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Falls #2
Under the Falls
Win a free print copy of this book!
22 days and 21:29:17
50 copies available
U.S. only
The Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Empire Falls returns with his first stand-alone novel since Chances Are . . . —a spellbinding page-turner about a crime in a small town that exposes long-held secrets and betrayals among a group of lifelong friends
When Tyler Sinclair left Stone Mountain at eighteen, he had no plans of returning. With only a duffel bag full of clothes, a few bucks stolen from his father’s dresser, and a guitar, his most prized possession, Tyler disappeared without so much as a goodbye. Eighteen years later, and Tyler, now the frontman of a famous band aptly named Stone Mountain, finds himself returning to his hometown for a one-night-only benefit concert to support his old friend, Doc, who lost feeling in his legs following a childhood accident. As Tyler ascends the mountain, memories of his childhood come rushing back—memories of his abusive father and despondent mother, of the friends he left behind—and he quickly learns that, for many people on Stone Mountain, the past does not feel like so long ago, and not everyone has been eagerly awaiting Tyler’s return.
At the concert, resentment simmers just beneath the surface, and Tyler finds himself confronted with faces new and old: there’s Curt, Tyler’s childhood best friend, now Stone Mountain’s chief of police, and his star officer, Deb, an out-of-towner who may have bitten off more than she can chew by accepting a job in Stone Mountain. And then there’s Freddi, Curt’s wife and Tyler’s former lover, a woman whose questionable dealings and fraught history with Tyler will become the catalyst for a tragedy that will upend each of their lives and threaten to validate Tyler’s worst fear: that “Stone Mountain is the kind of place you might escape from once, if you’re lucky, but not twice.”
Under the Falls is at once a propulsive thriller, a gut-wrenching portrait of a tight-knit rural community undone by the sins of its past, and an unflinchingly honest depiction of how porous the line between right and wrong, good versus evil, can become. A stunning, deeply empathetic novel, one that takes Russo’s penchant for character-driven drama to thrilling new heights.
When Tyler Sinclair left Stone Mountain at eighteen, he had no plans of returning. With only a duffel bag full of clothes, a few bucks stolen from his father’s dresser, and a guitar, his most prized possession, Tyler disappeared without so much as a goodbye. Eighteen years later, and Tyler, now the frontman of a famous band aptly named Stone Mountain, finds himself returning to his hometown for a one-night-only benefit concert to support his old friend, Doc, who lost feeling in his legs following a childhood accident. As Tyler ascends the mountain, memories of his childhood come rushing back—memories of his abusive father and despondent mother, of the friends he left behind—and he quickly learns that, for many people on Stone Mountain, the past does not feel like so long ago, and not everyone has been eagerly awaiting Tyler’s return.
At the concert, resentment simmers just beneath the surface, and Tyler finds himself confronted with faces new and old: there’s Curt, Tyler’s childhood best friend, now Stone Mountain’s chief of police, and his star officer, Deb, an out-of-towner who may have bitten off more than she can chew by accepting a job in Stone Mountain. And then there’s Freddi, Curt’s wife and Tyler’s former lover, a woman whose questionable dealings and fraught history with Tyler will become the catalyst for a tragedy that will upend each of their lives and threaten to validate Tyler’s worst fear: that “Stone Mountain is the kind of place you might escape from once, if you’re lucky, but not twice.”
Under the Falls is at once a propulsive thriller, a gut-wrenching portrait of a tight-knit rural community undone by the sins of its past, and an unflinchingly honest depiction of how porous the line between right and wrong, good versus evil, can become. A stunning, deeply empathetic novel, one that takes Russo’s penchant for character-driven drama to thrilling new heights.
352 pages, Paperback
First published August 11, 2026
About the author
Richard Russo
48 books5,103 followersRICHARD RUSSO is the author of seven previous novels; two collections of stories; and Elsewhere, a memoir. In 2002 he received the Pulitzer Prize for Empire Falls, which like Nobody’s Fool was adapted to film, in a multiple-award-winning HBO miniseries.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 837 reviews
April 1, 2026
Richard Russo is a favorite of mine. I’ve read and loved all of his novels. His forte is books about small towns with characters whose lives are shaped by the place , by their relationships with one another, as much as specific events. This novel is one of those books . I knew going into it that it was described as a crime/thriller. Even though this is not a genre I enjoy reading, I couldn’t resist because - well it’s Richard Russo. I’m going to chalk up my three stars and not more to the genre. I can’t give it less even though I didn’t fully enjoy it because I found elements of his writing that I love . From the beginning the reader is invited to the place, the past, taking us along with characters connected by their past - by shared trauma, friendship, by love, but also resentment and guilt. For more plot details you can read the description.
I received a copy of this from Knopf through NetGalley.
I received a copy of this from Knopf through NetGalley.
August 28, 2026
“Realizing that you’ve come to the end of the line, you start looking for a place to turn around and fear that there isn’t one, that you’ve waited too long.”
My experience with this book?
This is not typical Russo. Yes, he is character-driven, and he provides incredible descriptions of backdrop and scenery that can be mesmerizing. And, judging by the many low-star reviews—although I haven’t read them yet, only noted them—it may be that many readers simply do not like seeing him venture into this type of drama.
At 233 pages, this could have been a taut, suspenseful thriller. But because this is not Russo’s usual fare, that part of the story often flounders. It does, however, blend the tension of a small-town mystery with his character-driven exploration of what happens when people live with regret, guilt, and the discomfort of the past.
Tyler is returning to his hometown as a successful artist, seemingly with good intentions. But not everyone is excited to see him. Then, when something deliberate happens with serious consequences, a criminal investigation is set in motion.
This story is not going to have a dramatic, thriller-like ending. The plot is resolved, but the strength of the novel lies in its emotional core and in how the characters choose to address their conflicted history. Yet therein also lies its weakness. The thriller element sometimes feels manufactured, especially when compared with Russo’s talent for creating flawed, believable characters.
The question is whether readers will be patient with this particular presentation of Russo’s writing, as well as the variety of difficult triggers that, at times, made this an uncomfortable and challenging read. Those triggers are listed below.
In the author’s acknowledgements, Russo shares that this book began as a TV pilot script that was never produced. That revelation may explain why the story occasionally feels awkward in places and seems to struggle between being a character-driven novel and a suspenseful mystery.
Content warning triggers: substance abuse, drug addiction, depression, suicidal ideation, severe childhood trauma, domestic and physical abuse, and parental neglect.
My experience with this book?
This is not typical Russo. Yes, he is character-driven, and he provides incredible descriptions of backdrop and scenery that can be mesmerizing. And, judging by the many low-star reviews—although I haven’t read them yet, only noted them—it may be that many readers simply do not like seeing him venture into this type of drama.
