The River Killings

The River Killings is the second fast-past, gripping tale of suspense in the Zoe Hayes mystery series. Zoe, a divorced art therapist with a six-year-old adopted daughter, returns with another page-turner set in Philadelphia, this time along historic Boathouse Row. On summer vacation from her job, Zoe takes sculling lessons with pal Susan Cummings. One evening, while daughter Molly and Susan's children wait in the boathouse, Zoe and Susan row off onto the Schuylkill to practice for an upcoming regatta. When Susan's oar catches on some flotsam (which turns out to be a woman's dress) the boat flips, and the two find themselves in deep water with not just one but an entire throng of dead bodies. Someone along Boathouse row is a murderer, but who? When Zoe and boyfriend Detective Nick Stiles argue, he heads out to the river for a "cool off" night time row. When he doesn't come back, Zoe and Molly go looking for him. There, in the darkness, Zoe discovers a sinister plot that she and Molly might not be able to escape.

Merry Jones writes mysteries (Summer Session, The Nanny Murders, The River Killings, The Deadly Neighbors, The Borrowed and Blue Murders), humor (including I Love Him, But...) and non-fiction (including Birthmothers: Women who relinquished babies for adoption tell their stories). Her work has been translated into seven languages. She teaches writing part time at Temple University, lives with her family outside Philadelphia, belongs to Mystery Writers of America, The Authors Guild, and The Philadelphia Liars Club.