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Charlie Parker #23
A River Red with Blood
New York Times
bestselling author John Connolly delivers a gripping new thriller in the beloved Charlie Parker series about two intertwined disappearances that leave a rural community in shock.
In Maine’s rural Kennebec River Valley, the body of a young man who ran away from a “troubled teens” school has been found in the water, apparently drowned after breaking his leg. Meanwhile, a teenage girl, not connected to the school, has gone missing and only one man will be up to the task of solving the two linked disappearances.
In Maine’s rural Kennebec River Valley, the body of a young man who ran away from a “troubled teens” school has been found in the water, apparently drowned after breaking his leg. Meanwhile, a teenage girl, not connected to the school, has gone missing and only one man will be up to the task of solving the two linked disappearances.
416 pages, Hardcover
First published May 5, 2026
About the author
John Connolly
222 books8,101 followersJohn Connolly was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1968 and has, at various points in his life, worked as a journalist, a barman, a local government official, a waiter and a dogsbody at Harrods department store in London. He studied English in Trinity College, Dublin and journalism at Dublin City University, subsequently spending five years working as a freelance journalist for The Irish Times newspaper, to which he continues to contribute.
He is based in Dublin but divides his time between his native city and the United States.
This page is administered by John's assistant, Clair, on John's behalf. If you'd like to communicate with John directly, you can do so by writing to contact-at-johnconnollybooks.com, or by following him on Twitter at @JConnollyBooks.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See other authors with similar names.
He is based in Dublin but divides his time between his native city and the United States.
This page is administered by John's assistant, Clair, on John's behalf. If you'd like to communicate with John directly, you can do so by writing to contact-at-johnconnollybooks.com, or by following him on Twitter at @JConnollyBooks.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See other authors with similar names.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 204 reviews
March 31, 2026
What can I say I like Charlie Parker novels, love all the characters who are involved and if you haven’t read any of them yet here’s a short summary of what they are about.Charlie is a former police officer who’s wife and daughter are brutally murdered,he doesn’t get answers and leaves the police department to become a private investigator. He has the ability to talk with his daughter from beyond, she helps him solve complex cases.Then enters all his friends !A former hit man gangster Louis and his boyfriend who is dying from cancer and can also talk to the departed Angel, two huge thugs that will do anything for him the Fulco brothers and a medium named Sabine who tracks missing children and is also a medium these stories are filled with such interesting characters and that’s not even touching on the villains some just evil some with deals with spirits and evil angels and occult villains you never know who he will be dealing with next so if this is what you’re interested in give them a try, I feel you won’t be disappointed there are many books some better than others but the characters always keeps it interesting.
June 2, 2026
Whenever a new Charlie Parker book comes out, I am overwhelmed with excitement tinged by dread. Excitement because... John Connolly!! Dread because I feel in my bones that we are nearing the end and right now, I fear what that might look like.
This time around Moxie, (an attorney and sometimes employer of Charlie), puts Charlie in touch with a man trying to determine what happened to cause his son's death. Moxie is acting as a go-between because the man is currently in prison and had to hire a lawyer to try to figure out what happened. That lawyer reaches out to Moxie, Moxie reaches out to Charlie and we are off!
I'm only going to touch on a few plot points because there are already so many reviews! First, the setting of the boy's school, where the man's son died. The school from which the boy attempted escape twice previously, only to wind up dead after a successful third try. This "school" reminds me a lot of Tanarive Due's The Reformatory. That story took place decades ago, but was based on a true story. These types of schools represent people with money trying to correct their children's bad behaviour or at the very least, a dumping ground for parents who do not know what to do with their kids. In my head, I also connect these types of places to gay "conversion" therapy, or the "pray the gay away" religous themed schools. The parents don't necessarily care what is happening to their children as long as they come back "normal." It's pretty clear that Charlie Parker doesn't care for them, and neither do I.
Leaving the mystery of what happened to the dead boy aside, this book is digging a bit deeper now into the relationship between Charlie and my favorite hit men, Louis and Angel. Why are they having the same dreams? Why is Charlie's dead daughter still hanging around? What does any of this have in common with angels? Yep, angels. The arc of these characters' lives have grown throughout the series and I fear we have reached the peak and have nowhere else to go but down. I know it sounds crazy, but I love these men. I love their relationship which is so close, each one knows what the others are thinking. I love the Fulci brothers who seem to be making great strides into being almost....normal, which if you "knew" them like I do, seems like some kind of miracle!
This is the origin of my dread. I mean, this is the 23rd book in the series, and it's still going strong, but I have to wonder for how long. We didn't get to see Charlie's living daughter in this volume, but I suspect she's going to be a part of the final denouement. Sometimes I wonder if the series could continue with her as the main focus, because I would read the hell out of that! But it sure would be painful dealing with the loss of any of the main characters-we've been with them for decades after all.
Once again, I come away from a Charlie Parker book feeling satisfied, while also dreading what may come. Whatever that may be, I am down with it and will face it with the strength and honor with which Charlie's violent cadre handle their business.
Highly recommended!
*ARC from publisher via NetGalley
This time around Moxie, (an attorney and sometimes employer of Charlie), puts Charlie in touch with a man trying to determine what happened to cause his son's death. Moxie is acting as a go-between because the man is currently in prison and had to hire a lawyer to try to figure out what happened. That lawyer reaches out to Moxie, Moxie reaches out to Charlie and we are off!
I'm only going to touch on a few plot points because there are already so many reviews! First, the setting of the boy's school, where the man's son died. The school from which the boy attempted escape twice previously, only to wind up dead after a successful third try. This "school" reminds me a lot of Tanarive Due's The Reformatory. That story took place decades ago, but was based on a true story. These types of schools represent people with money trying to correct their children's bad behaviour or at the very least, a dumping ground for parents who do not know what to do with their kids. In my head, I also connect these types of places to gay "conversion" therapy, or the "pray the gay away" religous themed schools. The parents don't necessarily care what is happening to their children as long as they come back "normal." It's pretty clear that Charlie Parker doesn't care for them, and neither do I.
Leaving the mystery of what happened to the dead boy aside, this book is digging a bit deeper now into the relationship between Charlie and my favorite hit men, Louis and Angel. Why are they having the same dreams? Why is Charlie's dead daughter still hanging around? What does any of this have in common with angels? Yep, angels. The arc of these characters' lives have grown throughout the series and I fear we have reached the peak and have nowhere else to go but down. I know it sounds crazy, but I love these men. I love their relationship which is so close, each one knows what the others are thinking. I love the Fulci brothers who seem to be making great strides into being almost....normal, which if you "knew" them like I do, seems like some kind of miracle!
This is the origin of my dread. I mean, this is the 23rd book in the series, and it's still going strong, but I have to wonder for how long. We didn't get to see Charlie's living daughter in this volume, but I suspect she's going to be a part of the final denouement. Sometimes I wonder if the series could continue with her as the main focus, because I would read the hell out of that! But it sure would be painful dealing with the loss of any of the main characters-we've been with them for decades after all.
Once again, I come away from a Charlie Parker book feeling satisfied, while also dreading what may come. Whatever that may be, I am down with it and will face it with the strength and honor with which Charlie's violent cadre handle their business.
Highly recommended!
*ARC from publisher via NetGalley
February 3, 2026
A masterpiece. After several installments of not getting too much new in terms of progression with the lore, this one paid off in full.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Note: This review was originally published at FanFiAddict.
Maine PI Charlie Parker returns for his twenty-third outing in John Connolly’s A River Red With Blood. This time around, Parker and Connolly square-off against the troubled-teen industry.
Imprisoned father Ward Vose hires Parker via an attorney to investigate the death of his son, Scott Theriault, whose corpse was found in the Kennebec River. Theriault, it’s posited, ran away from the Spero School – a behavior modification joint for at-risk teens whose parents can’t deal with them anymore – and rather than flee toward civilization went several miles deeper into the woods, broke his leg and drowned. Vose doesn’t buy the official story and Parker finds himself compelled to assist the grieving father, especially as news grows of a missing girl, Mallory Norton, who may have been linked to Theriault.
Connolly layers in additional complications, as well, like a group of twisted killers who participate in what they The Game. We’re introduced to them during a hunt for their next victim in Detroit. I have to say, as a metro-Detroiter, it’s always nice to see some Michigan representation and familiar locales getting unexpectedly name-dropped in this Maine-centric series from an Irish author! Meanwhile, further east, professional hitman and Parker confidante, Louis, learns of a hit that’s been placed on him.
And then there’s the wrinkle of old memories resurfacing in Parker’s mind, and dreams shared by Louis and Angel, of lives that may not be their own… These minor hints at notions of reincarnation serve to deepen the mythology underpinning this long-running series, as well as the relationship between Parker and his unlikely allies. Painting these figures as lost souls bound to one another across time and space gives this overarching mythos some added philosophical weight, as well, not to mention some minor shades of Roland’s own ka-tet in Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series. Parker’s reflections on these new dimensions of his relationship to those around him draws on French thinkers and musings on masculine emotion and love, reminding us of just how well read both Parker and Connolly are. If Parker isn’t already the heir apparent to Robert B. Parker’s Boston gumshoe, Spenser, he’s certainly in the running.