At 233 pages, this could have been a taut, suspenseful thriller. But because this is not Russo’s usual fare, that part of the story often flounders. It does, however, blend the tension of a small-town mystery with his character-driven exploration of what happens when people live with regret, guilt, and the discomfort of the past.
Tyler is returning to his hometown as a successful artist, seemingly with good intentions. But not everyone is excited to see him. Then, when something deliberate happens with serious consequences, a criminal investigation is set in motion.
This story is not going to have a dramatic, thriller-like ending. The plot is resolved, but the strength of the novel lies in its emotional core and in how the characters choose to address their conflicted history. Yet therein also lies its weakness. The thriller element sometimes feels manufactured, especially when compared with Russo’s talent for creating flawed, believable characters.
The question is whether readers will be patient with this particular presentation of Russo’s writing, as well as the variety of difficult triggers that, at times, made this an uncomfortable and challenging read. Those triggers are listed below.
In the author’s acknowledgements, Russo shares that this book began as a TV pilot script that was never produced. That revelation may explain why the story occasionally feels awkward in places and seems to struggle between being a character-driven novel and a suspenseful mystery.
Content warning triggers: substance abuse, drug addiction, depression, suicidal ideation, severe childhood trauma, domestic and physical abuse, and parental neglect.
January 28, 2026
I really don't know what happened here. Richard Russo has long been ol' reliable for me. His books are funny and heartwarming and full of curmudgeonly and flawed but lovable characters. This book, which was originally a pilot script for a tv show, is a departure and not a welcome one.
I knew when I began reading and found that part of the story is told by a twentysomething Black woman (for those not in the know, Russo is a 76 year-old white man) that things were not looking good. Maybe the story would have worked better in its original form, as a serialized tv show?
Some Lingering Questions (SPOILERS ahead, be warned)
-If Tyler hated his hometown so much and wanted to distance himself, why did he name his band after it?
-Did the concertgoers, like, bring cartons of eggs into the concert?
-Did Doc really die how they said he did? He's used as a plot device and a reason for Tyler to return then quickly discarded and forgotten.
-Why is Beth so mad at Tyler? Even if he called Curtis Jr. while THEIR LIMO WAS ACTIVELY BEING PUSHED OFF A MOUNTAIN, the accident was already in motion.
-Why did Freddi tell Curtis Jr. about who she suspected his father was? She doesn't even know for sure, and she didn't tell her husband.
-Speaking of Freddi, there is nothing about this character or her motivations that I understand.
-How did Tyler figure out it was Curtis Jr. and not Freddi who was driving the hearse?
-What was Curtis Jr. planning to do when he bumped the limo off the mountain? Was he intending to kill its four inhabitants? Much like Freddi's, his motivations are a mystery. And we have so little of him in the novel that it's hard to guess.
I knew when I began reading and found that part of the story is told by a twentysomething Black woman (for those not in the know, Russo is a 76 year-old white man) that things were not looking good. Maybe the story would have worked better in its original form, as a serialized tv show?
Some Lingering Questions (SPOILERS ahead, be warned)
-If Tyler hated his hometown so much and wanted to distance himself, why did he name his band after it?
-Did the concertgoers, like, bring cartons of eggs into the concert?
-Did Doc really die how they said he did? He's used as a plot device and a reason for Tyler to return then quickly discarded and forgotten.
-Why is Beth so mad at Tyler? Even if he called Curtis Jr. while THEIR LIMO WAS ACTIVELY BEING PUSHED OFF A MOUNTAIN, the accident was already in motion.
-Why did Freddi tell Curtis Jr. about who she suspected his father was? She doesn't even know for sure, and she didn't tell her husband.
-Speaking of Freddi, there is nothing about this character or her motivations that I understand.
-How did Tyler figure out it was Curtis Jr. and not Freddi who was driving the hearse?
-What was Curtis Jr. planning to do when he bumped the limo off the mountain? Was he intending to kill its four inhabitants? Much like Freddi's, his motivations are a mystery. And we have so little of him in the novel that it's hard to guess.
August 23, 2026
This novel was a disappointment for me - I have read and enjoyed several of Mr. Russo’s novels. The characters are always well developed and the plots intricately woven.
There is, of course, some good writing here but the story is unbelievable. Tyler Sinclair left Stone Mountain with no desire to ever come back. He is by all accounts a “rock star”, how he was convinced to start his latest tour in Stone Mountain remains a mystery to me.
It seems no one is happy to see this golden boy and is resented by just about everyone in the town. He left without saying goodbye even to those closest to him and never reached out to any of them in the years he’s been gone. His concert is received with boos and people throwing eggs (did they bring the eggs to the concert?) His band is finally able to leave - but he won’t get home just yet!
There are some truly terrible and at times graphically described “tortures” that await him. His limo is forced off the mountain as he is leaving and even as he starts to heal from his injuries and his losses - more vindictive actions await him!!
The blurb describes the characters quite extensively and I won’t go into each one of them. I’m not sure what small town Russo is referring to but I hope that none really exists.
I’m giving this one 3* for the writing but I can’t recommend it. I finished it with so many unanswered questions I can’t even list them all.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss, all opinions are my own.
There is, of course, some good writing here but the story is unbelievable. Tyler Sinclair left Stone Mountain with no desire to ever come back. He is by all accounts a “rock star”, how he was convinced to start his latest tour in Stone Mountain remains a mystery to me.
It seems no one is happy to see this golden boy and is resented by just about everyone in the town. He left without saying goodbye even to those closest to him and never reached out to any of them in the years he’s been gone. His concert is received with boos and people throwing eggs (did they bring the eggs to the concert?) His band is finally able to leave - but he won’t get home just yet!
There are some truly terrible and at times graphically described “tortures” that await him. His limo is forced off the mountain as he is leaving and even as he starts to heal from his injuries and his losses - more vindictive actions await him!!
The blurb describes the characters quite extensively and I won’t go into each one of them. I’m not sure what small town Russo is referring to but I hope that none really exists.
I’m giving this one 3* for the writing but I can’t recommend it. I finished it with so many unanswered questions I can’t even list them all.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss, all opinions are my own.
October 21, 2026
I don't think the review has significant spoilers but just in case, I'm going to include a spoiler alert.
SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT
In his endnotes, author Richard Russo writes 'Under the Falls' began as a TV pilot script that didn't survive a writers' strike, and was expanded into a novel.
*****
Background: Stone Mountain, in the Rust Belt of upstate New York, was once a thriving town with steel mills and local attractions, like the Stone Mountain Amusement Park. When the mills shut down, jobs went overseas, people fled, and a struggling community remains.
