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River of Ashes (St. Benedict) Paperback – August 2, 2022
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One of Apple’s Most Anticipated Books in Mysteries & Thrillers, River of Ashes is an Adult Southern Gothic Psychological Thriller that will appeal to fans of Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn, YOU by Caroline Kepnes, Jennifer McMahon, Darcy Coates, and Shirley Jackson.
“Despite its ghosts and hauntings, this evocative tale presents an all-too-real terror that gets under your skin—and stays.” ~Rue Morgue
“A psychological portrait akin to Lord of the Flies.” ~Midwest Book Review
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. Star quarterback. Handsome. Charming. 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 haunted 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 clear that someone must stop Beau Devereaux.
And that someone will pay with their life.
* * *
Warning: This book contains rape, violence, and a psychopath's POV, which some readers will find disturbing.
“If Gillian Flynn and Bret Easton Ellis had a book baby, it would be River of Ashes.” ~Booktrib
“[Beau Devereaux] makes some of Stephen King's characters appear tame by comparison.” ~Nanette Fandino-Diaz @tea.and.titles
“Those into serial killers and fans of Shirley Jackson—you are not going to want to miss this.” ~RoseReviews.art.blog
“Beau Devereaux is every bit the “bad boy” our mothers warned us about. Think Mark Wahlberg from Fear but imagine if he crossed paths with Sidney Prescott.” ~GothGirlOnTheTrain
“A look inside the mind of a psychopath—a cautionary tale that the scariest monsters are the ones you know but never suspect.” ~Pearry Teo, PhD (Award-Winning Director of The Assent, Executive Producer of Cloud Atlas)
“Chilling and suspenseful, River of Ashes is a story that mimics real-life abuse and violence in today's youth. What seems like innocent high school shenanigans quickly turns evil in the path of a predator.” ~San Francisco Book Review
“Alexandrea Weis’s novels are destined to stand along with authors such as Stephen King, Gillian Flynn, Joyce Carol Oates, and Jeffery Deaver.” ~The Strand Magazine
- Print length276 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication dateAugust 2, 2022
- Dimensions5.5 x 0.71 x 8.5 inches
- ISBN-101645480984
- ISBN-13978-1645480983
"All the Little Raindrops: A Novel" by Mia Sheridan for $10.39
The chilling story of the abduction of two teenagers, their escape, and the dark secrets that, years later, bring them back to the scene of the crime. | Learn more
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From the Publisher
Editorial Reviews
Review
"I've read a few thrillers, but NOTHING comes close to River of Ashes." ~Rozanne Visagie, NetGalley
"What a twisted little tale of obsession ... Beau makes Joe Goldberg (YOU) look like a damn Saint." ~Michelle Louma, Goodreads
"Holy snap, this was BRUTAL in the best of ways!" ~Mercedes M. Yardley, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Little Dead Red.