While A River Red With Blood is smart, smart-mouthed, and literate, it’s also grisly in its depiction of life within the academic halls of the metaphorically and possibly literally haunted Spero. Much like Tananarive Due’s excellent historical horror book, The Reformatory, Connolly reminds us of the real-life terrors these types of schools and their “tough love” approach to remodeling children’s behavior are best known for. Students are pitted against one another, and the school itself is run on a hierarchy of sociopathy. There’s little to distinguish these academies from juvenile detention centers, making them hardly more than prisons with a school curriculum for tortured youths.
Like all good, long-lasting crime and horror fiction, Connolly uses his work to hold up an empathetic mirror to society. That so much focus lies on child detention facilities by another name and the abusive, sociopathic officials running them, in our era of prison industrial complexes and ICE sweeps to abduct and disappear immigrants and their children, not to mention US citizens, hardly feels coincidental. Connolly makes direct note of this, even, as Maine has been pushed into a climate of government-created and mandated fear by overreaching federal immigration taskforces running amok and terrorizing communities, and reminding us of the hard and harsh realities of life as an inmate for both Vose and, by extension, his son. As Connolly reminds us, if the system can get away with doing it to the weak – like poor immigrant laborers and children – eventually it’ll get around to doing it to you, too. Just ask Alex Peretti and Renee Nicole Good.
Maine PI Charlie Parker returns for his twenty-third outing in John Connolly’s A River Red With Blood. This time around, Parker and Connolly square-off against the troubled-teen industry.
Imprisoned father Ward Vose hires Parker via an attorney to investigate the death of his son, Scott Theriault, whose corpse was found in the Kennebec River. Theriault, it’s posited, ran away from the Spero School – a behavior modification joint for at-risk teens whose parents can’t deal with them anymore – and rather than flee toward civilization went several miles deeper into the woods, broke his leg and drowned. Vose doesn’t buy the official story and Parker finds himself compelled to assist the grieving father, especially as news grows of a missing girl, Mallory Norton, who may have been linked to Theriault.
Connolly layers in additional complications, as well, like a group of twisted killers who participate in what they The Game. We’re introduced to them during a hunt for their next victim in Detroit. I have to say, as a metro-Detroiter, it’s always nice to see some Michigan representation and familiar locales getting unexpectedly name-dropped in this Maine-centric series from an Irish author! Meanwhile, further east, professional hitman and Parker confidante, Louis, learns of a hit that’s been placed on him.
And then there’s the wrinkle of old memories resurfacing in Parker’s mind, and dreams shared by Louis and Angel, of lives that may not be their own… These minor hints at notions of reincarnation serve to deepen the mythology underpinning this long-running series, as well as the relationship between Parker and his unlikely allies. Painting these figures as lost souls bound to one another across time and space gives this overarching mythos some added philosophical weight, as well, not to mention some minor shades of Roland’s own ka-tet in Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series. Parker’s reflections on these new dimensions of his relationship to those around him draws on French thinkers and musings on masculine emotion and love, reminding us of just how well read both Parker and Connolly are. If Parker isn’t already the heir apparent to Robert B. Parker’s Boston gumshoe, Spenser, he’s certainly in the running.
While A River Red With Blood is smart, smart-mouthed, and literate, it’s also grisly in its depiction of life within the academic halls of the metaphorically and possibly literally haunted Spero. Much like Tananarive Due’s excellent historical horror book, The Reformatory, Connolly reminds us of the real-life terrors these types of schools and their “tough love” approach to remodeling children’s behavior are best known for. Students are pitted against one another, and the school itself is run on a hierarchy of sociopathy. There’s little to distinguish these academies from juvenile detention centers, making them hardly more than prisons with a school curriculum for tortured youths.
Like all good, long-lasting crime and horror fiction, Connolly uses his work to hold up an empathetic mirror to society. That so much focus lies on child detention facilities by another name and the abusive, sociopathic officials running them, in our era of prison industrial complexes and ICE sweeps to abduct and disappear immigrants and their children, not to mention US citizens, hardly feels coincidental. Connolly makes direct note of this, even, as Maine has been pushed into a climate of government-created and mandated fear by overreaching federal immigration taskforces running amok and terrorizing communities, and reminding us of the hard and harsh realities of life as an inmate for both Vose and, by extension, his son. As Connolly reminds us, if the system can get away with doing it to the weak – like poor immigrant laborers and children – eventually it’ll get around to doing it to you, too. Just ask Alex Peretti and Renee Nicole Good.
June 1, 2026
John Connolly had me in the palm of his hand throughout my reading of this book. Wow, what an intense experience! A River Red With Blood, the latest Charlie Parker novel, is filled with both action and thought, as Luis, Angel and Parker move into a new phase in their relationship/friendship/whatever.
Parker’s lawyer connects him with the lawyer of a Maine prison inmate whose son has recently died, apparently while running away from a resident school, The Spero, located in the Plains of Maine, the back of beyond. This unprepossessing man says his client, Ward Vose wants to hire Charlie to look into his son Scott’s death. After considering pros and cons, Parker agrees to at least look for inconsistencies. And what will become a larger, multi-faceted case begins. There are many characters introduced, both on the good and evil sides of the equation. Charlie’s daughter Jenny is a presence while his living daughter, Sam, is away at college.
The search for information about Scott leads to discovering a disappearance of a teenage girl in the same area around the same time. Are they related? Who knows? Parker wonders if it should be part of his search. Meanwhile, he, Angel and Luis are having similar dreams and wondering about the implications for them and the future.
This is such an excellent series, combining mystery, thriller, its own mythology, supernatural elements, and excellent prose. But it is not for everyone as it is violent. Parker seems to exist to root out evil where he can. This episode seems to be building toward something. I do wonder what is coming next and won’t hesitate to read it.
Thank you to Emily Bestler Books, Atria, and NetGalley for an eARC of this book.
Parker’s lawyer connects him with the lawyer of a Maine prison inmate whose son has recently died, apparently while running away from a resident school, The Spero, located in the Plains of Maine, the back of beyond. This unprepossessing man says his client, Ward Vose wants to hire Charlie to look into his son Scott’s death. After considering pros and cons, Parker agrees to at least look for inconsistencies. And what will become a larger, multi-faceted case begins. There are many characters introduced, both on the good and evil sides of the equation. Charlie’s daughter Jenny is a presence while his living daughter, Sam, is away at college.
The search for information about Scott leads to discovering a disappearance of a teenage girl in the same area around the same time. Are they related? Who knows? Parker wonders if it should be part of his search. Meanwhile, he, Angel and Luis are having similar dreams and wondering about the implications for them and the future.
This is such an excellent series, combining mystery, thriller, its own mythology, supernatural elements, and excellent prose. But it is not for everyone as it is violent. Parker seems to exist to root out evil where he can. This episode seems to be building toward something. I do wonder what is coming next and won’t hesitate to read it.
Thank you to Emily Bestler Books, Atria, and NetGalley for an eARC of this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
In this 23rd book in the series, Private Investigator Charlie Parker is hired to look into the death of a teen in rural Kennebec River Valley in Maine. The boy had apparently run away from a school for 'troubled teens,' somehow broken his leg and drowned in the river. But a girl from the nearby town has gone missing and there's a hint of a rumor that the two teens would sometimes meet at night. What's become of her?
The reader then is privy to the acts of some truly evil men who play what they call 'The Game.' There are strict rules to protect the group but it seems one of them might be enjoying some extracurricular 'fun.'
Meanwhile Charlie's friend Louis learns someone has taken out a contract on him and he needs to deal with that. And both Louis and his partner Angel have been having the same strange dreams as Charlie in which his dead daughter Jennifer is trying to reach out to them with a message.
This supernatural element is one of the things that sets these books apart from other thrillers and the three friends will have to deal with evil from both planes of existence before the story is done.
These main characters that we've come to know so well in this long-running series are smart, strong and resourceful and get things done but are admittedly damaged humans, both physically and mentally, and sometimes act just outside the law.
The atmosphere of the story is one of gripping dread and horror but, believe it or not, there is also a comic element to it, often in the form of the Fulci brothers, a couple of big meatheads who help out when needed.
I would recommend reading this series in order, rather than treating this book as a standalone, because there has been so much character development over the years that deserves exploring.
Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc of this excellent new thriller.
The reader then is privy to the acts of some truly evil men who play what they call 'The Game.' There are strict rules to protect the group but it seems one of them might be enjoying some extracurricular 'fun.'
Meanwhile Charlie's friend Louis learns someone has taken out a contract on him and he needs to deal with that. And both Louis and his partner Angel have been having the same strange dreams as Charlie in which his dead daughter Jennifer is trying to reach out to them with a message.
This supernatural element is one of the things that sets these books apart from other thrillers and the three friends will have to deal with evil from both planes of existence before the story is done.
These main characters that we've come to know so well in this long-running series are smart, strong and resourceful and get things done but are admittedly damaged humans, both physically and mentally, and sometimes act just outside the law.