Tyler Sinclair grew up in Stone Mountain with his friends Curt and Doc. When the boys were young, the town hadn't yet gone completely downhill, though times were getting tough.
Tyler had a terrible home life, with a vicious wife-beater for a father. When Tyler was eleven, he told Curt "I just want to grow up, you know? Get big enough to kick his f**ing ass." Curt said, "I'll help you", and the boys linked pinkies and swore to be best friends forever.
Tyler and Curt's other friend, Doc, had his own bad luck. When the boys were teenagers, swimming and cavorting at the local dam, Doc was injured, almost drowned, and lost the use of his legs.
Tyler cut ties to Stone Mountain when he was eighteen, and left town with a duffel bag, a few bucks stolen from his father's dresser, and a guitar. Tyler didn't even say goodbye to Curt or Doc or a beautiful Black girl named Freddi, who became part of the friends' group in high school.
Tyler became a singer/songwriter, and frontman for a famous band called Stone Mountain. Now, nearly two decades after Tyler left his hometown, his band arrives to give a one-night-only benefit concert for Doc. Tyler's manager Jason organized the event to kick off the band's new tour, and Tyler is REALLY UNHAPPY to be back in Stone Mountain.
It turns out Tyler is prescient, because at the end of the benefit concert, a triggering event leads to attendees throwing eggs and calling Tyler names. It seems residents of Stone Mountain feel they should benefit somehow from the success of Tyler's band, especially since Tyler writes songs about the town.
After the ill-fated concert, roadies pack up the band's equipment and leave town, and Tyler, his girlfriend (and band member) Beth, and band manager Jason are driven down the mountain in a limo. A vehicle gets behind the limo, repeatedly honks and bumps it, and pushes the limo through the guardrail into a deep dark ravine.
Tyler’s old friend Curt is now the police chief in Stone Mountain; married to Freddi; and they have a teenage son named Curtis Jr.
When Curt gets a call at the police station, about skid marks on the mountain road, he sends his best officer - a Black woman called Deb - to check it out. The scene in the ravine is horrific. Tyler is badly hurt, and taken to a hospital in Albany. Later, as Deb investigates the limo incident, she starts to suspect her boss Curt is not being honest with her about things going on in Stone Mountain.
Once Tyler heals enough to be released from the hospital, he stays with Deb and her mother for a short while, then plans to return to Nashville. At this point, there's an unexpected twist in the tale.
Without giving away spoilers, I can say issues that come up in the novel include: a small Black enclave in the mostly White town of Stone Mountain; teenage love and angst; jealousy; the opioid epidemic; marital problems; despondency; ambition; and more.
The story is related from the rotating points of view of the central characters, mostly Tyler, Curt, and Deb.
The first part of the book is compelling, but the story goes downhill at the end of the concert scene, where the plot seems to falter. Wouldn't it be noticed if droves of people arrived at an event with cartons of raw eggs? Even a small town would have security checks at a concert, ESPECIALLY for a high profile band like Stone Mountain.
Other plot points also seem unlikely, and some characters' motivations don't ring true. That said, the book has some likable protagonists. Travis is a compassionate and generous person, and Deb is intelligent and loyal, even when her allegiance is undeserved. I even feel sympathy for Curt, who longs to be besties again with his childhood friend.
All that said, Richard Russo is a fine writer, but this isn't his best work.
Thanks to Netgalley, Richard Russo, and Knopf for an ARC of the book.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com
August 28, 2026
Richard Russo is a master at writing character driven dramatic novels that are set in small towns, and this book is no exception. This was a multilayered and thought provoking read. Under the Falls sets up a course of events that ratchet up the tension when a group of friends and family members are faced with almost insurmountable dilemmas.
Tyler Sinclair left the small town of Stone Mountain when he was 18 years old without saying goodbye to anyone, even his best friends. Eighteen years later he comes back to town as a well-known musician of a band called Stone Mountain. Even though he is back to perform a charity concert for a friend of his who was paralyzed during a jump over the falls when they were teens, not everyone is ready to welcome Tyler back with open arms. His return becomes the catalyst to an even greater tragedy and many perplexing problems. What are these enigmatic characters willing to do or how far are they willing to go for a friend or family member? What if it costs them their marriage, their job, their reputation, or might even send them to prison?
I really enjoyed reading this book and will be recommending it to all my friends who love good contemporary literary fiction with a mystery at its core.
My sincere thanks to Knopf publishers and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Tyler Sinclair left the small town of Stone Mountain when he was 18 years old without saying goodbye to anyone, even his best friends. Eighteen years later he comes back to town as a well-known musician of a band called Stone Mountain. Even though he is back to perform a charity concert for a friend of his who was paralyzed during a jump over the falls when they were teens, not everyone is ready to welcome Tyler back with open arms. His return becomes the catalyst to an even greater tragedy and many perplexing problems. What are these enigmatic characters willing to do or how far are they willing to go for a friend or family member? What if it costs them their marriage, their job, their reputation, or might even send them to prison?
I really enjoyed reading this book and will be recommending it to all my friends who love good contemporary literary fiction with a mystery at its core.
My sincere thanks to Knopf publishers and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this DRC in exchange for an honest review.
August 19, 2026
Reuniting in Fragments
Richard Russo’s “Under the Falls” is framed as a dark, cinematic thriller. Following Tyler Sinclair, a rock star returning to his decaying upstate New York hometown for a benefit concert, the novel attempts to explore guilt and the gravity of the past. However, the transition into thriller territory proves rocky.
The execution suffers from pacing issues that seem rooted in the book's origins as an unproduced TV pilot. Rather than a cohesive novel, the chapters often feel like disconnected, scripted scenes where narrative momentum is sacrificed for dramatic beats. Key plot points feel rushed or under-developed, leaving the reader struggling to connect with the stakes. For example, Doc’s death is dealt with so quickly it fails to resonate, and other promising characters, like Jason, seem to vaporize from the story entirely without impact. Even the climax misses the mark; moments like the concert riot, where eggs show up only for the encore, feel absurd rather than dramatic.
The character development also leaves much to be desired. While Freddi is not quite one-dimensional, she is almost unbelievably cold-hearted, and the male leads fare even worse. Tyler and his childhood best friend, Curt, are remarkably thick. Their inability to see past their own narrow perspectives makes their decision-making frustratingly obscure and makes it difficult for the reader to engage with their plight.
Ultimately, “Under the Falls” struggles to find its footing. It captures the atmosphere of a distressed mountain town effectively—Russo’s vivid descriptions of decaying architecture and the heavy, stagnant air of the valley provide a tangible sense of place. However, the thriller mechanics feel screen-engineered and forced, resulting in a book that doesn't quite live up to its potential.
This novel is best suited for die-hard Russo fans who appreciate his ability to evoke small-town rot, or for readers who enjoy screenplay-style pacing and aren't bothered by logic gaps in character motivations.
Thank you to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor and to NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. #UnderTheFalls #NetGalley #The400Unit
Richard Russo’s “Under the Falls” is framed as a dark, cinematic thriller. Following Tyler Sinclair, a rock star returning to his decaying upstate New York hometown for a benefit concert, the novel attempts to explore guilt and the gravity of the past. However, the transition into thriller territory proves rocky.
The execution suffers from pacing issues that seem rooted in the book's origins as an unproduced TV pilot. Rather than a cohesive novel, the chapters often feel like disconnected, scripted scenes where narrative momentum is sacrificed for dramatic beats. Key plot points feel rushed or under-developed, leaving the reader struggling to connect with the stakes. For example, Doc’s death is dealt with so quickly it fails to resonate, and other promising characters, like Jason, seem to vaporize from the story entirely without impact. Even the climax misses the mark; moments like the concert riot, where eggs show up only for the encore, feel absurd rather than dramatic.
The character development also leaves much to be desired. While Freddi is not quite one-dimensional, she is almost unbelievably cold-hearted, and the male leads fare even worse. Tyler and his childhood best friend, Curt, are remarkably thick. Their inability to see past their own narrow perspectives makes their decision-making frustratingly obscure and makes it difficult for the reader to engage with their plight.
Ultimately, “Under the Falls” struggles to find its footing. It captures the atmosphere of a distressed mountain town effectively—Russo’s vivid descriptions of decaying architecture and the heavy, stagnant air of the valley provide a tangible sense of place. However, the thriller mechanics feel screen-engineered and forced, resulting in a book that doesn't quite live up to its potential.
This novel is best suited for die-hard Russo fans who appreciate his ability to evoke small-town rot, or for readers who enjoy screenplay-style pacing and aren't bothered by logic gaps in character motivations.
Thank you to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor and to NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. #UnderTheFalls #NetGalley #The400Unit
April 12, 2026
Advanced Review Copy
The author of one of my favorite all-time books, Nobody's Fool, returns by stepping into a new genre: murder-mystery.
Tyler Sinclair is the lead singer of the famous rock band Stone Mountain, so named after the Rust-Belt upstate New York town in which he grew up. He returns for a tour stop and visits with Doc, a man who suffered a spinal injury he incurred in a dangerous stunt with Tyler when they were kids. At the concert he also comes across his old friend Curt, now the Chief of Police. Curt’s wife, Freddi, was someone Tyler was in love with way back then, and now she’s involved in something awfully fishy.
Trying to leave town, Tyler’s limo is run off the road by a familiar-looking car. Two people die, his girlfriend and bandmate Beth is critically injured, and he ends up in a hospital also desperately hurt. Looks like an accident until Curt’s deputy, Deb, looks into it. All might not be what it seems, and all those past secrets and misdeeds might come back to haunt them all…
This is one of Russo’s shorter books, coming in just around two-fifty. It reads pretty smoothly, with lots of introspection but done with clear, easy-to-grasp prose. The main characters’ rationale makes sense for the most part. The pain of the past is evident and tactile.
Mystery isn’t something I’d have expected from Russo, but he does a good job with the basic elements. The action is front-heavy, with a big swath of conversations and inner monologues right in the middle. The climax builds where it should and with plenty of swift movements and twists. He digs deep into motivation, allowing ghosts to appear and mess things up for everyone. The plot felt disjointed and confusing at times, causing me to backtrack once in a while. Memories, implanted in the multi-perspective format, interfered with the real events. I wished for just a few very clear narratives that would explain things a bit more clearly.
The characters seem not very redeemable, and some not likeable. In his past works I found the villains to have a comical side, but not here at all. Freddi is just awful, and I wasn’t sure I understood why. But there’s a seriousness and heft that bummed me out. So, I suppose nasty characters doing iffy things was kind of the point.
The setting is important here, perhaps even more so than in previous novels. Russo seems to lean hard into the book’s identity with depressed upstate. Everyone’s so messed up, so mixed up with crime and violence and jealousy, partly because of the poor economy and racism and classism. That was a theme that good, but again: I wanted more mystery.
The Acknowledgements state that this was a script for a TV pilot that didn’t make it through the writer’s strike. Maybe that would’ve helped the enjoyment here: the visuals might’ve made the setting and the crime elements pop.
(Also, when I heard “Stone Mountain,” I thought of the place in Georgia. So, I was confused. Was another town name considered?)
Still, Russo can write. He can put images in my mind and make me think. I sure hope he comes back to this setting with characters just as interesting as the ones he’d created in the past.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review. Under the Falls will be released August 11, 2026.
The author of one of my favorite all-time books, Nobody's Fool, returns by stepping into a new genre: murder-mystery.
Tyler Sinclair is the lead singer of the famous rock band Stone Mountain, so named after the Rust-Belt upstate New York town in which he grew up. He returns for a tour stop and visits with Doc, a man who suffered a spinal injury he incurred in a dangerous stunt with Tyler when they were kids. At the concert he also comes across his old friend Curt, now the Chief of Police. Curt’s wife, Freddi, was someone Tyler was in love with way back then, and now she’s involved in something awfully fishy.
Trying to leave town, Tyler’s limo is run off the road by a familiar-looking car. Two people die, his girlfriend and bandmate Beth is critically injured, and he ends up in a hospital also desperately hurt. Looks like an accident until Curt’s deputy, Deb, looks into it. All might not be what it seems, and all those past secrets and misdeeds might come back to haunt them all…
This is one of Russo’s shorter books, coming in just around two-fifty. It reads pretty smoothly, with lots of introspection but done with clear, easy-to-grasp prose. The main characters’ rationale makes sense for the most part. The pain of the past is evident and tactile.
Mystery isn’t something I’d have expected from Russo, but he does a good job with the basic elements. The action is front-heavy, with a big swath of conversations and inner monologues right in the middle. The climax builds where it should and with plenty of swift movements and twists. He digs deep into motivation, allowing ghosts to appear and mess things up for everyone. The plot felt disjointed and confusing at times, causing me to backtrack once in a while. Memories, implanted in the multi-perspective format, interfered with the real events. I wished for just a few very clear narratives that would explain things a bit more clearly.
