ON THE MAD RIVER unfolds in a Midwestern working-class town where Lucrecia Guerrero explores the turbulent currents of gentrification and the profound yearning for authentic connections. Within this vivid backdrop, Rosa Linda and Donnie Ray, hailing from disparate backgrounds, grapple with personal demons while facing external adversities. Guerrero weaves a compelling narrative, entwining the lives of Rosa Linda and Donnie Ray as they navigate the love, resilience, and shadows that loom over their shared journey in this gripping tale of human connection amidst societal upheaval.
"Lucrecia Guerrero has written a luminous and transcendent book. Rosa Linda, Donnie Ray, and all of the other characters in this stunning novel will break your heart, stitch it back together, and leave you wanting more."--Connie May Fowler, author of A Million Fragile Bones.
"ON THE MAD RIVER is a masterfully crafted literary suspense novel that intricately intertwines the lives of a young Latina from the Borderlands and streetwise White man of Appalachian descent. Through nuanced storytelling, Guerrero delves deep into the characters' struggles, offering a profound exploration of diversity and the universal yearning for acknowledgment and humanity."--Angela Jackson-Brown, author of Drinking From a Bitter Cup, House Repairs, When Stars Rain Down and The Light Always Breaks
"ON THE MAD RIVER is an exciting and poignant novel about Rosa Linda and Donnie Ray, two like-minded souls from different worlds who meet in Mad River, Ohio. One is on the road and escaping in search of her dreams, while the other is haunted by a brother's untimely death.On the Mad River is an excellent story about how Rosa Linda and Donnie Ray help each other become who they want to be, even amid the evil around them."--Sergio Troncoso, author of Nobody's Pilgrims and A Peculiar Kind of Immigrant's Son
"With ON THE MAD RIVER, Lucrecia Guerrero has given us a fresh take on literary noir, and she has done a first-rate job of it. Rosa Linda is a self-described Arizona chica who knows how to handle men of all descriptions, and that includes one Appalachian refugee named Donnie Ray who has never come into contact with a woman quite like her. The experiences of these two outcasts in the American heartland make for compelling reading."--W.K. Stratton, author of the Los Angeles Times bestseller The Wild Bunch: Sam Peckinpah, a Revolution in Hollywood, and Making of a Legendary Film.
"Rosa Linda's hardscrabble upbringing of being bounced from relative to relative gave her the tools to stay true to her young self and follow her dreams. In ON THE MAD RIVER, Lucrecia Guerrero spins a tale you won't want to put down."--Melinda Palacio, author of Ocotillo Dreams and How Fire is a Story, Waiting
Fiction.
On the Mad River is a suspense-packed book that promises a high-adrenaline ride with well-developed characters that blur the lines between reality and fiction. Get ready to immerse yourself in a world where suspense reigns supreme, and every page leaves you on the edge of your seat, craving more. Lucrecia Guerrero masterfully crafts a narrative that mirrors the complexities of our journeys, highlighting the power of love and resilience in the face of adversity. - -Suzie Housley, MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW On the Mad River is "one of the best pieces of crime fiction I have read in years" . . . "fast-paced" . . . "full of suspense" . . . "characters well-developed" . . . "a story of diversity , but also the universal human connection" . . ."will engage every reader." -- The Norwegian American News ". . . examines the desire . . . to bond to something bigger than our own true selves." "Intense, moving and unrelenting, this book lingered with me long after the final page." Alex Espinoza, critically acclaimed author of The Sons of El Rey "gives insight into two vastly different characters" "lyrical language" "loaded with the twin emotions of dread and anxiety, punctuated by that nagging suspicion that something bad is going to happen" "acknowledge[s] our shared humanity and the ties that bind those communities who are thrown to the margins" --Cristina Herrera, Latinx Pop Magazine "city itself becomes a character" "a strong sense of people and place" "Donnie Ray and Rosa Linda come to sharp life" ". . .the novel envelops all of its characters in a deep empathy" -- YS NEWS New Fiction from Award-Winning Author Lucrecia Guerrero: ON THE MAD RIVER Lucrecia Guerrero's short stories have appeared in numerous literary journals and have been anthologized