The atmosphere of the story is one of gripping dread and horror but, believe it or not, there is also a comic element to it, often in the form of the Fulci brothers, a couple of big meatheads who help out when needed.
I would recommend reading this series in order, rather than treating this book as a standalone, because there has been so much character development over the years that deserves exploring.
Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc of this excellent new thriller.
June 13, 2026
There may not be any writer working today who combines the supernatural and police procedural/crime genres as deftly and successfully as Irish author John Connolly. His stellar series featuring P.I. Charlie Parker has thrilled readers for decades and shows no signs of slowing down.
A RIVER RED WITH THE BLOOD is the latest entry in the series and features some antagonists who embody the darkest side of the human spirit and might possibly be the evilest individuals Parker has ever come upon --- and that is really saying something! Parker himself rides the fine line between reality and the otherworldly and often joins forces with psychics and other individuals who live on the fringe when solving his unique cases.
Finding missing people has always been his specialty, and Charlie is committed to finding one of the missing individuals in this latest case alive rather than dead in some horrific manner. In this case, Charlie is introduced to his client by a lawyer colleague. The interesting thing is that his client, Ward Vose, is behind bars for life but needs someone to look into the drowning death of his son Scott Theriault who he believes was murdered. Suspicion is immediately placed on the all-boys reform school Scott attended, Spero, which he has snuck away from one night to possibly meet a young lady before his body turned up in the nearby Maine river.
We are then introduced to the group of men playing what they refer to as ‘the Game.’ This game typically involves abducting, torturing, and murdering young women. We are given a glimpse into these men before learning who they actually are in society and the role they may play in the larger picture. Men like Kenney, Teal, and the Saint. A fourth player in the Game, Mike Hurvich, had to be eliminated because he violated the rules by risking exposure due to killing outside of the boundaries of the game.
The young woman who was missing and suspected of being the same person who was meeting up with Scott Theriault, was Mallory Norton. Charlie knows that in order to bring justice for Scott he needs to find out what happened to Mallory and preferably learn that she was still alive. Meanwhile, Kenney and Teal are worried that the Saint may have had something to do with Mallory Norton, and they are not happy about it. It may be time for another culling within their group.
Charlie deepens his investigation and always has his ear to the ground when it comes to possible supernatural connections. One name that keeps surfacing is Brightwell, but who or what that refers to will remain a mystery for him until the very end of this case. I can only state here that it is a surreal moment and presents some imagery that will linger on well after you have read it. When other students from the Spero school turn up abused and speaking of ‘dead boys’ haunting them, it becomes clear to Charlie that this place is at the center of the mystery he needs to break.
To assist with the Mallory Norton disappearance, Charlie calls on a long-time colleague of his Sabine Drew --- a Native American psychic who utilizes all of her gifts to find and rescue the missing and tormented souls she seeks. Their combined efforts will form a strong bond and the best chance of finding Mallory alive. The other break Charlie receives is when one of the female victims of the Game turned out to be Special Drug Enforcement Agent named Gai Cotter. He now can lean on those resources to help identify who might have taken her.
The case will indeed lead to Spero and the remaining members of the Game each having their own connection with the place. Their true identities, as well as others who might be supporting them, will also provide for a great plot twist or two. Before this case is at an end, Charlie will have to come face to face with both human and other worldly monsters and the depths of this situation go way deeper than he could have ever imagined. A RIVER RED WITH BLOOD is a tireless read and might easily be one of the best Charlie Parker novels John Connolly has written to date.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
A RIVER RED WITH THE BLOOD is the latest entry in the series and features some antagonists who embody the darkest side of the human spirit and might possibly be the evilest individuals Parker has ever come upon --- and that is really saying something! Parker himself rides the fine line between reality and the otherworldly and often joins forces with psychics and other individuals who live on the fringe when solving his unique cases.
Finding missing people has always been his specialty, and Charlie is committed to finding one of the missing individuals in this latest case alive rather than dead in some horrific manner. In this case, Charlie is introduced to his client by a lawyer colleague. The interesting thing is that his client, Ward Vose, is behind bars for life but needs someone to look into the drowning death of his son Scott Theriault who he believes was murdered. Suspicion is immediately placed on the all-boys reform school Scott attended, Spero, which he has snuck away from one night to possibly meet a young lady before his body turned up in the nearby Maine river.
We are then introduced to the group of men playing what they refer to as ‘the Game.’ This game typically involves abducting, torturing, and murdering young women. We are given a glimpse into these men before learning who they actually are in society and the role they may play in the larger picture. Men like Kenney, Teal, and the Saint. A fourth player in the Game, Mike Hurvich, had to be eliminated because he violated the rules by risking exposure due to killing outside of the boundaries of the game.
The young woman who was missing and suspected of being the same person who was meeting up with Scott Theriault, was Mallory Norton. Charlie knows that in order to bring justice for Scott he needs to find out what happened to Mallory and preferably learn that she was still alive. Meanwhile, Kenney and Teal are worried that the Saint may have had something to do with Mallory Norton, and they are not happy about it. It may be time for another culling within their group.
Charlie deepens his investigation and always has his ear to the ground when it comes to possible supernatural connections. One name that keeps surfacing is Brightwell, but who or what that refers to will remain a mystery for him until the very end of this case. I can only state here that it is a surreal moment and presents some imagery that will linger on well after you have read it. When other students from the Spero school turn up abused and speaking of ‘dead boys’ haunting them, it becomes clear to Charlie that this place is at the center of the mystery he needs to break.
To assist with the Mallory Norton disappearance, Charlie calls on a long-time colleague of his Sabine Drew --- a Native American psychic who utilizes all of her gifts to find and rescue the missing and tormented souls she seeks. Their combined efforts will form a strong bond and the best chance of finding Mallory alive. The other break Charlie receives is when one of the female victims of the Game turned out to be Special Drug Enforcement Agent named Gai Cotter. He now can lean on those resources to help identify who might have taken her.
The case will indeed lead to Spero and the remaining members of the Game each having their own connection with the place. Their true identities, as well as others who might be supporting them, will also provide for a great plot twist or two. Before this case is at an end, Charlie will have to come face to face with both human and other worldly monsters and the depths of this situation go way deeper than he could have ever imagined. A RIVER RED WITH BLOOD is a tireless read and might easily be one of the best Charlie Parker novels John Connolly has written to date.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Book 23 of the Charlie Parker series and Connolly still made me feel like I was reading it for the first time.
I didn't know what Charlie and his crew would take on this time, but if I thought The Children of Eve gave me goosebumps, this tramped it. The POV shifted like a camera panning smoothly from one scene to another, and the way everything came together was as satisfying as ever. Characters from previous books appeared here, and something is still coming — the reveals had me thinking hard about one question: who is Charlie Parker, really?
The supernatural horror combined with suspense is Connolly at his best. This is the most chilling Charlie Parker book yet.
I paired this with the audiobook narrated by Jeff Harding. His distinct voices for each character left no room for confusion — I always knew exactly who I was listening to. At 1.6x the pacing felt just right, never slow, never rushed. Twelve hours and forty-one minutes worth bingeing. Once I started I couldn't stop, even while multitasking.
The Vibe: Unsettling, High-Stakes, Snarky
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you Atria Books and Simon & Schuster Audio for my gifted copies. All Opinions are my own.
I didn't know what Charlie and his crew would take on this time, but if I thought The Children of Eve gave me goosebumps, this tramped it. The POV shifted like a camera panning smoothly from one scene to another, and the way everything came together was as satisfying as ever. Characters from previous books appeared here, and something is still coming — the reveals had me thinking hard about one question: who is Charlie Parker, really?
The supernatural horror combined with suspense is Connolly at his best. This is the most chilling Charlie Parker book yet.
I paired this with the audiobook narrated by Jeff Harding. His distinct voices for each character left no room for confusion — I always knew exactly who I was listening to. At 1.6x the pacing felt just right, never slow, never rushed. Twelve hours and forty-one minutes worth bingeing. Once I started I couldn't stop, even while multitasking.
The Vibe: Unsettling, High-Stakes, Snarky
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you Atria Books and Simon & Schuster Audio for my gifted copies. All Opinions are my own.
June 17, 2026
fast paced thriller which kept you on edge
May 7, 2026
Once again, John Connolly has written another five star entry in his Charlie Parker series, this book being entry # 23.
In A River Runs Red With Blood, Parker decides to take on the case of a teen found dead in the remote Maine woods, after having disappeared from the “troubled teen” school he was sent to by his mother and stepfather. At the same time, a local girl has gone missing, and it’s unclear if the two cases are related or not. There is also a parallel story of men who engage in the abduction and torture of women. The development of the plot is a slow burn, and in this entry, the supernatural elements that have helped make the series very engaging to this reader have a more prominent role.
As is usual, Mr. Connolly’s writing is outstanding. Character development is once again well done. I truly had a hard time putting the book down.
Highly recommended but this is not an entry level novel for those who are interested in the series.