"The duel POV [takes] you closer than ever into the mind of a serial monster and his victims ... Weis and Astor bring the darkness of the elite to the forefront in this fast paced psychological thriller. Highly recommend!" ~Tanya Roberts, Indigo Books, Québec Canada (@bookswithtanya)
"With reality bordering on the chilling, I jumped in feet first and was amazed ... The next book can't come out fast enough." ~Erin Forys, Barnes and Noble, Williamsburg VA
"Horrifying moments haunt the reading experience, which is the masterstroke of a true horror/thriller artist ... but they go one step further in the emotional horror that chills your bones for its sheer realism." ~K.C. Finn, USA Today Bestselling Author
"The most memorable novel with the most intriguing ending I've read this year. It's emotionally charged, quite sinister, evocative, and highly addictive." ~Emma Megan (Emma's Insights Book Review)
"Beau Devereaux is one of the best-written villains you'll ever love to hate. An addictive read." ~BookTrib
"You cannot prepare to read this kind of thing. Expect to have a strong reaction. Expect to feel disturbed." ~Jypsy
"There's something downright chilling about this book." ~Cozy Ginger
"If you're looking for some good skin crawling, gut queasy and rage inducing vibes, grab this book." ~ForTheThrillofBooks
"This book did what every good horror movie or book should do, it kept me uncomfortable the whole time ... Definitely a must read if you can handle it." ~she.a.reader
"A thriller you won't forget anytime soon ... This book is twisted, crazy, creepy, and a wild ride." ~Devon's Book Corner
"One word. Excellent. This would work really well as a movie. I got a 90s teen thriller vibe from it." ~Rachael, Goodreads
"An extremely dark and deeply unsettling thriller that nails the role of a budding psychopath ... and actually delivers on building a devastating psychological thriller." ~Swetha
"As a psychological study, River of Ashes represents a standout in literature. ... thoroughly engrossing." ~Midwest Book Review
"This is a great read if you're not scared of a little fear, blood, and psychopath's running wild." ~Charlie H, NetGalley
About the Author
Raised in the motion picture industry as the daughter of a director, Weis learned to tell stories from a different perspective. She grew up on movie sets from Live and Let Die with Roger Moore to My Name is Nobody starring Henry Fonda. The first person to give her writing advice was Tennessee Williams, a family friend.
A permitted/certified wildlife rehabber with Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries, Weis rescues orphaned and injured animals. She lives with her husband and pets outside of New Orleans. Weis is a member of the International Thriller Writers (ITW) and the Horror Writers Association (HWA).
Lucas Astor is an award-winning 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. Astor is from New York, has resided in Central America and the Middle East, and traveled throughout Europe. He currently lives outside of Nashville, TN.
Product details
- Publisher : Vesuvian Books (August 2, 2022)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 276 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1645480984
- ISBN-13 : 978-1645480983
- Item Weight : 13.8 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.5 x 0.71 x 8.5 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #1,272,118 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #3,325 in Gothic Fiction
- #3,761 in Ghost Fiction
- #11,233 in Coming of Age Fiction (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the authors
Lucas Astor is an award-winning 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.
Lucas has co-authored several titles with Alexandrea Weis including the ST. BENEDICT SERIES (River of Ashes, River of Wrath, River of Ghosts, River of Madness--coming Feb 2024) and the MAGNUS BLACKWELL SERIES, as well as penned the lyrics for the Bram Stoker Awards® Nominee, SPEAK NO EVIL by Liana Gardner.
Born in New York, Astor has resided in Central America, the Middle East, and traveled through Europe. He currently lives outside of Nashville, TN.
www.LucasAstor.com
Alexandrea Weis, RN-CS, PhD, is a multi-award-winning author, advanced practice registered nurse, and historian who was born and raised in the French Quarter. She has taught at major universities and worked in nursing for thirty years, dealing with victims of sexual assault, abuse, and mental illness in a clinical setting at New Orleans area hospitals.
Raised in the motion picture industry as the daughter of a director, Weis learned to tell stories from a different perspective. She grew up on movie sets from Live and Let Die with Roger Moore to My Name is Nobody starring Henry Fonda. The first person to give her writing advice was Tennessee Williams, a family friend.
A permitted/certified wildlife rehabber with Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries, Weis rescues orphaned and injured animals. She lives with her husband and pets outside of New Orleans.
Weis is a member of the International Thriller Writers (ITW) and the Horror Writers Association (HWA).
www.AlexandreaWeis.com
Customer reviews
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Note: This is an adult series and the authors pull no punches with some of the content that feels very real, including rape.
***Make sure to read the author's note at the end of the book, explaining why it was written.***
Umm what did I just read? Wowser! This book was really really good, although some of what Beau did in this story to others was pretty rough.
Such a dark and creepy story. It did bring to the forefront about rape, sexual abuse, and bullying and how a person who commits this can be thinking.
