RIVER BURNS

The long-awaited, dramatic new novel of Trevor Ferguson, one of Canada's most acclaimed writers: the story of a small town in crisis, the mistakes people make, and the courage it takes to heal a community after a horrific act of destruction.

Wakefield is a small town where a unique collection of longstanding citizens has lived mostly in harmony, accepting of each other's foibles. But underneath the picture perfect exterior a battle rages between those who wish to preserve the historic single-lane covered bridge across the river, and the loggers who want it replaced with a modern alternative. As the days pass with no change in the dispute, tensions begin to boil over, friends turn against one another, and the town seethes with potential violence. Family man and second-generation logger Denny O'Farrell has been leading the charge to modernize the bridge. When the bureaucratic route fails to produce results, Denny and his friends need a new plan of action. But local police officer Ryan O'Farrell, Denny's brother, is very worried about exactly how much Denny and friends are willing to risk in order to win the war. Swept up into the dispute, lawyer Raine Tara-Anne Cogshill, a newcomer hiding from her big-city past, hasn't bargained on getting caught up in a summer of violence. Trevor has been highly praised for his stunning and dramatic writing, and his ability to explore the mysteries of the human heart. With The River Burns, he takes the reader on a passionate journey through the humanity, temptation, devastation, and, ultimately, the redemption of a small town. Trevor Ferguson (who also writes under the pen name John Farrow ) is a Past-Chair of The Writers' Union of Canada. He frequently teaches creative writing and resides in Hudson, Quebec. He is the author of nine novels and four plays. He is the recipient of the Hugh MacLennan Prize for fiction for his novel The Timekeeper. City of Ice, written under the pen name John Farrow, has been published in 17 countries and optioned for film.