In A River Runs Red With Blood, Parker decides to take on the case of a teen found dead in the remote Maine woods, after having disappeared from the “troubled teen” school he was sent to by his mother and stepfather. At the same time, a local girl has gone missing, and it’s unclear if the two cases are related or not. There is also a parallel story of men who engage in the abduction and torture of women. The development of the plot is a slow burn, and in this entry, the supernatural elements that have helped make the series very engaging to this reader have a more prominent role.
As is usual, Mr. Connolly’s writing is outstanding. Character development is once again well done. I truly had a hard time putting the book down.
Highly recommended but this is not an entry level novel for those who are interested in the series.
June 14, 2026
A pretty run-of-the-mill Charlie Parker novel. Four fiendish killers; a school for wayward boys; a vanished teenaged girl. Mainers with their quirky accents, a la Jeff Harding. A little bit of the supernatural (I wish there'd been more of it).
June 6, 2026
Inertia keeps me reading these. Perhaps inertia keeps ‘em being written.
April 17, 2026
Thanks to Altria for an advance copy of this fine book!
John Connolly is my favorite author, and for me this is the best one yet. Charlie Parker is one of the most interesting characters I’ve come across in fiction - so complex, with a complicated past and present, and the driest sense of humor. Through the arc of the books, the backstory has been developed and this book hones in on that. The mystery to be solved involves a horrific school for troubled boys, serial rape-murders, a young girl’s disappearance, and a contract for a hit on Louis. But the best part for me is the lyrical writing that carries me deep into the story.
Fans will love this book - but I advise against starting the series with this one - go back to the beginning. You’ll be glad you did.
John Connolly is my favorite author, and for me this is the best one yet. Charlie Parker is one of the most interesting characters I’ve come across in fiction - so complex, with a complicated past and present, and the driest sense of humor. Through the arc of the books, the backstory has been developed and this book hones in on that. The mystery to be solved involves a horrific school for troubled boys, serial rape-murders, a young girl’s disappearance, and a contract for a hit on Louis. But the best part for me is the lyrical writing that carries me deep into the story.
Fans will love this book - but I advise against starting the series with this one - go back to the beginning. You’ll be glad you did.
June 18, 2026
Private Investigator Charlie Parker returns for the 23rd installment. How I love these books (some more than others of course). I eagerly await each book so much that I tend to pre-order them at full price no less. You seldom find me doing that for any other author. My problem is that as each one arrives every year or two, I must force myself to enjoy it over several days instead of consuming it in one sitting.
This one proved to be a spectacular novel. Charlie is persuaded to investigate the death of a boy who escaped from a corrective school and the disappearance of a girl that may be connected to the dead boy. Plus, we have the group of four men who play a deadly ‘game’ of abduction and murder.
So much takes place in this story and it is breathtaking at times. Louis, Angel and the usual characters are here as well as bringing back others from previous novels in the series. We start to get very specific hints into the overall mystery of Charlie Parker which has been subtly hinted at for a long time. I loved this book so much that I really did not want it to end. I’m beginning to think that now may be the time to reread the entire series all over again before the next book comes out hopefully in 2027?
If you love the Charlie Parker series this is an excellent one. A uncontested five stars.
This one proved to be a spectacular novel. Charlie is persuaded to investigate the death of a boy who escaped from a corrective school and the disappearance of a girl that may be connected to the dead boy. Plus, we have the group of four men who play a deadly ‘game’ of abduction and murder.
So much takes place in this story and it is breathtaking at times. Louis, Angel and the usual characters are here as well as bringing back others from previous novels in the series. We start to get very specific hints into the overall mystery of Charlie Parker which has been subtly hinted at for a long time. I loved this book so much that I really did not want it to end. I’m beginning to think that now may be the time to reread the entire series all over again before the next book comes out hopefully in 2027?
If you love the Charlie Parker series this is an excellent one. A uncontested five stars.
June 21, 2026
I suspect everyone who's been following the Charlie Parker series will read this, regardless of any reviews. If you're new to the series, you obviously need to start with Book 1, as none of this will make any sense to you. Basically, there's a plot that runs through all the books, and then others which are related, but unique to each individual chapter in Parker's story. Not much else to say about this one. All the books in the series are excellently written. The dialogue is occasionally laugh out loud snarkily good. The banal evil of mankind is well captured.
A solid entry to the series, with promise of something finally resolving about the wider cosmic themes.
Recommended.
A solid entry to the series, with promise of something finally resolving about the wider cosmic themes.
Recommended.
June 19, 2026
The Charlie Parker series of books are my favorite. It's like entering the lives of its characters, and watching the story unfold. It's always a little eerie, and strange, but so well put together. I have very much enjoyed all of Mr. Connolly's books. His imagination, and ability to put words on paper transports the reader to new and sometimes dark places. Definitely look forward to more in this series.
If you enjoy a great detective/mystery with a dash of the supernatural, then have I got a book for you!
If you enjoy a great detective/mystery with a dash of the supernatural, then have I got a book for you!
June 9, 2026
Oh how I missed you guys!
June 17, 2026
Better than the previous book in the series, the short chapters keep it snappy and moving. But I still left the book wondering if there would ever be any consequences for any of the main players.
June 19, 2026
one of the best Charlie Parker books!
Really enjoyed this one. Good story in itself but also brought the backstory on as well which is such a good thread through all the books!!
Really enjoyed this one. Good story in itself but also brought the backstory on as well which is such a good thread through all the books!!
June 10, 2026
How on earth could I possibly be able to write a review for this book? Words fail me... even in my own language.
I devoured it...
Already looking forward to #24 in this series.
I devoured it...
Already looking forward to #24 in this series.
May 21, 2026
I have read every novel of the Charlie parker series, and for each one I always take a break at 80% as I don't want it to end, love it, John connolly is the master, his books bring joy, from his writing , the story, the characters, the plot, the humour, please don't stop.😊
June 24, 2026
I received an Advanced Readers Copy thanks to Goodreads. Thank you!
I actually finished this book about a week ago and waited to post a review until after it had been released and people had some time to read it. This also made me feel less guilty about posting a review that was going to have spoilers in it.
As with most of my reviews, I write the ending of the novel at the end of my review. I read it so you don't have to! So spoilers for sure at the end and a few spoilers sprinkled throughout.
Because this is a series and because this is not the first in the series, anything from here on out could be considered a spoiler if you have not read this series. I do recommend this series and reading it from the beginning would be something I would suggest. Please stop here if you have not read the full series.
---
Oh Charlie Parker. With each novel that passes, I feel like I get less and less from Parker's POV and more story and background and exposition. While this makes for great storytelling, it leaves me wanting more from Parker. I loved this one following the last book because there was more of an explanation behind some of the longer storyline involving the supernatural side of the series.
There was virtually no Sam time in this one, but there was a surprise of Sabine Drew making an appearance and having a rather large roll in this novel. I have a feeling that she will continue to have a large role until the end of the series due to her gifts (curse depending on who you ask). I think that Parker's attitude towards Sabine is hypocritical considering who he is and how many people he has also killed. But I digress.
The overall novel followed seemingly two different plot lines that actually connected into one. One was a follow up on a death that was a bit suspicious to the father and the other plot line followed a few men and their playing of The Game. This game involved the abduction, rape, and murder of women, as well as the disposal of their bodies. The Game is quite intricate and played over may years and they had not been caught. It turns out that with the disappearance of a girl and the death of a boy in a small town, there are some strings that needed to be brought together.
Angel and Louis are ever present in this novel. I would debatably say that they are also in this novel a little less than they usually are. I feel like we are getting closer and closer to an end in all of their stories. Something is going to come to a head sometime soon.
I enjoyed this one, but more than anything, it's made me want to go back and read this series all over again. I miss Parker and his friends and reading this only made me hungry for more.
The ending:
The FBI find out that Kenney was the one who rented the Air BnB and the car where the undercover DEA agent was killed. They go to raid Kenney's house. He takes Teal to the Spero to confront the Saint and the guy who's name I can't remember about Mallory Norton and Scott. When they get to the Spero, Kenney is killed by The Saint. The Saint is then killed by Teal. Teal is then killed by the fourth member. He takes off to his hideout as Parker arrives. The boys at the Spero then set the building on fire and Parker helps lead them to safety before leaving them in the rain to pursue the guy who's name starts with R. R gets to his hideout where he's stashed Norton and makes to kill her, but Tony Fulci comes in to save her. Parker shows up right before Tony kills R. Norton gets to return to her family. Sabine drew then tells Parker of Brightwell and leads him and Angel and Louis to a tree where Brightwell is. Together, they kill the thing that is in there and release him from his bonds. The book ends with Susan Parker finding a child's lost soul and sending it on its way with a woman basically escorting it to the beyond.
I actually finished this book about a week ago and waited to post a review until after it had been released and people had some time to read it. This also made me feel less guilty about posting a review that was going to have spoilers in it.
As with most of my reviews, I write the ending of the novel at the end of my review. I read it so you don't have to! So spoilers for sure at the end and a few spoilers sprinkled throughout.
Because this is a series and because this is not the first in the series, anything from here on out could be considered a spoiler if you have not read this series. I do recommend this series and reading it from the beginning would be something I would suggest. Please stop here if you have not read the full series.
