Skeleton River

by Mark B. Dawkins

Remy Michaels buried his wife in D.C. and fled to the Appalachians for quiet—a place where the past couldn’t follow.
But when she appears at his cabin, alive and unchanged, the ground beneath him begins to shift.
The river draws strangers who kneel in the fog. The town watches too closely. And everyone insists the same nothing is wrong.
Remy doesn’t know if he’s been given a second chance—or if he’s finally losing his grip on reality. What he does know is that keeping her comes at a cost.Not everything that comes back is meant to stay.

What would you sacrifice to hold on to the one thing you love?

338 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 24, 2026

Reviews

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars. This book totally warped my mind…in a good way. I couldn’t put it down and ended up flying through it because the author’s writing style is seriously addictive. The story stayed strong pretty much the whole way through, right up until the ending. The ending itself surprised me; it didn’t go in the direction the book seemed to be building toward the entire time. That said, I did appreciate the message it was going for. Overall, it was a really solid read, and now I definitely want to check out more books by this author.

[Stefanie Verhelst · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was mysterious and very read as a high speed train!

I read it, sitting on the edge of my seat, the author gave little hints but kept the mystery alive.

The ending is great!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[The Book Ssirren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not sure what to say about this one. Once I sat down to read this, I couldn’t stop. I didn’t want to put it down. It’s so gripping right from the beginning. The emotion and pain, suspense and tension. This was an edge of the seat story. This embeds itself into your mind and you just continue to delve deeper as you go. This was a fantastic thriller and I’m so glad that I stumbled across Mark on Booksprout, otherwise I never would’ve read this. And this is a must read.

[Sarah_A6210 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to sit with this book a few days after finishing it. It was a roller coaster for sure.
I was intrigued immediately with the premise of the MMC and the heartache he's going through after the loss of his wife.

He moves to a remote cabin to grieve and seems to catch the goings on of a group of people by the river.

What follows next is a roller coaster of plit, emotions, what ifs, maybes, timelines and pathways.

We all wonder what outcomes would we get if we had picked another path, made a different choice in the moment, known what would happen if we went forward.

This book is about all those options and whether at the end, no matter how many paths are presented. Can we ever have control over fate.

This is not an easy book, it's full of grief, longing, heartbreak and guilt, this is not a HEA you'd might expect, but it is a message and sometimes a hard one to accept. That you could do everything 'right' but sometimes focusing on what was lost, means you loose sight of what you had.

I didn't know what to expect with this book, but I kept turning those pages, I kept on those paths of what if's and although it's an emotional book, once I sat with it, it was a heartfelt book of love.

I was very fortunate to receive this book as an Arc, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Lisa Gainers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating 3.5⭐️

What would you do if you felt like you found a way to change something that's happened? Do you believe in "everything happens for a reason"?
This book had me scratching my head so many times. I was lost, but in a good frustrating way.
The author gives you just enough, and not enough all at the same time.
This was a totally different read for me, but I did enjoy the overall message!

Thank you Book Sirenes for my ARC, this is my honest review.

[Rogue Kayl · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a book…. it really had my mind going into overdrive, trying to figure out what was happening.

From beginning to end it had me gripped, never knowing what way the plot was going turn next.

I loved how the mmc was soooo set on making things right, 2…. 3 times but finally finding solace at the end. It may have not been what he wanted but he knew it was the right time.

I felt every bit of emotion in this book and the ending….. was perfect.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Rachael Barnard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good.

Loved this book. The author really swept me away and made me feel like I was right in the cabin with him is very good and I couldn't put it down

[AlyciaRunsandReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! I just randomly grabbed this from booksirens on a whim since it sounded interesting and I am so glad I did. This work is compulsively readable and hard to put down. I just so badly wanted to know where the story was going. Remi is an Afghanistan vet with severe ptsd who retreats to a cabin in the woods after his wife suddenly passes away. Near this cabin is a river and by that river are lots of lost people who seem to be searching for something. Shortly after arriving at the cabin reality starts to distort for Remi and he is sent down several converging and repeating paths. Reminiscent of a black mirror episode, a Blake Crouch novel and a little bit of Groundhog Day (in only the best way). This one wont give you all the answers but it will leave you thinking.

Thank you do Mark Dawkins and book sirens for the ebook! I am writing this review voluntarily and honestly.

[Belle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a tight psychological and supernatural thriller that highlights the very real pain and trauma defence personnel go through.

Remy Michaels returns from Afghanistan only to bury his wife in DC and flee to the Appalachians to escape his memories. Once there, he quickly discovers that there's something not quite right about the town, his cabin, and the people who camp out at the lake. Things get really twisted when he wakes up to find his dead wife is now alive and well. But for all the joy this brings, he's forced to re-live every moment that led to her death.

This slow-burn will have you turning the pages...

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skeleton River by Mark B. Dawkins is a dark, gripping read that pulls you in with its eerie setting and slow-burning tension. The atmosphere is heavy and unsettling, and the story unfolds with a steady sense of dread that keeps you turning pages. Strong imagery, sharp writing, and an ominous tone make this a memorable read for fans of suspenseful, darker fiction.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Rhonda L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unexpected

This book kept me reading, suspenseful, romantic, tragic, and sort of a happy ending all rolled into one. It was not at all what I was expecting.

[Debbie Eyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a gripping and suspenseful thriller that grabs you and holds you on the edge of your seat the whole read! A dark read, it’s emotional, it’s intense and it had me hooked from start to finish.

[Teresa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was like an annoying round of Groundhog's Day

[Julianna Horgdal · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a Marine, returns from Afghanistan to his wife's death from a horrible accident. His toys to move on by leaving DC and their home for a cabin on the river.

Thing start to go wired,and the mystery beings. For move you will need to read.


Now on to the next book.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

It kept me on my toes and never knew what was going to happen next. Life is never as it seems in this one and unexpected what seemed like do overs and second chances. Even then not everything turned out exactly like I thought, but still a good ending to an interesting journey of the characters.

Definitely interested in reading more by this author. The author has the skills to weave a tale that keeps the reader guessing and engaged until the very end.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.