The characters seem not very redeemable, and some not likeable. In his past works I found the villains to have a comical side, but not here at all. Freddi is just awful, and I wasn’t sure I understood why. But there’s a seriousness and heft that bummed me out. So, I suppose nasty characters doing iffy things was kind of the point.
The setting is important here, perhaps even more so than in previous novels. Russo seems to lean hard into the book’s identity with depressed upstate. Everyone’s so messed up, so mixed up with crime and violence and jealousy, partly because of the poor economy and racism and classism. That was a theme that good, but again: I wanted more mystery.
The Acknowledgements state that this was a script for a TV pilot that didn’t make it through the writer’s strike. Maybe that would’ve helped the enjoyment here: the visuals might’ve made the setting and the crime elements pop.
(Also, when I heard “Stone Mountain,” I thought of the place in Georgia. So, I was confused. Was another town name considered?)
Still, Russo can write. He can put images in my mind and make me think. I sure hope he comes back to this setting with characters just as interesting as the ones he’d created in the past.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review. Under the Falls will be released August 11, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
* thanks to Knopf for the NetGalley review copy (pub date: August 2026)
DNF @ 17% because omfg this is tedious
DNF @ 17% because omfg this is tedious
May 24, 2026
I have so many questions. I think this was a murder mystery? Maybe? But nothing was really solved. And everyone but our main character was the problem, evidently. This was all over the place and absolutely none of it made any sense.
Tyler grew up in Stone Mountain, which according to this is in the Adirondacks, but sounds more like Stone Moutnain GA to me. It was not a happy life, his dad was an abuser, and opportunities were limited to say the least. Tyler wanted to be a musician so he leaves one night without saying goodbye to start his life. He makes it big and returns to town to hold a benefit concert for a friend that was paralyzed when they were younger. Then, everything falls apart.
A list of questions I had while reading. Beware, spoilers below.
Why again did they run the limo off the mountain? Because Tyler got famous after he left without saying goodbye? And this is reason to try to kill a car full of famous people? And hold a grudge about it for 20 years?
Why tf was Freddi such a reprehensible person? And why did Russo constantly harp on her being Black? What do those two things have to do with each other?
Also, the guy with the MAGA hat actively taking orders from Freddi…. Uh, I don’t think that’s how it works?
Beth was such a nonentity, why was she even there? She was with Tyler, making music, then didn’t want to ever see him again after an accident happened in which he was also injured, but then takes him back to help him get over his opioid addiction? Say what?
Curt was the saddest character of all. So desperate for human connection, but he was awful as a human being. Yes, do look the other way while your wife trafficks drugs when you are the chief of police. WHAT COULD GO WRONG?
So Freddi and her son get away… and face no consequences because Curt takes the full blame? How about no?
And wtf was Stone Mountain, Harlem Edition? Mentioned it twice and only showed 2 people in the neighborhood.
I still don’t know if Doc died the way they said he did. What was the point of him dying? And did Tyler really intentionally push him causing the injury that paralyzed Doc?
I still don’t quite fully understand what I read. I don’t know what the point was, exactly other than a misery tour.
Thanks to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor and NetGalley for the gifted eARC. All opinions are my own.
Tyler grew up in Stone Mountain, which according to this is in the Adirondacks, but sounds more like Stone Moutnain GA to me. It was not a happy life, his dad was an abuser, and opportunities were limited to say the least. Tyler wanted to be a musician so he leaves one night without saying goodbye to start his life. He makes it big and returns to town to hold a benefit concert for a friend that was paralyzed when they were younger. Then, everything falls apart.
A list of questions I had while reading. Beware, spoilers below.
Why again did they run the limo off the mountain? Because Tyler got famous after he left without saying goodbye? And this is reason to try to kill a car full of famous people? And hold a grudge about it for 20 years?
Why tf was Freddi such a reprehensible person? And why did Russo constantly harp on her being Black? What do those two things have to do with each other?
Also, the guy with the MAGA hat actively taking orders from Freddi…. Uh, I don’t think that’s how it works?
Beth was such a nonentity, why was she even there? She was with Tyler, making music, then didn’t want to ever see him again after an accident happened in which he was also injured, but then takes him back to help him get over his opioid addiction? Say what?
Curt was the saddest character of all. So desperate for human connection, but he was awful as a human being. Yes, do look the other way while your wife trafficks drugs when you are the chief of police. WHAT COULD GO WRONG?
So Freddi and her son get away… and face no consequences because Curt takes the full blame? How about no?
And wtf was Stone Mountain, Harlem Edition? Mentioned it twice and only showed 2 people in the neighborhood.
I still don’t know if Doc died the way they said he did. What was the point of him dying? And did Tyler really intentionally push him causing the injury that paralyzed Doc?
I still don’t quite fully understand what I read. I don’t know what the point was, exactly other than a misery tour.
Thanks to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor and NetGalley for the gifted eARC. All opinions are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
ARC for review. To be published August 11, 2026.
3 stars
So, Russo. He’s not my favorite, but he’s usually pretty reliable. This….is not his best.
First off, now I’m sure this is primarily because I’m a Southern person, and I know Russo’s books are very specific as to place, which, if I remember correctly, is typically New York State. However, there are many, many of us Southern people and we do read. This book is set in a small town called Stone Mountain.
I don’t know about y’all (placed here very specifically, of course) but where I come from there’s only one Stone Mountain. It’s in Georgia. Kind of well known. The protagonist names his popular band Stone Mountain and the town name keeps coming up over and over again throughout the book. Has Russo never heard of Stone Mountain, Georgia? No editor? Because I have to say that it kept throwing me off. It would be like naming the fictional town in your book Kalamazoo, but not THAT Kalamazoo. Weird. But, again, maybe it’s just me.
Tyler Sinclair is Stone Mountain’s prodigal son; left at 18 and now he returns, eighteen years later, a star. He’s there, reluctantly to do a benefit show for his boyhood friend Doc who has severe medical issues.
Curt, Tyler’s childhood best friend is now chief of police. Freddi, Tyler’s former lover is Curt’s wife. Curt and Tyler reconnect. We also meet Deb, Curt’s star officer.
“Stone Mountain is the kind of place you might escape from once, if you’re lucky, but not twice.” This is a bit of a departure for Russo, or I think it is based on what I’ve read of him in that his has some thriller elements, but’s it’s still the examination of a rural, small town and a look at right and wrong.
The book is blessedly short. The big secrets are both pretty clear by page 20, one would have been obvious to a 5th grader with a calendar and Russo should know better. Plus, did this never occur to Tyler or has he suffered a brain injury we are not told about? The entire thing was predictable and disappointing. It gets three stars versus two only because Russo is still a great writer.