This book was very chilling and eerie. Especially The Abbey, which plays a large role in this story. The way the author described it made me imagine not wanting to go in it.
This was very well written, and so happy I found this author. Getting ready to read book 2.
If you are okay with sensitive material then you definitely need to read this one.
The characters within the story strong characters. I made a connection with Dawn and Leslie and their friends. I couldn't help but make a connection with them!
This storyline was very dark! Darker than other books I have read by these authors. It felt so real as I delve in to reading this story. There's so much detail and the truth of it all just made me cry and feel all the feels within the story. These authors did bring forth a story that will stay with me forever. This story may cause trauma and triggers, so I strongly suggest thinking before reading. I do highly recommend this read!
Top reviews from other countries
Characters: 5/5
Originality: 4.5/5
Overall: 4.5/5
*please check trigger warnings before reading this book*
The only child of a powerful family, Beau can do not wrong. Star quarterback. Handsome. Charming. The “prince” of St. Benedict is the ultimate catch.
He is also a psychopath.
I really enjoyed this book, it’s VERY dark to check TW before reading but it will 100% get you hooked. Seeing things from Beau’s POV was intriguing and twisted! The writing is really brilliant from the authors, it is so well written.
There were so many times during this book that I just wanted to yell at Dawn to open her eyes to who Beau really is! Really looking forward to book two.
Definitely check the trigger warnings - this is a dark thriller - but it’s so freakin well written!
Great work guys!
“The scariest monsters are the ones that lurk within our souls...”
Before you pick on this book, I’d suggest you read the author’s note. It is always advisable to look before you leap, this adage does not go unreasonable for this book. It is a clear warning to first know the reason as to why did the author at all write this crude thriller which pounces on your faint heart only to hunt it down.
Everybody would tell you how worthy this book stands to a thrill loving audience. But let me take a different path and tell you what can you look for if your heart is that of a pigeon and this book is on your list.
First things first, it is the first book of a series which is an absolute grip! This book takes times to settle in your own conscience first and then to even talk about it. It is undoubtedly sensitive, look out for the trigger warnings. Can be a little disturbing too. Nonetheless this book gave me food for thought. The plot is enticing and keeps you going page after page. You can be found disbelieving and shocked.
Moving further, the strength you find in Leslie’s character will all the added sass is something to keep. Just reading about someone who would not give up is a true gem of a trait. In the face of all the evil, psychopathic terrors Leslie stands stern.
Another interesting thing to notice is the grim family secrets which most of royal, rich, powerful families have. Beaus’ family – The Devereaux family is just one of them. It gives you enough scary feelings to excite about. Both these families run in a parallel, we have Leslie and Dawn who do not feel like real sisters but as we know blood is thicker than water, Leslie rose to the occasion when it was needed.
This book also proves us with an incident that no one’s invincible, not even the most powerful of forces. This is another takeaway from this bone chilling tale. Apart from these, the book got me wondering at the loss that one suffers, any of those personal ones. Made me reflect if any amount of revenge can ever make up for the feeling of what’s lost.
I’d rate this book 4.5/5 for the chills it sent down my bones
The characters are well developed and varied and easily relatable, well not Beau if you can relate to him, please seek help.
The story flows easily and even though you can imagine the ending. You want to continue reading it anyway.
I think this story would be great as a TV series. I enjoyed the book but I think I would've love it more on TV
I don't know if I'll be reading the second book. I enjoyed this one, but I liked the ending well, it feels wrapped. And can be read as a stand alone. So if you are unsure as to read this or not, worring about possible clifhangers or commiting to a two books of horrors, worry not this is autoconclusive and also not a long book. What I liked cause is a heavy story mostly narrated from the point of view of a psycho and a longer book could have been tiresome. There is an epilogue that leaves the story open to continue and a few hinds of things we don't know along the whole story. But I find myself not that interested in them.
All in all a very good book.
This is a hard book so check triggers because it has quite a lot.