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We Will See You Bleed
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Expected 7 Jul 26"We Will See You Bleed, is a thriller in the best sense. You can’t put the damn thing down, and the story of these down-and-outs fighting the powers that be will stay with you a long time. Solid-gold guarantee." —Stephen King
It's late summer 1984, and Babs Dionne’s hometown of Waterville, Maine is on the verge of collapse. A strike at the paper mill has dragged on for a year, pitting neighbor against neighbor, leaving everyone broke and exhausted.
As head of the union local, Babs has presided over Little Canada’s decline. She's sworn off violence since killing a man when she was a teenager, and has stuck to this vow even as it's become clear that only violence can save their community. When Babs’ best friend Rita returns home after five years away, she is shocked by the state of things. And as the strike comes to a head, Rita notices something the men may be broken, but the women are furious, ready to do whatever necessary to take back Little Canada.
They just need Babs to be the fearless woman who emerged from the woods fifteen years ago, drenched in blood. They need Babs to face what she already that the only way to fix things is to assume control. Completely. Mercilessly.
Poignant, unflinching, and brimming with sharp humor, We Will See You Bleed is a triumphant second installment in this electrifying crime thriller series by award-winning author Ron Currie.
It's late summer 1984, and Babs Dionne’s hometown of Waterville, Maine is on the verge of collapse. A strike at the paper mill has dragged on for a year, pitting neighbor against neighbor, leaving everyone broke and exhausted.
As head of the union local, Babs has presided over Little Canada’s decline. She's sworn off violence since killing a man when she was a teenager, and has stuck to this vow even as it's become clear that only violence can save their community. When Babs’ best friend Rita returns home after five years away, she is shocked by the state of things. And as the strike comes to a head, Rita notices something the men may be broken, but the women are furious, ready to do whatever necessary to take back Little Canada.
They just need Babs to be the fearless woman who emerged from the woods fifteen years ago, drenched in blood. They need Babs to face what she already that the only way to fix things is to assume control. Completely. Mercilessly.
Poignant, unflinching, and brimming with sharp humor, We Will See You Bleed is a triumphant second installment in this electrifying crime thriller series by award-winning author Ron Currie.
- GenresThriller
384 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication July 7, 2026
98 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 12, 2026
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, having it on my shelf for months . But I was so wrong! It was a fantastic read with multiple stories that seemed to be happening simultaneously, but everything tied together.. It’s definitely my favorite book of 2026. That being said, I don’t think it’s for everyone.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance book.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance book.
November 21, 2025
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review which you can read below:
Wow! I loved this book so much more than I expected! This is not my typical genre, but as a born and bred Mainer I love to read fiction that takes place in my home state. This book did not disappoint! Even if you are not usually someone who reads action type fiction, if you are familiar with Maine and Maine’s history with mills you will love it. It is a very powerful read. If I had to compare this to any other book I’ve read I would compare it to No Country for Old Men. I would absolutely recommend this book to any action lover, and I think this book would some day make a great movie!
Wow! I loved this book so much more than I expected! This is not my typical genre, but as a born and bred Mainer I love to read fiction that takes place in my home state. This book did not disappoint! Even if you are not usually someone who reads action type fiction, if you are familiar with Maine and Maine’s history with mills you will love it. It is a very powerful read. If I had to compare this to any other book I’ve read I would compare it to No Country for Old Men. I would absolutely recommend this book to any action lover, and I think this book would some day make a great movie!
November 9, 2025
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.
Ron Currie’s We Will See You Bleed is a ferocious, emotionally charged thriller that fuses working-class rage with moral complexity, delivering a story as politically incisive as it is narratively gripping. It’s not just a novel—it’s a reckoning.
Set in the late summer of 1984 in Waterville, Maine, We Will See You Bleed follows Babs Dionne, a union leader in a town on the brink of collapse. The paper mill strike has dragged on for a year, leaving families fractured, wallets empty, and tempers frayed. Babs, once a teenage killer who swore off violence, now finds herself at a crossroads: the system is broken, her community is bleeding, and the only path forward may be the one she’s tried hardest to avoid.
Currie’s prose is raw, muscular, and unflinching. He doesn’t romanticize the working class—he dignifies them by showing their contradictions, their desperation, and their resilience. Babs is a revelation: a woman forged in trauma, tempered by principle, and pushed to the edge by a world that refuses to listen. Her internal conflict—between pacifism and the seductive pull of righteous violence—is the novel’s beating heart.
The setting of Little Canada, a neighborhood steeped in French-Canadian heritage and economic decay, becomes a crucible for Currie’s exploration of power, loyalty, and justice. The town’s decline is not just backdrop—it’s a character, shaping every decision Babs makes. Currie’s depiction of the strike is granular and authentic, capturing the procedural grind of labor negotiations and the emotional toll of collective action.
Currie interrogates the ethics of resistance, the cost of leadership, and the blurred line between martyrdom and madness. The novel’s title is both a threat and a prophecy—an acknowledgment that change, real change, demands sacrifice.
The pacing is relentless, yet introspective. Currie balances action with reflection, allowing readers to sit with the consequences of each choice. The supporting cast—fellow union members, family, adversaries—are vividly drawn, each representing a facet of the community’s unraveling. And while the novel is steeped in 1980s politics, its themes feel urgently contemporary: economic inequality, institutional failure, and the weaponization of despair.
For fans of Don Winslow, Stephen King’s Billy Summers, or the social thrillers of Richard Price, We Will See You Bleed offers a visceral, morally complex ride. It’s a novel that doesn’t just entertain—it indicts, inspires, and refuses to let go.
