carrie's son, Rob, goes exploring along the Buffalo River. He is accompanied by Henry's much younger sister, Catherine. Henry, Carrie's new husband who has not yet learned his place, has made plans for Carrie and him to participate. However, Carrie balks at the thought of a sleeping bag on an air mattress in a tent. Not for her. She prefers a soft bed in a warm home. And if Henry wants to fish--yuck--he can do it without her. The plot turns dark when Rob scales a cliff and enters a cave, and Catherine is abducted. Ms. Radine has taken her special formula and upped the suspense as the story spins toward an exciting finish. However, one thing that has not changed is the wonderful educational experience that she mixes into her writing. By the time you finish, you'll want to join Rob and Catherine in their explorations along the historic Buffalo River. I give RIVER TO DIE FOR five stars while waiting for the next in Radine Trees Nehring's series.

Radine Trees Nehring has garnered awards and great reviews for her "Something to Die For" mysteries. She is also a journalist, and her mysteries deal with people, places, and thing in her beloved State of Arkansas. She also writes for magazines and newspaper features, and her books usually contain a few of her tasty recipes. A RIVER TO DIE FOR brings up back to Nehrings' newly married seniors, Carrie and Henry. They are busy establishing family ties, and when Carrie's son Rob and Henry's long-lost half-sister Catherine suggest a camping/fishing trip, Henry is thrilled. Carrie is not so happy and elects to stay home to clean and give herself some quiet time. The location is the Buffalo National River, which is as famous for its caves and artifacts, which suit Rob, the family college professor, interested in anything having to do with American Indians. Rob and Catherine are at a tender time in their newly formed relationship, and they explore happily on the first day of the excursion. Then calamity hits as Catherine is accosted by a thieving local who decides to kidnap her: "'Go ahead and holler all you want. You think anyone will hear? Naaa, not where we are, not here outside the park. You're gonna come with me and you're gonna keep your mouth shut.' His voice dropped to a purr. 'We're gonna have us a fine time together. I'll show you what a real man can do, and then maybe I'll let you go...after.'" Nehring plots a particularly nasty scene, but as usual surrounds the tale with love and tenderness. Carrie and Henry are a lovely couple who are picking their way through their new status as a married couple. Nehring infuses her tale with the love of family; good cooking; and chasing the bad guys to save loved ones. Her description of Buffalo National River transports the reader back and forth in time. As usual, Nehrings' books are so bewitching that the reader can't put them down once begun. Her camping trip turns into a nightmare to rival the old movie Deliverance, but Nehrings' characters come through. The conclusion of the book comes all too soon, and the reader feels like they have been through it all with the characters. A RIVER is a delightful mystery full of all things that make books worth reading. Shelley Glodowski Senior Reviewer