On the River

by Melissa Westemeier

In late winter of 1985, the locals become restless as the thawing Wissipaw River strains against its banks. June Butterfield, Dottie Trayson and Arlyce Shanski secretly help a neighbor escape an abusive relationship. Mona Butterfield and Jake Paulick wrestle with jealousy and uncertainty in their relationship. World-famous bait shop owner Maw Cooper swindles a documentary filmmaker with a fish tale about how his amazing minnows are bred. And a mysterious death forces everyone to choose a side--all before the walleye run begins.

257 pages, Paperback

First published May 5, 2018

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another terrific book from Melissa Westemeier! She takes the reader back to Bassville, this time in the late winter. Mona is still front and center, but also we learn more about her mother, June, and what makes her tick. While there is still humor, especially at the bait shop with Maw, Westemeier tackles the darker subject of domestic violence in this book. One of the things I appreciate about the author is her resistance to tidying up everything with a neat bow; life and relationships are complicated, and she treats them with honesty and integrity. Because of this, her characters are complex, naturally flawed (as we all are), and believable. I hated to have this book end, knowing I will have to wait for the third in the series to find out what happens next for everyone!

[Amanda Lauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second installment from Westemeier centering on life in small-town Wisconsin, but things take a turn for the worse when a resident from Bassville turns up dead. The subject matter is darker in this book and centers more on June Butterfield, rather than her daughter Mona who was the protagonist from book #1. Again, Westemeier did a very good job writing this story, her teaching background shines through her work. That being said, I preferred Across the River because it centered on Mona's character and On the River left two major cliff hangers. Thank goodness there's a third book in the series, hopefully that will wrap everything up nicely. It's at the top of my TBR pile.