Ron Currie’s We Will See You Bleed is a ferocious, emotionally charged thriller that fuses working-class rage with moral complexity, delivering a story as politically incisive as it is narratively gripping. It’s not just a novel—it’s a reckoning.
Set in the late summer of 1984 in Waterville, Maine, We Will See You Bleed follows Babs Dionne, a union leader in a town on the brink of collapse. The paper mill strike has dragged on for a year, leaving families fractured, wallets empty, and tempers frayed. Babs, once a teenage killer who swore off violence, now finds herself at a crossroads: the system is broken, her community is bleeding, and the only path forward may be the one she’s tried hardest to avoid.
Currie’s prose is raw, muscular, and unflinching. He doesn’t romanticize the working class—he dignifies them by showing their contradictions, their desperation, and their resilience. Babs is a revelation: a woman forged in trauma, tempered by principle, and pushed to the edge by a world that refuses to listen. Her internal conflict—between pacifism and the seductive pull of righteous violence—is the novel’s beating heart.
The setting of Little Canada, a neighborhood steeped in French-Canadian heritage and economic decay, becomes a crucible for Currie’s exploration of power, loyalty, and justice. The town’s decline is not just backdrop—it’s a character, shaping every decision Babs makes. Currie’s depiction of the strike is granular and authentic, capturing the procedural grind of labor negotiations and the emotional toll of collective action.
Currie interrogates the ethics of resistance, the cost of leadership, and the blurred line between martyrdom and madness. The novel’s title is both a threat and a prophecy—an acknowledgment that change, real change, demands sacrifice.
The pacing is relentless, yet introspective. Currie balances action with reflection, allowing readers to sit with the consequences of each choice. The supporting cast—fellow union members, family, adversaries—are vividly drawn, each representing a facet of the community’s unraveling. And while the novel is steeped in 1980s politics, its themes feel urgently contemporary: economic inequality, institutional failure, and the weaponization of despair.
For fans of Don Winslow, Stephen King’s Billy Summers, or the social thrillers of Richard Price, We Will See You Bleed offers a visceral, morally complex ride. It’s a novel that doesn’t just entertain—it indicts, inspires, and refuses to let go.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
⭐⭐⭐⭐½
A mill town on strike. A community bound by faith and language. A union leader flirting with violence. And Stephen King’s endorsement? I was all in.
I wanted to read We Will See You Bleed by Ron Currie because it is set in Waterville, Maine --a mill town close to where I live part-time. I’ve long been fascinated by the mill history of Maine and New Hampshire, so the setting immediately drew me in. Add the promise of a gritty crime thriller, and this novel moved straight to the top of my list.
One of the most compelling aspects of this book is its rich historical and cultural backdrop. Many mill towns along the Canadian border drew large numbers of French-Canadian workers, who often referred to themselves as “Francos.” The story unfolds in Little Canada -- a real neighborhood in Waterville -- where faith, language, and loyalty shape the community. Deeply Catholic and fiercely protective of their own, the French-American residents trust only those who speak their language, especially their priests. If the priest isn’t French, counsel is refused. Currie vividly portrays a tight-knit, insular community where bonds run deep and outsiders are viewed with suspicion.
The novel is set in 1984, when the mill union is in turmoil. An ongoing strike, fueled by sharp economic disparities between workers and management, has pushed tensions to the brink. Babs Dionne, the formidable and passionate head of the local union, begins to toy with the idea of violence to force management’s attention. Currie expertly captures the political and social unrest of the era, including the far-reaching shadow of the Boston Diocese and Cardinal Law’s influence, even within labor politics. The economic anxiety of the 1980s is seamlessly woven into the narrative. Currie excels at depicting a town slowly unraveling under pressure.
This is a gritty, unflinching read. Babs is a compelling character -- driven, complex, and full of conviction. The townspeople feel authentic and fully realized. Yes, there are a few over-the-top moments , but what great thriller doesn’t have them? Those scenes never distracted from my overall enjoyment.
Highly recommended for readers who appreciate crime thrillers grounded in place, history, and social tension.
Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for early access to the eBook.
Expected publication date: July 7, 2026.
All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The story is set in the 1980s in small-town Maine where the largest employer, a paper mill, has had workers on strike for nearly a year. Everyone in town is broke, and scabs have come in to replace employees. At this point, let’s just say desperate time call for desperate measures.
This felt like a slow-moving freight train the entire time, steady, tense, and clearly heading toward something explosive. I loved how the story built that pressure instead of rushing it, because when everything finally hit, it really hit. The characters were deeply flawed and messy (especially Babs!), but I still cared about what happened to them. That combination made it hard to put down. Loved it, 5 stars!
This is the 2nd book in a series about Babs Dionne. I haven’t read the first, but this book is actually a prequel so don’t think it hindered my understanding of anything. If you haven’t read this first, it shouldn’t hinder you from picking this one up.
Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam | G.B. Putnam’s Sons for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This felt like a slow-moving freight train the entire time, steady, tense, and clearly heading toward something explosive. I loved how the story built that pressure instead of rushing it, because when everything finally hit, it really hit. The characters were deeply flawed and messy (especially Babs!), but I still cared about what happened to them. That combination made it hard to put down. Loved it, 5 stars!
This is the 2nd book in a series about Babs Dionne. I haven’t read the first, but this book is actually a prequel so don’t think it hindered my understanding of anything. If you haven’t read this first, it shouldn’t hinder you from picking this one up.
Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam | G.B. Putnam’s Sons for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews