The River Runs Black
by Tessa Wegert

James Patterson meets Louise Penny: New York’s Thousand Islands are set to lose their battle against drugs in this pulse-pounding police procedural from acclaimed author Tessa Wegert.
“An edge-of-your-seat mystery” (Booklist on In the Bones)
A small town on the water where things aren’t as perfect as they look . . .
After the recent death of a teenager by overdose, a record drug seizure along the Canadian border is a game changer for New York State’s criminal investigation team. The detectives are relieved that the haul will never make it to the idyllic small-town streets of Alexandria Bay.
But drugs are still circulating, and the lab results confirm it: the cocaine that killed the teenager and the cocaine from the bust are not the same.
Investigator Tim Wellington and his team seem to be chasing a network of ghosts who use the North Country as their criminal playground.
How long will it be until another Thousand Islands youth becomes not just a victim, but a target? Because the dangerous players won’t shy away from violence when protecting their valuable goods—even if it means gambling with innocent lives . . .
This twisty mystery coupled with heart-pounding suspense will appeal to fans of the Chief Inspector Gamache Mysteries and the Alex Cross thrillers, as well as books by Meg Gardiner, Ann Cleeves, and Ruth Ware.

Reviews

Precise, immersive, and sharply observed . . . will pull you under and not let go until its final, devastating twist. Fans of Louise Penny and Alex Finlay won’t want to miss this one

Danielle Girard, USA Today Bestselling author of Pinky Swear

Taut, visceral, and expertly tuned . . . A masterclass in atmospheric suspense

Rea Frey, #1 bestselling author of Dear Mother

Tessa Wegert's talent for writing multi-POV police procedurals is undeniable . . . There's as much heart on every page as there is suspense—what a gift. Wegert is a rare gem!

Carinn Jade, author of The Astrology House and The Dahlia Suite

“Tight prose, relatable characters, and an edge-of-your-seat mystery that carries the reader all the way to the final page”

Booklist on In the Bones

“Taut and compelling . . . Comparisons to Gillian Flynn’s Sharp Objects and books by Jane Harper and Lucy Foley are warranted”

FirstCLUE on In the Bones

“A shrewd shocker that should win the author new fans”

Publishers Weekly on In the Bones

“The piercing family melodrama and all-too-human detective provide deep roots . . . Here’s to the promised sequels”

Kirkus Reviews on In the Bones

In the Bones is impossible to stop reading. Wegert is a master plotter. An absolute knockout

Stephanie Wrobel, bestselling author of The Hitchcock Hotel, on In the Bones

“Wegert is a genius at laying out puzzle pieces for readers to put together, while also creating a world of deeply relatable characters. I can’t wait for my next visit to the North Country!”

Mindy Mejia, USA Today bestselling author of To Catch a Storm and A World of Hurt, on In the Bones

“Tessa Wegert masterfully blends atmospheric tension with deeply layered character development. Her sharp, evocative prose grips from the first page and never lets go”

Liv Constantine, New York Times bestselling author, on In the Bones

“No one today is writing locked room mysteries like Tessa Wegert – claustrophobic, heart-stopping, twisting like the frozen surface of the St. Lawrence. Put this book on your must-read list”

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING, New York Times bestselling author of Hid From Our Eyes, on The Coldest Case

“Luscious prose and non-stop action”

JULIA BARTZ, New York Times bestselling author of The Writing Retreat, on The Coldest Case

“A chilling and propulsive addition to one of the most bingeable detective series going”

VANESSA LILLIE, bestselling author of Blood Sisters, on The Coldest Case

“The stakes have never been higher, and Tessa Wegert has never been in finer form. With her trademark blend of chilling, atmospheric suspense, scalpel-sharp wit, and lush, elegant prose, Wegert treats readers to the kind of riveting, deeply felt narrative found in the very finest thriller fiction. Don’t you dare miss it!”

E.G. Scott, international bestselling author of The Rule of Three, on The Coldest Case

“Tessa Wegert is at her absolute best in this stirring, atmospheric whodunnit set on a remote island in the dead of winter. Ice-pick sharp and superbly sneaky, the jaw-dropping reveal will leave you breathless!”

SUSAN WALTER, bestselling author of Good as Dead, on The Coldest Case

“An atmospheric triumph, THE COLDEST CASE is a must-read for crime fiction lovers”

The Big Thrill

“Suspenseful and terrifying”

Booklist on The Coldest Case

“Atmospheric . . . Wegert effectively shifts between the island case and the Manhattan investigation, taking both to surprising places”

Publishers Weekly on The Coldest Case

“Will leave most readers gasping – and not from cold”

Kirkus Reviews on The Coldest Case

“An extremely well-written crime novel . . . fans of the series will not be disappointed”

Booklist on Devils at the Door

“Wegert expertly . . . keeps readers off-balance as the investigation unfolds”

Publishers Weekly on Devils at the Door

“A compelling, unique mystery with twists I never saw coming. I couldn't put it down”

Samantha Downing, bestselling author of My Lovely Wife on Devils at the Door

“Stellar . . . Devil's at the Door has all the hallmarks of this excellent series – spooky Thousand Islands atmosphere, rich characterization, and a compelling circle of suspects”

Sarah Stewart Taylor, author of the Maggie D'arcy mysteries on Devils at the Door

“An explosive small town mystery filled with delicious and deadly secrets”

Darby Kane, #1 international bestselling author of The Engagement Party on Devils at the Door

“A taut, atmospheric and compulsive thriller that had me gripped as every secret unravelled and the investigation reached its compelling conclusion”

Nadine Matheson, author of The Jigsaw Man on Devils at the Door

“The complex plot and subtle characterizations elevate this above similar fare. Wegert remains a writer to watch”

Publishers Weekly on The Kind to Kill

“[Wegert has] rightly earned the badge as one of the finest talents of the past three years. And The Kind to Kill is her best novel to date”

The Strand Magazine on The Kind to Kill

“Wegert does an admirable job of generating mounting suspense”

Kirkus Reviews on The Kind to Kill

“[A] standout crime thriller . . . Wegert nicely balances plot and characterization. Fans of Denise Mina’s Alex Morrow will be pleased”

Publishers Weekly Starred Review of Dead Wind

Louise Penny meets Ruth Ware in this small town mystery that bubbles with secrets and intrigue”

Charlie Donlea, internationally bestselling author, on Dead Wind

“A bone-chilling mystery that crackles with suspense”

Joanna Schaffhausen, author of the Annalisa Vega novels, on Dead Wind

“An atmospheric, sophisticated thriller with layers upon layers of secrets”

Sarah Stewart Taylor, author of the Maggie D’arcy mysteries, on Dead Wind

Tessa Wegert

Tessa Wegert is the critically acclaimed author of the Shana Merchant Mysteries, as well as the North Country series. Her books have received numerous starred reviews and have been featured on PBS and NPR Radio. A former journalist and copywriter, Tessa grew up in Quebec and now lives with her husband and children in Connecticut.

View author page

Editions

The River Runs Black by Tessa Wegert is available in the following formats

97814483150936th October 2026 X mm256,288,288£20.99
Hardback97814483150866th October 2026144 X 222mm288,288£21.99
Hardback97814483150866th October 2026144 X 222mm288,288$39.99
FormatISBNPublication DateDimensionsPagesPrice