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River of Ashes | LitPick Book Reviews
River of Ashes

River of Ashes (St. Benedict, book 1) is a Southern Gothic Psychological Thriller with elements of Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn, You by Caroline Kepnes, and a dose of Pretty Little Liars. Inspired by true events, River of Ashes addresses social issues including sexual violence and bullying. Nerd Daily called it, “The kind of skin-crawling, queasy-feeling-in-the-pit-of-your-stomach story that needs to be told and demands to be read. The type of cautionary tale that keeps you alive by reminding you that sometimes the biggest horrors aren’t the monsters hiding under the bed but the ones hiding in plain sight.”

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.

Book Details

Genre: 

  • Psycho Thriller

Age Level: 

  • Adult
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Of course Beau Devereaux has a dark side. He's the popular football quarterback, good looking, rich, an academic success, and everyone likes him. He also throws the best parties down by the river. His father owns the town, running a lucrative business that employs most of the town residents. He also stands in a long line of Devereauxs. But it's not the family pressure that drives Beau's dark side. He believes he owns the river and the parties he hosts there are just an extension of himself, doing his sinister will.

Beau Devereaux is a teenage psychopath who struggles to maintain a respectable image. His dad is a well-known business owner, and Beau is expected to take over the family business one day. Beau is quarterback of the school football team and has a reputation of being a good sport. However, Beau has dark demons struggling to come out. The river, a place where Beau and his buddies like to party, is the only place where Beau's demons come out to play. The river has an Abbey where Beau can inflict pain on others in private, and with a well know rich family, there is no one to stop him.

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