3 stars
So, Russo. He’s not my favorite, but he’s usually pretty reliable. This….is not his best.
First off, now I’m sure this is primarily because I’m a Southern person, and I know Russo’s books are very specific as to place, which, if I remember correctly, is typically New York State. However, there are many, many of us Southern people and we do read. This book is set in a small town called Stone Mountain.
I don’t know about y’all (placed here very specifically, of course) but where I come from there’s only one Stone Mountain. It’s in Georgia. Kind of well known. The protagonist names his popular band Stone Mountain and the town name keeps coming up over and over again throughout the book. Has Russo never heard of Stone Mountain, Georgia? No editor? Because I have to say that it kept throwing me off. It would be like naming the fictional town in your book Kalamazoo, but not THAT Kalamazoo. Weird. But, again, maybe it’s just me.
Tyler Sinclair is Stone Mountain’s prodigal son; left at 18 and now he returns, eighteen years later, a star. He’s there, reluctantly to do a benefit show for his boyhood friend Doc who has severe medical issues.
Curt, Tyler’s childhood best friend is now chief of police. Freddi, Tyler’s former lover is Curt’s wife. Curt and Tyler reconnect. We also meet Deb, Curt’s star officer.
“Stone Mountain is the kind of place you might escape from once, if you’re lucky, but not twice.” This is a bit of a departure for Russo, or I think it is based on what I’ve read of him in that his has some thriller elements, but’s it’s still the examination of a rural, small town and a look at right and wrong.
The book is blessedly short. The big secrets are both pretty clear by page 20, one would have been obvious to a 5th grader with a calendar and Russo should know better. Plus, did this never occur to Tyler or has he suffered a brain injury we are not told about? The entire thing was predictable and disappointing. It gets three stars versus two only because Russo is still a great writer.
November 25, 2025
This is very sub-par for such a good writer as Russo. Curt is the only interesting character. The plot is pretty predictable. I think it needs better editing as there are way too many sentences ending with question marks. I see at the end it was originally a pilot for a tv series that did not survive the writers’ strike. Russo should have passed on it. I think he generally aims for depth in his novels. There is also zero humor and he can be a master of sarcasm clever ridicule of human nature. I am hoping it will be cleaned up before the release date next year.
October 31, 2026
Last night, my sweetie and I watched a truly awful movie on Netflix. We wanted to believe it would be good because two of our favorite actors both starred in and produced the film. We hung in there (okay, I actually fell asleep halfway through, jolted awake near the end by a seemingly-endless vomit of gunfire), but what a stupid disappointment. We could have watched another astonishingly-good episode of Shetland, instead.
I don't want to give the impression that Under the Falls is as bad as all that, but it isn't all that great, either. I don't really know what happened here. The novel begins with a promising premise and interesting characters, and jeez, but isn't Russo just such a great writer? But then it gets weird and sad and totally silly.
The Author's Note explains this was meant to be a TV pilot script that didn't get made because of the writers' strike a few years back. Somehow this explains a few things—it felt thrown together, dated (tired references to the pandemic, January 6, a few token Black characters in an attempt to say something culturally relevant about social justice) with a thin plot that made little sense. Still, I did read it—I'm quick to discard books that don't hold my interest—so there is definitely some entertainment value in this small-town crime drama. It's just such a striking disappointment from so skilled a storyteller.
I don't want to give the impression that Under the Falls is as bad as all that, but it isn't all that great, either. I don't really know what happened here. The novel begins with a promising premise and interesting characters, and jeez, but isn't Russo just such a great writer? But then it gets weird and sad and totally silly.
The Author's Note explains this was meant to be a TV pilot script that didn't get made because of the writers' strike a few years back. Somehow this explains a few things—it felt thrown together, dated (tired references to the pandemic, January 6, a few token Black characters in an attempt to say something culturally relevant about social justice) with a thin plot that made little sense. Still, I did read it—I'm quick to discard books that don't hold my interest—so there is definitely some entertainment value in this small-town crime drama. It's just such a striking disappointment from so skilled a storyteller.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to Penguin Random House and NetGalley an ARC for a fair and honest review.
Richard Russo's Under the Bridge left me puzzled. The story of a disinterested rock star who comes back to his hometown had the makings of a gripping story centering around regrets and resentments but it ended up
a story that's as cold and disconnected as its hero. A light bulb went off in my after I read Russo's author's note that explains that "Under" was a failed TV pilot script that he turned into a novel. I'm not judging the author for his original concept for his story, but it confirmed my suspicions that the overstuffed narrative was stuffed in with the dialouge from his original script. Even the book's characters stilted dialouge read like it was meant for a good actor to give it it's depth. I've always wanted to read Russo because of the acclaim and the awards his novels have recieved over the years. I thought if I started with a shorter novel rather then his well-known tomes that it would be a good introduction to his writing style. I think now that I should've done the opposite because one of his longer books are better examples of all the acclaim and awards that Russo has recieved for over four decades now..
Richard Russo's Under the Bridge left me puzzled. The story of a disinterested rock star who comes back to his hometown had the makings of a gripping story centering around regrets and resentments but it ended up
a story that's as cold and disconnected as its hero. A light bulb went off in my after I read Russo's author's note that explains that "Under" was a failed TV pilot script that he turned into a novel. I'm not judging the author for his original concept for his story, but it confirmed my suspicions that the overstuffed narrative was stuffed in with the dialouge from his original script. Even the book's characters stilted dialouge read like it was meant for a good actor to give it it's depth. I've always wanted to read Russo because of the acclaim and the awards his novels have recieved over the years. I thought if I started with a shorter novel rather then his well-known tomes that it would be a good introduction to his writing style. I think now that I should've done the opposite because one of his longer books are better examples of all the acclaim and awards that Russo has recieved for over four decades now..
April 29, 2026
Ok, how did this one get past an editor? Or, basically anyone? Not to ruin the “story” but there are so many “are you serious” moments I couldn’t finish the book. I could give 7 examples in the first 50 pages that make no sense. Time is too short for nonsense stories pretending to actually be a real storyline. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I read Richard Russo’s first novel,
Mohawk
, in 1987, about a year after it published. (No, I’m not interested in knowing that you weren’t born yet.) I’ve been reading his books ever since, so I’m thankful to Knopf and NetGalley for the advance copy of his upcoming book!
Growing up in Stone Mountain, New York was tough for Tyler. His father was an abusive drunk and all Tyler wanted to do was escape. He found solace and support from his best friend Curt and Curt’s girlfriend Freddi. But when he turned 18, Tyler left Stone Mountain without saying goodbye to anyone, and never planned to return home.