---
Oh Charlie Parker. With each novel that passes, I feel like I get less and less from Parker's POV and more story and background and exposition. While this makes for great storytelling, it leaves me wanting more from Parker. I loved this one following the last book because there was more of an explanation behind some of the longer storyline involving the supernatural side of the series.
There was virtually no Sam time in this one, but there was a surprise of Sabine Drew making an appearance and having a rather large roll in this novel. I have a feeling that she will continue to have a large role until the end of the series due to her gifts (curse depending on who you ask). I think that Parker's attitude towards Sabine is hypocritical considering who he is and how many people he has also killed. But I digress.
The overall novel followed seemingly two different plot lines that actually connected into one. One was a follow up on a death that was a bit suspicious to the father and the other plot line followed a few men and their playing of The Game. This game involved the abduction, rape, and murder of women, as well as the disposal of their bodies. The Game is quite intricate and played over may years and they had not been caught. It turns out that with the disappearance of a girl and the death of a boy in a small town, there are some strings that needed to be brought together.
Angel and Louis are ever present in this novel. I would debatably say that they are also in this novel a little less than they usually are. I feel like we are getting closer and closer to an end in all of their stories. Something is going to come to a head sometime soon.
I enjoyed this one, but more than anything, it's made me want to go back and read this series all over again. I miss Parker and his friends and reading this only made me hungry for more.
The ending:
The FBI find out that Kenney was the one who rented the Air BnB and the car where the undercover DEA agent was killed. They go to raid Kenney's house. He takes Teal to the Spero to confront the Saint and the guy who's name I can't remember about Mallory Norton and Scott. When they get to the Spero, Kenney is killed by The Saint. The Saint is then killed by Teal. Teal is then killed by the fourth member. He takes off to his hideout as Parker arrives. The boys at the Spero then set the building on fire and Parker helps lead them to safety before leaving them in the rain to pursue the guy who's name starts with R. R gets to his hideout where he's stashed Norton and makes to kill her, but Tony Fulci comes in to save her. Parker shows up right before Tony kills R. Norton gets to return to her family. Sabine drew then tells Parker of Brightwell and leads him and Angel and Louis to a tree where Brightwell is. Together, they kill the thing that is in there and release him from his bonds. The book ends with Susan Parker finding a child's lost soul and sending it on its way with a woman basically escorting it to the beyond.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A River Red With Blood, the twenty-third title in John Connolly’s international bestselling Charlie Parker series, is set in Maine’s rural Kennebec River Valley. It is a gritty, twisty, and absorbing blend of a supernatural crime thriller, horror, and hardboiled detective mystery. But does it measure up to its predecessors? Read my review.
An eccentric private detective and his longtime associates work to untangle a web of murder and contemporary wickedness linked with ancient supernatural evil in this dark, riveting crime thriller from John Connolly, the bestselling author of the Charlie Parker series.
A horrifying crime. A tenacious investigator. A supernatural thriller of epic proportions.
In the rural Kennebec River Valley in northern Maine, the body of a teenage runaway from a private disciplinary school for boys is discovered in the water. It appeared he had broken his right leg before going into the water. The Maine authorities ruled it an accidental drowning, a death by misadventure, but the boy’s father, Ward Vose, an inmate at the Maine State Prison doesn’t believe it. Vose feels sure someone killed his son.
Called in to investigate the circumstances of the troubled boy’s death is Charlie Parker, a private investigator whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by his eccentricity. Parker visits Vose at the prison and listens to his story. Unconvinced that anything had happened but an accidental drowning, he still takes the case after Vose tells him his son’s death may be connected to a teenage girl living near his son’s school, who has gone missing. Parker then discovers a past acquaintance with the reputation of being a medium who communicates with the dead, is also in the area attempting to find the missing girl or her remains.
Soon, the mystery takes a disturbing supernatural turn. Parker uncovers a critical clue. It all makes for a thorny puzzle when he learns that present-day evil may be connected to an ancient one that holds a personal connection for him.
My Review
Having read all the books in the series, I am well acquainted with and thoroughly enjoy John Connolly’s writing. He is a gifted storyteller and writer. While the books of this series always contain elements of supernatural and horror, the majority are more crime thrillers than supernatural, which is what I most enjoy reading. But Connolly does such a brilliant job of writing both elements and blending them into a complex whole that I always find his stories entertaining and enjoyable reading even though I don’t generally read novels about forces, beings, or occurrences existing outside the laws of the physical universe that cannot be explained by science.
While an entertaining and worthwhile read, A River Red With Blood, isn’t my favorite Charlie Parker novel. While the violence in these books tends to be graphic and disturbing, the graphic descriptions of child abuse, torture, and rape in this novel were at times hard to read and may be too graphic and disturbing for some readers. This is in no way meant as criticism of Connolly’s work. None of the violence was gratuitous but important to the overall story. And after all, it is a work of fiction, a well-crafted one with both new and familiar vivid characters. I enjoyed reading it and recommend it for crime thriller fans who would like to read a crime thriller with a unique twist and for horror and paranormal fans who might enjoy a bit of realism along with fantasy. Of course, Charlie Parker fans like me will find it another welcome addition to the series.
I received a digital advanced reader’s copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley used for this honest review.
An eccentric private detective and his longtime associates work to untangle a web of murder and contemporary wickedness linked with ancient supernatural evil in this dark, riveting crime thriller from John Connolly, the bestselling author of the Charlie Parker series.
A horrifying crime. A tenacious investigator. A supernatural thriller of epic proportions.
In the rural Kennebec River Valley in northern Maine, the body of a teenage runaway from a private disciplinary school for boys is discovered in the water. It appeared he had broken his right leg before going into the water. The Maine authorities ruled it an accidental drowning, a death by misadventure, but the boy’s father, Ward Vose, an inmate at the Maine State Prison doesn’t believe it. Vose feels sure someone killed his son.
Called in to investigate the circumstances of the troubled boy’s death is Charlie Parker, a private investigator whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by his eccentricity. Parker visits Vose at the prison and listens to his story. Unconvinced that anything had happened but an accidental drowning, he still takes the case after Vose tells him his son’s death may be connected to a teenage girl living near his son’s school, who has gone missing. Parker then discovers a past acquaintance with the reputation of being a medium who communicates with the dead, is also in the area attempting to find the missing girl or her remains.
Soon, the mystery takes a disturbing supernatural turn. Parker uncovers a critical clue. It all makes for a thorny puzzle when he learns that present-day evil may be connected to an ancient one that holds a personal connection for him.
My Review
Having read all the books in the series, I am well acquainted with and thoroughly enjoy John Connolly’s writing. He is a gifted storyteller and writer. While the books of this series always contain elements of supernatural and horror, the majority are more crime thrillers than supernatural, which is what I most enjoy reading. But Connolly does such a brilliant job of writing both elements and blending them into a complex whole that I always find his stories entertaining and enjoyable reading even though I don’t generally read novels about forces, beings, or occurrences existing outside the laws of the physical universe that cannot be explained by science.
While an entertaining and worthwhile read, A River Red With Blood, isn’t my favorite Charlie Parker novel. While the violence in these books tends to be graphic and disturbing, the graphic descriptions of child abuse, torture, and rape in this novel were at times hard to read and may be too graphic and disturbing for some readers. This is in no way meant as criticism of Connolly’s work. None of the violence was gratuitous but important to the overall story. And after all, it is a work of fiction, a well-crafted one with both new and familiar vivid characters. I enjoyed reading it and recommend it for crime thriller fans who would like to read a crime thriller with a unique twist and for horror and paranormal fans who might enjoy a bit of realism along with fantasy. Of course, Charlie Parker fans like me will find it another welcome addition to the series.
I received a digital advanced reader’s copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley used for this honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Please note that I received this book via NetGalley. This did not affect my rating or review.
Trigger warning: We hear about the rape of girls and women, but thankfully we don't get a play by play. Or we may have, I won't lie, I started skipping that part of the book.
I feel like this is my fault. I said in my last Charlie Parker review I was sick and tired of the mystery of Charlie and his dead daughter Jennifer. I didn't care anymore why he was important since Connolly had taken too long with this mystery and it was starting to feel a lot like X-Files (old school) to me. With the overall alien mythology not making a lot of sense but you enjoy the monster of the week episodes more. Well this book is focused on providing enough context clues to the reader about who Charlie is, or was and how that loops in Louis and Angel too. It just read like a very slow filler book. I won't lie though, I was glad that the overall Parker mythology while important, moved the plot forward an inch, and that the B plot (or the monster of the week episode) actually was very good and I was thrilled about what happened to all of the bad men in this one. In the end I gave it 3 stars because I am just tired of the riddles that everyone on the honeycomb side of the world speaks. Just tell us who Charlie is/Jennifer is/Louis/Angel what everything means and be done. I also think Connolly is setting this up enough so that Sam, Charlie's other daughter may take up the reins one day. It seems as if there is a cycle about to start or trying to restart that leaves in question all that we thought we knew.
