Panic River

by Elliott Foster

Struggling artist Corey Fischer is in big trouble. A lifetime of deference and masked inner-feelings has blinded him to the truth in others, even as those truths emerge onto the canvas of his paintings. The sudden death of his estranged father brings Corey downriver to his hometown of Pepin, Wisconsin, where he confronts past and present torments. The taunting inheritance of a pair of hunting rifles from his dead father, together with a lukewarm reunion with his mother, launches an unraveling of the tenuous ties binding Corey’s life together. The inheritance delivers Corey and his husband, Nick, to the Fischer family cabin in northern Wisconsin during hunting season where they head into the woods with loaded guns and years of simmering resentment. Emotions explode as the couple tracks a wounded eight-point buck at dusk and as Nick’s betrayals are accidentally revealed. Corey makes a series of panicked, life-defining choices that propel him to flee the trail of destruction his life has wrought and to seek comfort from those who loved him all along.

308 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 21, 2019

About the author

Elliott Foster is also known as Elliott Flies.

Elliott Foster is the award-winning author of Panic River, the first volume in a trilogy, followed by Reckoning Waves. Thie third novel in the series will be released by Calumet Editions in early 2023.

Elliott's other works include Retrieving Isaac & Jason (co-authored with his father, Ken Flies) and Whispering Pines - Tales From a Northwoods Cabin. Elliott's short stories, poems, and essays have been published in a variety of journals and other media.

Foster debuted Reckoning Waves on the national stage in New Orleans at Saints and Sinners 2022, North America’s largest LGBTQ book festival, held on March 27-29th. In 2021, he read from Panic River at the Festival.

Elliott's works have received several awards, including Best Gay Fiction at the 2022 San Francisco Book Festival for Reckoning Waves and a 2016 Indie Next Best Fictionfinalist for Whispering Pines.

Reviews

[Ian Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a novel that starts out light but gets darker and darker as the reader picks up speed, unable to set it down. The irony of a same-sex marriage having the same sort of problems as traditional marriages bleeds into the severe consequences of life-long frustration with the unfairness and dis-integrity of others, and a hitherto harmless man is transformed into something he doesn't want to be.
This is an important novel for our time.

[Pete Carlson · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Wanting to love and be loved is a universal desire. Foster weaves a riveting story that explores how difficult that can be to achieve. Foster is brilliant at sharing Corey’s struggles to find his ‘true-self’ as his past and present collide in Barron County.” – Pete Carlson

[Beckie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Corey and Nick have a complex history together, with each having been through their own trials up to the point this story starts. The setting is MN/WI perfection along the Mississippi River and the tastes described bring to mind standard fare of the upper Midwest. The second half of the book was intriguing with more engaging dialogue. I would like to read this story from Nick's point of view, as I did find Corey's self-serving at times. Well done Elliott!

[Judy Hatchett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Panic River is a well-written face paced book. Loved every minute of it! Good storyline and characterization. Can't wait for the sequel!

[Gregory · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick and interesting read. Will probably read the sequel, even though this lacked emotions.