The River Man

By: R. B. Croft

Narrated by: Dominic West

How do you track down a killer who might not even exist?

An Audible Original from thrilling new talent, R B Croft, narrated by star of The Crown, The Wire and The Affair Dominic West.

Clem knows every inch of Watersmeet like the back of his hand. After all, he’s controlled crime here for most of his career. But after a shock murder, he meets jaundiced yellow eyes shining out of the darkness beyond the houses on the village’s eerie southern slopes, and everything he thought he knew about the place is thrown into question.

Clem’s grown up with local legends, just like everyone else. But could the River Man be real, and might this creature be behind the recent mysterious killings? It’s a theory – and not one that his superiors want to hear. They’re more interested in courting soundbites and social media with their own wild explanations. Drugs? Gangs? Clem just doesn’t believe it.

Suspended, he takes matters into his own hands and strikes out into the woods behind the farm. Here, amongst the trees and hidden caves, he discovers more than he ever wanted to. Something that’s been hiding. Something that needs to be smoked out. Clem sets out to solve the village’s biggest crime ever, but at what cost?

About the author

R B Croft loves the wild and the creeping sensation that comes with wondering ‘what if…?’. A married father and certified book nut, he’s often found outdoors with a pen in his hand, getting himself into trouble. His literary idols are too many to count, but include Dean Koontz, Stephen King, Michelle Paver, Christina Henry, Peter Benchley, CJ Box, and CJ Tudor - and anyone who stops him from sleeping.

About the narrator

Dominic West is one of the country’s finest and most versatile actors. His thirty-year career has included roles in some of the most iconic television series, from his award-winning portrayal of Jimmy McNulty in The Wire, to Charles, Prince of Wales in The Crown. Since making his film debut opposite Sir Ian McKellen in Richard III, he has appeared in movies as diverse as Oscar-winning musical Chicago, historical drama Downton Abbey: A New Era, provided voices in Disney Pixar’s Finding Dory and played real-life activist Jonathan Blake in the multi-award-winning Pride.

©2024 R. B. Croft (P)2024 Audible, Ltd

Critic reviews

“A thrilling mash-up of crime and folk horror. With genuinely chilling scenes, The River Man is packed with suspense on every page.” (Sarah A. Denzil, author of The Silent Child)

"Clem's journey through the shadowy underbelly of Watersmeet is riveting. The book masterfully blends crime and folklore, creating a thrilling narrative that will make you doubt what you thought you knew. A compelling listen that brilliantly weaves mystery, local legend, and raw emotion." (Mark Dawson, author of the John Milton, Beatrix and Isabella Rose and Atticus Priest series)

“Mysterious deaths in a small town, The River Man chilled me to my core. Part folklore, part serial killer, this is creepy, eerie storytelling at its best.” (Sam Holland, The Echo Man, The Twenty, The Puppet Master)

Suspenseful

The reader did a wonderful job and the storyline kept you hooked. Worth a listen for sure

Fun listen

Good yarn. Well written. Even clean language! Well read. Thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend to most ages

Excellent mystery

This story is full of intrigue, suspense, frustration, and redemption. Very well written and performed.

Wonderful humorous story.

I loved this book. It was an exciting and humorous tale that really entertained me.

Great story

Amazing story told by an amazing actor! I wish there were more stories and storytellers like this out there! Bravo

Not bad

The story is pretty good, the prose is okay, but feels hastily-written. Not bad.

Nice & Easy

This was a nice easy listening story. Not a knock your socks off mystery but a good listen. Enjoyed the narration and was able to listen while I did other projects because it didn’t require undivided attention.

Really great!

This was a well written and performed story. It kept my interest until the end. Highly recommended.

The imagination of the story!

I really enjoyed the struggles of a man dealing with other personalities who because they believed differently did not want to have an open mind to other possibilities. I enjoyed the portrayal of his spirit of not giving up.

Thoroughly enjoyable!!

Couldn’t stop listening! Made a very rainy day go by quickly! From beginning to end, it truly held my attention! Narration superb!