A River Red With Blood is the 23rd Charlie Parker book. It starts off real slow though. We have Charlie and Moxie meeting up (I love Moxie by the way) and Moxie wanting Charlie to take a case about a boy who ran away from a troubled teen boy school who was later found dead. We find out about Moxie's past and why he wants Charlie investigating (B plot). With Charlie looking into that, enough things are going on, and Jennifer appearing here and there to allow Charlie, Angel, and Louis to know that something seems to be set in motion to once again take out one of them, but mainly Charlie (A plot). And then we follow three terrible men who have what they call a Game which involves them kidnapping, raping, and murdering women. We eventually see how all of these things connect (in the slowest manner possible) but by the time Charlie gets a bad scent of the troubled school, he knows that something is going on there that is wrong (part of the B plot).
We have our usual characters of Charlie, Angel, Louis, and Jennifer. But we also get more of Marcy in this one and Charlie even saying he's in love with her. Honestly, I was surprised about that one since he still seemed hung up on his ex, Rachel. We also get outside of Moxie, the Fulci brothers and there's a whole thing going on there that I am still baffled at, but actually cracked up ati. And we also get the reappearance of a psychic that appeared in The Instruments of Darkness
The flow was up and down. I think because we had way too much time with the three men in this one. Connolly eventually ties that whole thing together, but if you are familiar with his books, it's slow going at times.
The ending of the book again leaves us with a clue about how dangerous Charlie and Jennifer are and honestly can the next book just be about them. No side plots or quests going on? Just be done with it and move on from it.
Trigger warning: We hear about the rape of girls and women, but thankfully we don't get a play by play. Or we may have, I won't lie, I started skipping that part of the book.
I feel like this is my fault. I said in my last Charlie Parker review I was sick and tired of the mystery of Charlie and his dead daughter Jennifer. I didn't care anymore why he was important since Connolly had taken too long with this mystery and it was starting to feel a lot like X-Files (old school) to me. With the overall alien mythology not making a lot of sense but you enjoy the monster of the week episodes more. Well this book is focused on providing enough context clues to the reader about who Charlie is, or was and how that loops in Louis and Angel too. It just read like a very slow filler book. I won't lie though, I was glad that the overall Parker mythology while important, moved the plot forward an inch, and that the B plot (or the monster of the week episode) actually was very good and I was thrilled about what happened to all of the bad men in this one. In the end I gave it 3 stars because I am just tired of the riddles that everyone on the honeycomb side of the world speaks. Just tell us who Charlie is/Jennifer is/Louis/Angel what everything means and be done. I also think Connolly is setting this up enough so that Sam, Charlie's other daughter may take up the reins one day. It seems as if there is a cycle about to start or trying to restart that leaves in question all that we thought we knew.
A River Red With Blood is the 23rd Charlie Parker book. It starts off real slow though. We have Charlie and Moxie meeting up (I love Moxie by the way) and Moxie wanting Charlie to take a case about a boy who ran away from a troubled teen boy school who was later found dead. We find out about Moxie's past and why he wants Charlie investigating (B plot). With Charlie looking into that, enough things are going on, and Jennifer appearing here and there to allow Charlie, Angel, and Louis to know that something seems to be set in motion to once again take out one of them, but mainly Charlie (A plot). And then we follow three terrible men who have what they call a Game which involves them kidnapping, raping, and murdering women. We eventually see how all of these things connect (in the slowest manner possible) but by the time Charlie gets a bad scent of the troubled school, he knows that something is going on there that is wrong (part of the B plot).
We have our usual characters of Charlie, Angel, Louis, and Jennifer. But we also get more of Marcy in this one and Charlie even saying he's in love with her. Honestly, I was surprised about that one since he still seemed hung up on his ex, Rachel. We also get outside of Moxie, the Fulci brothers and there's a whole thing going on there that I am still baffled at, but actually cracked up ati. And we also get the reappearance of a psychic that appeared in The Instruments of Darkness
The flow was up and down. I think because we had way too much time with the three men in this one. Connolly eventually ties that whole thing together, but if you are familiar with his books, it's slow going at times.
The ending of the book again leaves us with a clue about how dangerous Charlie and Jennifer are and honestly can the next book just be about them. No side plots or quests going on? Just be done with it and move on from it.
June 14, 2026
There may not be another writer working today who combines the supernatural and police procedural/crime genres as deftly and successfully as John Connolly. His stellar series featuring private investigator Charlie Parker has thrilled readers for decades and shows no signs of slowing down.
A RIVER RED WITH BLOOD is the latest entry and features some antagonists who embody the darkest side of the human spirit and possibly might be the most evil individuals Parker has ever come across. That really is saying something! Parker himself rides the fine line between reality and the otherworldly, and he often joins forces with psychics and others who live on the fringe when solving his unique cases.
Tracking down missing people has always been Parker’s specialty, and now he is committed to finding one of them alive. This time, Parker is introduced to his client by a lawyer colleague. Ward Vose is behind bars for life but needs someone to look into the drowning death of his son, Scott Theriault, who he believes was murdered. Suspicion is immediately placed on Spero, the all-boys reform school that Scott attended, which he snuck away from one night to possibly meet a young lady named Mallory Norton before his body turned up in the nearby Maine river.
We then are introduced to the group of men playing what they refer to as “the Game,” which typically involves abducting, torturing and murdering young women. We are given a glimpse into these people before learning who they actually are in society and the role they may play in the larger picture. They are Kenney, Teal and the Saint. A fourth player had to be eliminated because he violated the rules by risking exposure as he killed outside the boundaries of the game.
Parker knows that in order to bring justice for Scott, he needs to find out what happened to Mallory. Meanwhile, Kenney and Teal are worried that the Saint may have had something to do with Mallory’s disappearance, and they are not happy about it. It may be time for another culling within their group.
Parker deepens his investigation and always has his ear to the ground when it comes to possible supernatural connections. One name that keeps surfacing is Brightwell, but who or what that refers to will remain a mystery until the very end of the case. I can only state here that it is a surreal moment and presents some imagery that will linger on long after you have read it. When other students from Spero turn up abused and speak of “dead boys” haunting them, it becomes clear to Parker that this place is at the center of the mystery he needs to solve.
To assist in locating Mallory, Parker calls on longtime colleague Sabine Drew, a Native American psychic who utilizes all of her gifts to find and rescue the missing and tormented souls she seeks. Their combined efforts will form a strong bond and the best chance of finding Mallory alive.
The true identities of the remaining members of the Game, as well as others who might be supporting them, will provide for a great plot twist or two. Before all is said and done, Parker will have to come face to face with both human and otherworldly monsters, the significance of which goes way deeper than he ever could have imagined.
A RIVER RED WITH BLOOD is a tireless read that easily might be one of the best Charlie Parker novels that John Connolly has ever written.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
A RIVER RED WITH BLOOD is the latest entry and features some antagonists who embody the darkest side of the human spirit and possibly might be the most evil individuals Parker has ever come across. That really is saying something! Parker himself rides the fine line between reality and the otherworldly, and he often joins forces with psychics and others who live on the fringe when solving his unique cases.
Tracking down missing people has always been Parker’s specialty, and now he is committed to finding one of them alive. This time, Parker is introduced to his client by a lawyer colleague. Ward Vose is behind bars for life but needs someone to look into the drowning death of his son, Scott Theriault, who he believes was murdered. Suspicion is immediately placed on Spero, the all-boys reform school that Scott attended, which he snuck away from one night to possibly meet a young lady named Mallory Norton before his body turned up in the nearby Maine river.
We then are introduced to the group of men playing what they refer to as “the Game,” which typically involves abducting, torturing and murdering young women. We are given a glimpse into these people before learning who they actually are in society and the role they may play in the larger picture. They are Kenney, Teal and the Saint. A fourth player had to be eliminated because he violated the rules by risking exposure as he killed outside the boundaries of the game.
Parker knows that in order to bring justice for Scott, he needs to find out what happened to Mallory. Meanwhile, Kenney and Teal are worried that the Saint may have had something to do with Mallory’s disappearance, and they are not happy about it. It may be time for another culling within their group.
Parker deepens his investigation and always has his ear to the ground when it comes to possible supernatural connections. One name that keeps surfacing is Brightwell, but who or what that refers to will remain a mystery until the very end of the case. I can only state here that it is a surreal moment and presents some imagery that will linger on long after you have read it. When other students from Spero turn up abused and speak of “dead boys” haunting them, it becomes clear to Parker that this place is at the center of the mystery he needs to solve.
To assist in locating Mallory, Parker calls on longtime colleague Sabine Drew, a Native American psychic who utilizes all of her gifts to find and rescue the missing and tormented souls she seeks. Their combined efforts will form a strong bond and the best chance of finding Mallory alive.
The true identities of the remaining members of the Game, as well as others who might be supporting them, will provide for a great plot twist or two. Before all is said and done, Parker will have to come face to face with both human and otherworldly monsters, the significance of which goes way deeper than he ever could have imagined.
A RIVER RED WITH BLOOD is a tireless read that easily might be one of the best Charlie Parker novels that John Connolly has ever written.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A new John Connolly/Charlie Parker book is always a cause for rejoicing and in A River Red with Blood, Connolly wastes no time in reminding us why he remains such a distinctive voice in contemporary crime fiction.
