Cold Black River

by Jay Bower, Megan Stockton

326 pages, Paperback

Published August 25, 2026

About the author

JAY BOWER is a horror author living outside St. Louis, MO in the forest of Southern Illinois. He spends his time reading, writing, and convincing his wife the dark stories he writes do not involve her.

One time punk-rock skateboarder and heavy metal kid of the 80s, Jay approaches his work with the same indie attitude as those early punk bands.

He's the author of several dark novels and short stories. He can be reached at jay@jay-bower.com.

Reviews

[Jennifer Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an absolute gut-wrencher. This family endures more pain and suffering than anyone should ever have to experience. It all begins when a father makes the innocent mistake of letting his son walk a few feet away from him, confident that he can still see him and that nothing could possibly go wrong. Unfortunately, he couldn’t have been more wrong.
That’s when the story completely flips. The child is abducted, and his parents are thrown into an unimaginable nightmare. They endure one heartbreaking ordeal after another, doing whatever they can to find their son and bring him home. The desperation, fear, and helplessness felt throughout the story are incredibly powerful.
This is a deeply heartbreaking and emotional read that will stay with you long after you finish it. And if you’re going into this one hoping for a nice, happy ending… don’t. This story pulls no punches and leaves you with a whole lot of feelings.
Heartbreaking, horrifying, and emotionally brutal—this one will wreck you.

[Angel Medina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Megan and Jay make a wonderful team. Cold Black River is one of those books that truly broke me. A young boy disappears for Christmas and the parents have to find them. However, retrieving the son proves to be a gut-wrenching experience as dark secrets come out. The feeling of hopelessness is felt throughout the book. Megan and Jay do a wonderful job with the character development ranging from feeling terrible for the parents to feeling hatred for the villain.

Let's just say the ending to this book is dark and will leave you broken. That's all I can say without spoiling the story. Man oh man, I'm pissed off at the authors, but in a good way. Cold Black River is a story of suspense and thrills, but prepare yourself mentally. Believe me, you're not ready for the ending!

[Shanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tucker disappears during a Christmas fair when his dad looks away for a second. Police are useless so Tucker's dad chases every lead he finds. And he finds way more than he bargained for.

I absolutely loved this book. The characters were so well written that Abbie and Zanes guilt, pain, and anger bled from every page. Jay and Megan did a fantastic job of building the suspense, making me wonder what is going to happen next. I also enjoyed the alternating viewpoints. Gave a little insight into what was going on in everyone's head.

[Amber Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book broke me. Absolutely destroyed me. It’s a gut punch straight to the moon. As a mother I felt this story deep in my bones. Deep in my soul. Even though I was perpetually horrified, I could not put it down. These 2 authors are amazing on their own, but together? Forget about it. We typically think of horror being something supernatural. Something that most likely doesn’t exist. Bower & Stockton prove that humans are the real monsters, and they exist everywhere. I very highly recommend this book, but be prepared for nonstop devastation.

[Stefanie Silvestri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tucker disappears from a Christmas festival when his dad looks away for just a moment. His parents and the police quickly begin searching for him, desperate to bring him home. This book is packed with twists and turns that keep you guessing. Once you start reading, you won’t want to put it down because you’ll be dying to find out what happens next.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!

I read this in one sitting. It's very fast paced, and will send you on an emotional rollercoaster ride. This book is going to stay in my head for a long time. I would definitely recommend this.

[Rhonda Bobbitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do believe the scariest monsters on earth are humans. And this book proves just that. A simple Christmas outing turns into a family's worst nightmare. This book shattered my heart into pieces. It's a thriller that keeps you turning pages. And that ending 😭 I was definitely not expecting that.

[Stacy Rowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

What the hecht did I just read. What a great ride of emotions, anger, sadness, more anger. You cannot put the book down. Megan and Jay knock it out of the park. You will not be disappointed. A must read.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite the foolish paternal blunders at the Christmas fair early on, Bower and Stockton successfully craft a chilling, dead of winter atmosphere. The novel is a quick read that's packed with suspenseful plot twists, sinister captors, and simple, yet highly effective characterizations.

[dottie sargent · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one will tear you apart and leave you gasping for air! Prepare to cry and be outraged all st the same time!

[Scooby2]

DNF

[Kathy Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh man! This is such a fantastic book.
Thank you for the ARC.

It’s about a family torn apart by an unthinkable tragedy.
Gutted, heartbroken and devastated. I loved it!

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book does not sugarcoat. Terrifying, ruthless. Stomach churning. Riveting.

[Emily Haynes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tucker vanished from the Christmas festival when his father looks away momentarily. Now his parents are trying to get him back. They may know who took him. Full of twists turns. Heart pounding read full of hope determination and a parents love.