River Deep

Bitterfrost Thriller #2

By: Bryan Gruley

ISBN: 978-1448316120

Publisher: Severn House

Publication Date: 07/07/2026

Format: Other

My Rating: TBR

JUL 2026 MUST-READ BOOKS

Attorney Devyn Payne is left navigating thin ice as her small-town community fractures in the wake of a shocking crime in River Deep, the second in the Bitterfrost thriller series from Edgar nominee and Pulitzer Prize–winning author Bryan Gruley.

“Visceral, vivid, and suspenseful”―Meg Gardiner on Bitterfrost

Fighting for the cold, hard truth

Attorney Devyn Payne expects a quieter life when she returns to her hometown of Bitterfrost. Until the bodies of two eight-month-old boys are pulled from the icy depths of the local river. Was it a tragic accident or something more disturbing?

The twins’ distraught parents survived the car crash, but their mother, Catriona Dulaney, was driving. Now she’s charged with killing her babies, and her admission of guilt has leaked online. It should be the most straightforward case Devyn prosecutes all year. And yet, to her, it doesn’t add up.

With time dwindling ahead of the trial, Detective Garth Klimmek questioning Cat’s role in the tragedy, and a suspicious outsider loitering around town, this crime might just be the tip of an iceberg. Devyn’s put two Dulaneys behind bars before. This time, whose side will she take―and what will it cost?

This suspense-drenched drama is perfect for fans of Dennis Lehane, the TV show Mayor of Kingstown, and small-town thrillers by Tim Johnston and John Sandford.

Buy the Book

About the Author

Bryan Gruley is the Edgar-nominated author of six novels and one award-winning work of nonfiction. A lifelong journalist, he shared in The Wall Street Journal's Pulitzer Prize for coverage of the September 11 terrorist attacks. He lives in northern lower Michigan with his wife, Pamela.

WEBSITE

Bitterfrost Series

BITTERFROST #1

RIVER DEEP #2

Praise

The atmosphere of a northern Michigan small town is expertly detailed . . . The story shines brightest during the courtroom scenes. Baker’s trial is informed and tense, with a knowledge and surety usually found in an engrossing legal thriller

― The Washington Post on Bitterfrost

Chilling, full of characters that feel real, with a ton of heart

― CrimeReads on Bitterfrost

Readers who enjoy character depth, family and smalltown drama, and an intricate plot will enjoy this fast-paced thriller

― New York Journal of Books on Bitterfrost

An intense, well-written novel, with a great trial, worthy of any John Grisham novel. This is one you will not want to put down

― Red Carpet Crash on Bitterfrost

Sharp and engaging

― Booklist on Bitterfrost

[Gruley] launches a promising new mystery series with this tense tale of murder in small-town Michigan . . . Gruley buttresses the book’s sleek procedural elements with a textured, lived-in setting . . . An auspicious opening act

― Publishers Weekly on Bitterfrost

The fade-out seems to hint at a sequel, though it'll be hard-pressed to keep up with the intensity Gruley maintains here. A freezing, sobering exploration of the hero’s mantra that “every day’s a penance"

― Kirkus Reviews on Bitterfrost

Engrossing . . . This is the first in a series, thankfully, as readers will want to visit this chilly-in-every-way community again

― First Clue on Bitterfrost

Visceral, vivid, and suspenseful, Bitterfrost immerses readers in a chilly―and chilling―world of lost dreams and deadly feuds. I was instantly and completely engrossed. Masterfully done ― Meg Gardiner, #1 New York Times bestselling author, on Bitterfrost

Bryan Gruley’s Bitterfrost is my kind of crime novel . . . propelled by a razor-sharp plot that swirls around things we can all relate to: getting older, opportunities missed, and the uniting power of sports. Gruley’s at the top of his game

― Alex Segura, bestselling and acclaimed author of Secret Identity and Alter Ego, on Bitterfrost

Terrific—a tough, tense mystery that had me hooked from its opening sentences. Bryan Gruley has a sharp eye for small towns and a real feel for their secrets. This first-rate novel is a study in suspense

― Ken Jaworowski, Edgar-nominated author of Small Town Sins and What About The Bodies

River Deep is a darkly crafted mystery that blends the beautifully written prose and gritty crime novel we’ve come to expect from award-winning author Bryan Gruley. With its immersive setting, masterfully crafted characters, and an emotional storyline that yanks at the heartstrings, River Deep pulls readers into its vice-like grip and refuses to let go. Outstanding—River Deep is Gruley at his best

― Heather Gudenkauf, New York Times bestselling author of The Overnight Guest