There’s such a sense of dark foreboding throughout this book. The darkness comes fast and early. Set in the Kennebec Valley, the novel opens with the death of Scott Theriault, a teenager linked to Spero School, a brutal “troubled teens” institution. Scott’s death is ruled accidental, given that alcohol was involved, but Scott’s father, Ward Vose, is convinced that Scott was murdered. Scott’s father is in prison, and hires Charlie Parker to investigate.
Parker fans will know that he has a particular hatred for crimes against children. The cruel murder of his wife and daughter, Jennifer, has left him damaged but Jennifer continues to speak to him from beyond her grave.
Meanwhile, a separate disappearance suggests there is something even uglier beneath the surface. A group of men are playing “the Game,” in which they target, abduct, rape and kill women.
Louis is not immune to the darkness that’s spreading through Maine. He’s been targeted for a hit, and Jennifer has warned Louis that there are forces out to take him down. Parker brings in Sabine Drew, a medium we have met before, to see if she can find out what’s going on beyond the veil
Connolly builds his plot layer by layer, with measured pacing, ensuring that the atmosphere grows heavy and oppressive. By the midpoint, the novel has tightened its grip completely, and the final sections move with grim inevitability.
Connolly treats the supernatural as something woven naturally into grief, violence, and memory. The dead feel frighteningly close. Sabine Drew’s involvement introduces some of the book’s most unsettling scenes, particularly when she encounters a coalition of dark forces. These supernatural elements never overwhelm the investigation; they deepen it.
Parker is compassionate, relentless, and morally exhausted in equal measure. His empathy for vulnerable children gives this novel a strong emotional core. I really appreciated the way in which Connolly brings in current ICE activities in the US, especially in relation to immigrant children and their parents. It is a timely reminder that horror can so easily live on our streets if we let it.
Louis and Angel’s partnership gives this series its bruised heart and much of its pitch-black humour. They are dangerous men, but Connolly writes them with enormous affection and tenderness. They slot seamlessly into the unfolding horror, grounding Parker whenever the darkness threatens to consume him entirely. Sabine, emerges as increasingly important to this series, acting as a bridge between the living and the dead.
Verdict: I can’t help but feel that in A River Red With Blood, John Connolly is starting to take this series to a climax. The darkness is overwhelming, and dark forces are clearly coalescing and becoming stronger. I was left with a strong feeling that a final showdown will have to come – sooner or later.
This is crime fiction which is part ghost story, with a strong moral reckoning, and a good dash of existential horror. It is bleak and profoundly unsettling. Another must read in this peerless series
There’s such a sense of dark foreboding throughout this book. The darkness comes fast and early. Set in the Kennebec Valley, the novel opens with the death of Scott Theriault, a teenager linked to Spero School, a brutal “troubled teens” institution. Scott’s death is ruled accidental, given that alcohol was involved, but Scott’s father, Ward Vose, is convinced that Scott was murdered. Scott’s father is in prison, and hires Charlie Parker to investigate.
Parker fans will know that he has a particular hatred for crimes against children. The cruel murder of his wife and daughter, Jennifer, has left him damaged but Jennifer continues to speak to him from beyond her grave.
Meanwhile, a separate disappearance suggests there is something even uglier beneath the surface. A group of men are playing “the Game,” in which they target, abduct, rape and kill women.
Louis is not immune to the darkness that’s spreading through Maine. He’s been targeted for a hit, and Jennifer has warned Louis that there are forces out to take him down. Parker brings in Sabine Drew, a medium we have met before, to see if she can find out what’s going on beyond the veil
Connolly builds his plot layer by layer, with measured pacing, ensuring that the atmosphere grows heavy and oppressive. By the midpoint, the novel has tightened its grip completely, and the final sections move with grim inevitability.
Connolly treats the supernatural as something woven naturally into grief, violence, and memory. The dead feel frighteningly close. Sabine Drew’s involvement introduces some of the book’s most unsettling scenes, particularly when she encounters a coalition of dark forces. These supernatural elements never overwhelm the investigation; they deepen it.
Parker is compassionate, relentless, and morally exhausted in equal measure. His empathy for vulnerable children gives this novel a strong emotional core. I really appreciated the way in which Connolly brings in current ICE activities in the US, especially in relation to immigrant children and their parents. It is a timely reminder that horror can so easily live on our streets if we let it.
Louis and Angel’s partnership gives this series its bruised heart and much of its pitch-black humour. They are dangerous men, but Connolly writes them with enormous affection and tenderness. They slot seamlessly into the unfolding horror, grounding Parker whenever the darkness threatens to consume him entirely. Sabine, emerges as increasingly important to this series, acting as a bridge between the living and the dead.
Verdict: I can’t help but feel that in A River Red With Blood, John Connolly is starting to take this series to a climax. The darkness is overwhelming, and dark forces are clearly coalescing and becoming stronger. I was left with a strong feeling that a final showdown will have to come – sooner or later.
This is crime fiction which is part ghost story, with a strong moral reckoning, and a good dash of existential horror. It is bleak and profoundly unsettling. Another must read in this peerless series
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to Atria/Emily Bestler Books, NetGalley, and John Connolly for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
📝 Summary
When the body of a young man connected to a troubled teens school is discovered in Maine's Kennebec River Valley and a local teenage girl vanishes, Charlie Parker finds himself pulled into an investigation that uncovers far more than two disappearances. As the search for answers deepens, long buried secrets, dangerous individuals, and darker forces begin to emerge.
💭 My Review
This was my first Charlie Parker novel, and honestly, one of my biggest concerns going into a book that is twenty three books deep into a series was whether I would spend the entire time feeling lost. I am happy to report that I didn't. Not once. I was able to follow the story, understand the characters, and become fully invested in what was happening without feeling like I had missed a dozen important pieces of information.
Now having said that, I absolutely understand why this series has such a devoted following.
Charlie Parker immediately felt like the kind of character I want to spend more time with. There was something about him that pulled me in from the beginning. He felt layered, intelligent, and experienced without the author needing to constantly remind the reader of his history. I found myself becoming invested in both the case and the people involved in it.
What really surprised me was how attached I became to the supporting cast. The group of men who play The Game fascinated me. Every time they appeared on the page, I found myself wanting to know more. Their scenes added another layer of intrigue to an already gripping story, and they became some of my favorite parts of the entire novel.
The mystery itself was incredibly compelling. The deeper the investigation went, the harder it became to stop reading. Every answer seemed to uncover another question, and I loved how the story continued to build tension without ever feeling repetitive. There were several twists that genuinely caught me off guard, which is becoming harder and harder to do the more thrillers and mysteries I read.
John Connolly's writing also deserves praise because there is a confidence and atmosphere to it that made the story feel immersive from the start. The setting felt vivid, the characters felt real, and the emotional weight behind the investigation gave the story even more impact.
By the end, I was completely hooked. Not only did I love this book, but it also convinced me that I need to go back and start reading more of the Charlie Parker series. For a book this far into a series to welcome a new reader while still delivering a powerful story is incredibly impressive.
✅ Would I Recommend It?
Absolutely. Whether you're already a Charlie Parker fan or someone like me picking up the series for the first time, this is a gripping, twist filled mystery with memorable characters, a compelling investigation, and enough intrigue to keep you turning pages long into the night.
Thank you to Atria/Emily Bestler Books, NetGalley, and John Connolly for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
📝 Summary
When the body of a young man connected to a troubled teens school is discovered in Maine's Kennebec River Valley and a local teenage girl vanishes, Charlie Parker finds himself pulled into an investigation that uncovers far more than two disappearances. As the search for answers deepens, long buried secrets, dangerous individuals, and darker forces begin to emerge.
💭 My Review
This was my first Charlie Parker novel, and honestly, one of my biggest concerns going into a book that is twenty three books deep into a series was whether I would spend the entire time feeling lost. I am happy to report that I didn't. Not once. I was able to follow the story, understand the characters, and become fully invested in what was happening without feeling like I had missed a dozen important pieces of information.
Now having said that, I absolutely understand why this series has such a devoted following.
Charlie Parker immediately felt like the kind of character I want to spend more time with. There was something about him that pulled me in from the beginning. He felt layered, intelligent, and experienced without the author needing to constantly remind the reader of his history. I found myself becoming invested in both the case and the people involved in it.
What really surprised me was how attached I became to the supporting cast. The group of men who play The Game fascinated me. Every time they appeared on the page, I found myself wanting to know more. Their scenes added another layer of intrigue to an already gripping story, and they became some of my favorite parts of the entire novel.
The mystery itself was incredibly compelling. The deeper the investigation went, the harder it became to stop reading. Every answer seemed to uncover another question, and I loved how the story continued to build tension without ever feeling repetitive. There were several twists that genuinely caught me off guard, which is becoming harder and harder to do the more thrillers and mysteries I read.
John Connolly's writing also deserves praise because there is a confidence and atmosphere to it that made the story feel immersive from the start. The setting felt vivid, the characters felt real, and the emotional weight behind the investigation gave the story even more impact.