Eighteen years later, Tyler is the lead singer of a popular band called (of all things) Stone Mountain. He’s reluctantly agreed to perform in his hometown, headlining a benefit for his childhood friend Doc, who became a paraplegic in an accident when they were younger. Just heading up the mountain, Tyler is confronted by old memories and his guilt about leaving without saying goodbye.
It turns out that not everyone in town is a fan of Tyler’s. Some feel that he used the town and people’s lives as inspiration for his songs, and people wonder when the town is going to benefit. The concert ends in a bit of a riot, and Tyler is more than ready to flee again.
Curt is now the town’s police chief, and he’s so thrilled his best friend came back. But Curt’s wife, Freddi, is very angry at being left behind, and that anger manifests itself in a tragic way. Her anger increases until she knows she must make Tyler pay.
Russo traditionally writes books about elderly men, their friendships and relationships, often in small New York towns. This book is a new genre—mystery—for him, and I didn’t think it worked. He’s still a beautiful writer, but I really never understood what caused Freddi to become so unhinged and do the things she did. And honestly, after a while, I just didn’t care. Oh, well.
The book will publish on 8/11.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/getbookedwithlarry/.
Growing up in Stone Mountain, New York was tough for Tyler. His father was an abusive drunk and all Tyler wanted to do was escape. He found solace and support from his best friend Curt and Curt’s girlfriend Freddi. But when he turned 18, Tyler left Stone Mountain without saying goodbye to anyone, and never planned to return home.
Eighteen years later, Tyler is the lead singer of a popular band called (of all things) Stone Mountain. He’s reluctantly agreed to perform in his hometown, headlining a benefit for his childhood friend Doc, who became a paraplegic in an accident when they were younger. Just heading up the mountain, Tyler is confronted by old memories and his guilt about leaving without saying goodbye.
It turns out that not everyone in town is a fan of Tyler’s. Some feel that he used the town and people’s lives as inspiration for his songs, and people wonder when the town is going to benefit. The concert ends in a bit of a riot, and Tyler is more than ready to flee again.
Curt is now the town’s police chief, and he’s so thrilled his best friend came back. But Curt’s wife, Freddi, is very angry at being left behind, and that anger manifests itself in a tragic way. Her anger increases until she knows she must make Tyler pay.
Russo traditionally writes books about elderly men, their friendships and relationships, often in small New York towns. This book is a new genre—mystery—for him, and I didn’t think it worked. He’s still a beautiful writer, but I really never understood what caused Freddi to become so unhinged and do the things she did. And honestly, after a while, I just didn’t care. Oh, well.
The book will publish on 8/11.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/getbookedwithlarry/.
August 21, 2026
UNDER THE FALLS by Richard Russo
Tyler Sinclair escaped his depressing Rust Belt hometown at 18 and never looked back. Eighteen years later, he’s a rock star returning for a benefit concert for an old friend who was paralyzed in a childhood accident involving Tyler. Cue old friends, old lovers, old grudges, buried trauma, and approximately zero people being happy to see him.
Then tragedy strikes, and suddenly all those old secrets are looking a hell of a lot more dangerous.
I enjoyed this one, but it’s definitely not Russo at his best. The mystery was pretty predictable, some of the characters felt underdeveloped, and the middle got a little tangled. BUT. Russo can write complicated, damaged people and sad little towns full of resentment like nobody’s business.
And there’s a reason this one feels a little different: Russo reveals in the afterword that it started as a TV pilot script that never made it through the writers’ strike. Honestly, that explains a lot. The abbreviated character development, the pacing, the predictability. I saw those plot twists coming a mile away.
Still, it’s Richard effing Russo. I’m going to read the man’s grocery list and probably give it 3.5 stars.
This one isn’t getting the greatest reviews, but I enjoyed it. If you love Richard Russo, it’s definitely worth your time.
Thank you, Knopf and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Tyler Sinclair escaped his depressing Rust Belt hometown at 18 and never looked back. Eighteen years later, he’s a rock star returning for a benefit concert for an old friend who was paralyzed in a childhood accident involving Tyler. Cue old friends, old lovers, old grudges, buried trauma, and approximately zero people being happy to see him.
Then tragedy strikes, and suddenly all those old secrets are looking a hell of a lot more dangerous.
I enjoyed this one, but it’s definitely not Russo at his best. The mystery was pretty predictable, some of the characters felt underdeveloped, and the middle got a little tangled. BUT. Russo can write complicated, damaged people and sad little towns full of resentment like nobody’s business.
And there’s a reason this one feels a little different: Russo reveals in the afterword that it started as a TV pilot script that never made it through the writers’ strike. Honestly, that explains a lot. The abbreviated character development, the pacing, the predictability. I saw those plot twists coming a mile away.
Still, it’s Richard effing Russo. I’m going to read the man’s grocery list and probably give it 3.5 stars.
This one isn’t getting the greatest reviews, but I enjoyed it. If you love Richard Russo, it’s definitely worth your time.
Thank you, Knopf and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
DNF at 40%. This is nowhere near the level of writing we usually get from Richard Russo. The premise was a good one, but the way the story unfolds, the way the characters interact,the tedious inner monologues and the choppy, uneven writing were enough for me to give up on this one. Maybe it would work as it was intended, as a serialized television production, but as a novel it suffers from a lack of heart and the depth required to keep readers engaged.
August 22, 2026
Under the Falls by Richard Russois is a stand-alone novel about a one Tyler Sinclair who left Stone Mountain, in upstate New York when he was 18 years old, taking little more than a bag of clothes, a small amount of cash and his guitar. Now , eighteen years later, he is a different person, a well known singer about to go on tour, and with his band, about to play a one time benefit concert in his hometown on the mountain. This opens up floodgates of memories for Tyler and those who remember him best who have never left Stone Mountain at all.
to be continued….
Thank you to Knopf and NetGalley for an advanced reader’s copy of this book.
to be continued….
Thank you to Knopf and NetGalley for an advanced reader’s copy of this book.
Read
September 1, 2026That explane alot
shot past music escape one lost moment
the leaf not same
break the hour truth
play past reham
thee charg crime
hard to explan who broke that brunch again
off moment
read between stage
truth dram retern
lost moment
shot past music escape one lost moment
the leaf not same
break the hour truth
play past reham
thee charg crime
hard to explan who broke that brunch again
off moment
read between stage
truth dram retern
lost moment
September 10, 2026
3.5 stars
August 17, 2026
The plot is straight out of the Lifetime Movie channel. This is not the Richard Russo I remember. The characters in his prior books are so realistic and relatable while the lead in this one - Tyler Sinclair (even his name sounds fake) is just a cliche. Thankfully it’s a fairly short novel and I gave 2 stars for the young policewoman Deb. Here’s a suggestion Mr. Russo: write your next novel about her!
