Advertising executive Randy Lassiter and his new brother-in-law, Dr. Gib Yarberry, aren't close. Hardly. When Randy's sister (and Gib's bride) tricks them into undertaking a male-bonding expedition in the Ozarks, none of them could have imagined that a simple backpacking trip would become a life-and-death experience involving a band of desperate drug runners. Or that chemistry would develop between Randy and Leslie Carlisle, a female magazine photographer they encounter on their trek. Their October adventure starts out innocently enough. But only hours into their hike along the Buffalo National River, Randy and Gib discover a dead man beneath the highest bluff in the Ozarks. While assisting a National Park search-and-rescue team in recovering the body, they're told by a ranger that the incident appears to be an unfortunate accident. Continuing their journey, they soon spot a strange packet floating in the river. At first it appears they've found nothing more than an unusual collection of media clippings, but when they discover a cassette tape and thumb drive in the deep recesses of the container, they realize there's more to the man's death than they expected. What was supposed to have been an idyllic venture soon becomes a matter of survival as Randy, Gib, and Leslie -- their new photographer friend -- are forced to battle both Mother Nature and a group of violent criminals who have everything to lose if the material in that mysterious packet makes its way to federal authorities. "Fans of Joe David Rice's two recent books chronicling the unique or off-the-beaten path treasures of his native Arkansas will be drawn to his first novel. Rice richly weaves his detailed knowledge of the Ozarks into a lively paced adventure of three hikers trying to escape a menacing pursuer who is desperate to keep secret a discovery the hikers stumble across. Only someone who has spent hours camping and hiking in the most remote areas of Arkansas could describe so vividly scenes along the Buffalo River. His protagonist, an ad agency executive familiar with both the inspiring and daunting features of an Ozark cave, may hold the only passageway to survival for the hunted hikers. Imagine a John Grisham tale if he knew the Arkansas outdoors as well as Rice." Nate Coulter, executive director, Central Arkansas Library System " This book is hard to put down. Joe David Rice's expertise with all things dealing with Arkansas geography, especially the Buffalo National River, sets the stage for a riveting mystery with a cast of memorable characters. I thoroughly enjoyed it!" Richard Davies, retired executive director, Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism "CAPTIVATING! Once you're into this novel, you just don't want to put it down until you're finished. A great work of fiction set in a real world place. If you don't know the Buffalo River, you'll want to get a map and explore the actual locations. Five star!" Mike Mills, founder, Buffalo Outdoor Center "Hang out in the woods with Joe David Rice and you're liable to come home with the story of a lifetime. Or, you can just read An Undercurrent of Murder, his masterful, hair-raising tale of death and intrigue. Either way, it's clear that Rice knows how to completely rock the outdoors. This guy's a natural!" Rod Lorenzen, former director, Butler Center Publishing