By the end, I was completely hooked. Not only did I love this book, but it also convinced me that I need to go back and start reading more of the Charlie Parker series. For a book this far into a series to welcome a new reader while still delivering a powerful story is incredibly impressive.
✅ Would I Recommend It?
Absolutely. Whether you're already a Charlie Parker fan or someone like me picking up the series for the first time, this is a gripping, twist filled mystery with memorable characters, a compelling investigation, and enough intrigue to keep you turning pages long into the night.
June 15, 2026
Just after I finished this book, and sat forward in my comfortable chair to set it on a table, I said out loud, 'Well that was a heavy-duty book.'
And ohmgoodness, how it is! I want to call it my favorite. It's dense; it's heavy; it's thick with meaning. Not just the story, but everything about it. Dialogue. Narration. Description. Transitions. Character development. And especially, the inner voice of the MC, Charlie Parker, one-time cop and now private PI, as he explains what he does and how/why he does it. It's not done to tedium - it's done to pace and place, and Charlie, now in his fifties, isn't even in/on every page! This book is written from multi-points of view, and yet within the first line of a chapter you know whose shoulder you are sitting on. As for Charlie, he's the only one who gets first person POV...
I read most of this book holed up in a small bedroom with a temperamental son as carpenters banged around in our house - everywhere. His room, my room, living room, kitchen, basement - no place was safe as windows and doors went in all around us. He watched Barney videos; I sat on a twin bed and read this book - and how wonderful it was! (With husband looking in on us to make sure we were doing fine.) Ever have a dog which bolts and barks at every sound? That's my son.
But there I was, caught up in this long, strange, sad and striking tale. Charlie is asked to look into the death of a teenage boy who ran off from a 'tough love' camp for incorrigible boys up in Maine. Just knowing that such a place was in this book - it's like finding a haunted bell tower or something. But that's not the only thing going on here! There's also a missing teenage girl from a nearby, and very small town. There's villains galore - and yes they get a few chapters of their own which is excruciating! On Charlie's side, however, we have the tremendous Louis - who's dealing with a killer who's put out a contract out on him - and Angel, who's as quirky as ever. Charlie's girlfriend Macy is present, as well as the lawyers Moxie and Alcock. We've also got Sabine, the medium who isn't sure what that's all about. Every character is distinct, notable, and presentable from the first words out of their mouth. And don't forget the Fulci brothers - who could easily tip over a horse trailer, one on either side. (Though they don't do that in this book.)
As for the slowly-growing hint of 'supernaturalness' which has followed Charlie through all these books - which began as a low-smoldering fire in the early volumes - it's now a blazing inferno. And yet, Connolly is able to keep the storyline firmly within the lane of reality. What Charlie sees, hears and experiences he has long kept to himself, with perhaps Lewis and Angel as exceptions. Now there is no doubt...
But no doubt this is a tremendous read. I own it.
Love it.
Five stars.
And ohmgoodness, how it is! I want to call it my favorite. It's dense; it's heavy; it's thick with meaning. Not just the story, but everything about it. Dialogue. Narration. Description. Transitions. Character development. And especially, the inner voice of the MC, Charlie Parker, one-time cop and now private PI, as he explains what he does and how/why he does it. It's not done to tedium - it's done to pace and place, and Charlie, now in his fifties, isn't even in/on every page! This book is written from multi-points of view, and yet within the first line of a chapter you know whose shoulder you are sitting on. As for Charlie, he's the only one who gets first person POV...
I read most of this book holed up in a small bedroom with a temperamental son as carpenters banged around in our house - everywhere. His room, my room, living room, kitchen, basement - no place was safe as windows and doors went in all around us. He watched Barney videos; I sat on a twin bed and read this book - and how wonderful it was! (With husband looking in on us to make sure we were doing fine.) Ever have a dog which bolts and barks at every sound? That's my son.
But there I was, caught up in this long, strange, sad and striking tale. Charlie is asked to look into the death of a teenage boy who ran off from a 'tough love' camp for incorrigible boys up in Maine. Just knowing that such a place was in this book - it's like finding a haunted bell tower or something. But that's not the only thing going on here! There's also a missing teenage girl from a nearby, and very small town. There's villains galore - and yes they get a few chapters of their own which is excruciating! On Charlie's side, however, we have the tremendous Louis - who's dealing with a killer who's put out a contract out on him - and Angel, who's as quirky as ever. Charlie's girlfriend Macy is present, as well as the lawyers Moxie and Alcock. We've also got Sabine, the medium who isn't sure what that's all about. Every character is distinct, notable, and presentable from the first words out of their mouth. And don't forget the Fulci brothers - who could easily tip over a horse trailer, one on either side. (Though they don't do that in this book.)
As for the slowly-growing hint of 'supernaturalness' which has followed Charlie through all these books - which began as a low-smoldering fire in the early volumes - it's now a blazing inferno. And yet, Connolly is able to keep the storyline firmly within the lane of reality. What Charlie sees, hears and experiences he has long kept to himself, with perhaps Lewis and Angel as exceptions. Now there is no doubt...
But no doubt this is a tremendous read. I own it.
Love it.
Five stars.
June 3, 2026
Is a missing teen in rural Maine connected to another's death?
Private investigator Charlie Parker is asked by his friend Moxie, a lawyer, to meet with a different attorney's client, a convicted criminal in prison whose teenaged son Scott was found dead in the Kennebec River Valley. The death has been deemed accidental, Scott a troubled teen whose mother and stepfather had sent him to the Spero School, a facility dedicated to working with those whose behavior has become too problematic for regular schools. Scott's father doesn't believe that his son ran away from the school, got drunk then lost in the woods and drowned in a river...he believes he was killed. Parker is sceptical at first, suspecting that the father is suffering guilt from not having been there for his son, but as he digs into the case and especially the Spero School he thinks there may be more to the situation than he thought. Adding to the mystery is the disappearance at about the same time as Scott's death of a local teenage girl in the area. Could there be a connection between the two cases? The truth is even worse than Parker ever expected....there is a group of men who have been killing together for years, and their paths may have crossed that of both Scott and the missing girl.
This is the 23rd book in author John Connolly's series featuring Charlie Parker and the characters who populate his life (Moxie, Louis, Angel and more). It can certainly be read as a standalone novel, but when a series is this established a reader who hasn't read at least a few of the preceding titles is going to miss out on much of the background and the connections between the various players, This outing deals with some fairly dark subjects...the conditions at the Spero School (not quite as enlightened a place as the literature it sends to parents would suggest), predatory adults, and violent assaults. The mystery itself is, as Connolly's always are, twisty and well-plotted, and the characters continue to evolve . There is also a supernatural bent woven into the storyline, with memories of possible past lives as well as contact between the living and the dead and even a fallen angel, none of which are surprising to those who have been reading the series for a while. Friendship, loyalty, love and bonds between men (healthy and otherwise) are at the core of the tale, and I found it a satisfyingly complex read (4.5 ⭐️ rounded up to 5), one likely to please not only the author's fans but also readers of Michael Connelly, Robert B. Parker and Harlan Coben. My thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books/Emily Bestler Books for allowing me access to the novel in exchange for my honest review.
Private investigator Charlie Parker is asked by his friend Moxie, a lawyer, to meet with a different attorney's client, a convicted criminal in prison whose teenaged son Scott was found dead in the Kennebec River Valley. The death has been deemed accidental, Scott a troubled teen whose mother and stepfather had sent him to the Spero School, a facility dedicated to working with those whose behavior has become too problematic for regular schools. Scott's father doesn't believe that his son ran away from the school, got drunk then lost in the woods and drowned in a river...he believes he was killed. Parker is sceptical at first, suspecting that the father is suffering guilt from not having been there for his son, but as he digs into the case and especially the Spero School he thinks there may be more to the situation than he thought. Adding to the mystery is the disappearance at about the same time as Scott's death of a local teenage girl in the area. Could there be a connection between the two cases? The truth is even worse than Parker ever expected....there is a group of men who have been killing together for years, and their paths may have crossed that of both Scott and the missing girl.
This is the 23rd book in author John Connolly's series featuring Charlie Parker and the characters who populate his life (Moxie, Louis, Angel and more). It can certainly be read as a standalone novel, but when a series is this established a reader who hasn't read at least a few of the preceding titles is going to miss out on much of the background and the connections between the various players, This outing deals with some fairly dark subjects...the conditions at the Spero School (not quite as enlightened a place as the literature it sends to parents would suggest), predatory adults, and violent assaults. The mystery itself is, as Connolly's always are, twisty and well-plotted, and the characters continue to evolve . There is also a supernatural bent woven into the storyline, with memories of possible past lives as well as contact between the living and the dead and even a fallen angel, none of which are surprising to those who have been reading the series for a while. Friendship, loyalty, love and bonds between men (healthy and otherwise) are at the core of the tale, and I found it a satisfyingly complex read (4.5 ⭐️ rounded up to 5), one likely to please not only the author's fans but also readers of Michael Connelly, Robert B. Parker and Harlan Coben. My thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books/Emily Bestler Books for allowing me access to the novel in exchange for my honest review.
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