October 1, 2026
It’s stunningly bad. How can a genius like Russo produce such underbaked, rote fiction? I’m gonna try to forget this book “ever happened,” and remember Russo as the brilliant author of EMPIRE FALLS and NOBODY’S FOOL instead.
May 2, 2026
I am a Richard Russo fan, but I feel like he didn’t write this book. The character development was shallow at best. I felt like the plot points were too convenient, and I was not invested at all. I wanted to love this…I didn’t.
Thanks NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC!
Thanks NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC!
August 20, 2026
I have read many of Richard Russo's books, and I have enjoyed all of them. Until this one. This one has almost no character development, several implausible plotlines and plot holes, and poor dialogue. I am disappointed, and cannot recommend this.
It is short. That's something.
It is short. That's something.
August 25, 2026
A relatively slender (for this author) but suspenseful, character-driven novel that demonstrates pretty conclusively that we can never leave our past behind, maybe especially when we think we have. At 18, Tyler Sinclair fled Stone Mountain, a down-on-its-luck small upstate New York town in the Adirondacks, leaving behind his abusive old man and beaten-down mother, without so much as a goodbye to his best friend and the girl he’d been seeing. He’s never gone back or even spoken again to anyone from home. Turns out, his departure was the beginning of a long run of good luck, because he’s made it, rich and famous, frontman guitarist of a band aptly named Stone Mountain. But now, years later, he’s reluctantly returning to Stone Mountain for one night only, for a benefit concert for a guy he used to pal around with, who’s been confined to a wheelchair since an accident during the summer shortly before Tyler left town. Things haven’t changed much in Stone Mountain, Tyler discovers, except his best friend is now the town sheriff, married to the girl Tyler used to see, there’s an opioid epidemic, and it seems he’s not universally welcomed. In fact, there’s a large resentment against him festering in town, as he discovers once he takes the stage. As soon as the concert is over, he and his entourage beat a hasty retreat, but the town and the mountain have one more surprise in store.
August 5, 2026
2.5 rounded up.
My 3 stars may be a bit generous, but there is a decent story here about friendship and revisiting the past. It’s just not told in the most effective manner.
The book starts out with a great representation of a depressed upstate NY town. It is classic Richard Russo. From there, the story devolves into something somewhat sloppy. Russo is known for his crisp characterizations and descriptions of settings. There are scenes in this book that make no sense or seem disconnected. When reading the author’s acknowledgments at the end, the reader learns that this was originally a script for a pilot that never got made. That explains a lot. There are things that seem to be missing that would be filled in visually on television.
A couple of notes for Mr. Russo:
1. It is time to retire the word “cripple” when referring to a person with a physical disability. It is considered offensive.
2. Cell phones don’t ring busy.
Thank you to Knopf and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
My 3 stars may be a bit generous, but there is a decent story here about friendship and revisiting the past. It’s just not told in the most effective manner.
The book starts out with a great representation of a depressed upstate NY town. It is classic Richard Russo. From there, the story devolves into something somewhat sloppy. Russo is known for his crisp characterizations and descriptions of settings. There are scenes in this book that make no sense or seem disconnected. When reading the author’s acknowledgments at the end, the reader learns that this was originally a script for a pilot that never got made. That explains a lot. There are things that seem to be missing that would be filled in visually on television.
A couple of notes for Mr. Russo:
1. It is time to retire the word “cripple” when referring to a person with a physical disability. It is considered offensive.
2. Cell phones don’t ring busy.
Thank you to Knopf and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 15, 2026
Absolute drivel
August 30, 2026
Did not finish. Russo allows his Trump Derangement Syndrome and need to conduct racial struggle sessions spoil his story. He has really slipped badly with his last two novels.
August 24, 2026
Richard Russo has been one of my favorite authors for going on thirty years, and I’ve devoured everything that he’s written that I could get my hands on. Russo’s supreme talent is capturing the under dog…the blue collar, doggedly devoted characters in downward spiraling towns that combine a gallows humor sensibility with self inflicted injuries and chagrined realizations about their lives.
Most of Russo’s best work is set in upstate New York, and his new novel Under The Falls follows that formula. Unlike the rest of his novels however, the genesis for this novel was a television pilot screenplay that never panned out, with Russo later taking that seed and turning it into a short novel (230 pages).
As a huge Russo fan, I found myself not feeling like this was one of his best books. There are characters and incidents in the first third of the book that seem to evaporate from the narrative downstream, and as a reader I found myself questioning why they were included at all. Learning after finishing the book that this project started as a television pilot screenplay, I came away feeling that perhaps those elements would have been explored more over the course of multiple episodes in a longer season, and what we were left with were the bare bones that Russo felt were required for the later two thirds of the book.
Overall, this book is enjoyable as an easily digestible mystery adjacent novel. There is an element of figuring out exactly what happened, even if most readers will instinctually know early on where things are headed. That said, Russo does flex his talent for writing dialogue and internal thoughts for down on their luck characters who are conflicted about their motivations and circumstances in life. Struggle, and the conflict between feelings of fatedness and free will are Russo’s bread and butter, and he exhibits his talent for it here yet again. Even if the central narrative is less compelling than normal, Russo’s talent for character work makes this an entertaining, if lighter than normal, read.
3.75 stars rounded to 4
Most of Russo’s best work is set in upstate New York, and his new novel Under The Falls follows that formula. Unlike the rest of his novels however, the genesis for this novel was a television pilot screenplay that never panned out, with Russo later taking that seed and turning it into a short novel (230 pages).
As a huge Russo fan, I found myself not feeling like this was one of his best books. There are characters and incidents in the first third of the book that seem to evaporate from the narrative downstream, and as a reader I found myself questioning why they were included at all. Learning after finishing the book that this project started as a television pilot screenplay, I came away feeling that perhaps those elements would have been explored more over the course of multiple episodes in a longer season, and what we were left with were the bare bones that Russo felt were required for the later two thirds of the book.
Overall, this book is enjoyable as an easily digestible mystery adjacent novel. There is an element of figuring out exactly what happened, even if most readers will instinctually know early on where things are headed. That said, Russo does flex his talent for writing dialogue and internal thoughts for down on their luck characters who are conflicted about their motivations and circumstances in life. Struggle, and the conflict between feelings of fatedness and free will are Russo’s bread and butter, and he exhibits his talent for it here yet again. Even if the central narrative is less compelling than normal, Russo’s talent for character work makes this an entertaining, if lighter than normal, read.
3.75 stars rounded to 4
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