The Girl in the River

by Billy Beasley

Clint Hurley and his faithful Australian Cattle Dog, Josie, save a runaway girl from drowning, on a snowy Christmas Day. Now he is faced with a choice. Should he turn her over to the authorities or “rescue” her from far more than the river? I continue moving and Josie is down the bank racing toward the river. My heart is pounding at the uncertainty of this. I negotiate the bank cautiously. She is at the water’s edge and barking continuously. The last flicker of sun is enough for me to see that the yellow kayak, moving our way, contains a small child. The kayak will be past us in just a moment as the steady current is moving it along at a firm pace. A runaway child, in a kayak on the river, on a snowy Christmas Day. This is like a scene from a movie but there is no Matt Damon to rescue her. There is only an old man and a young dog. As I am contemplating what to do the situation turns brusquely grave. She leans too far to one side and the kayak capsizes. She is struggling to stay above water as the kayak is carried away with the current.

228 pages, Paperback

Published July 14, 2020

About the author

Billy Beasley resides in Carolina Beach, NC with his wife Julie, and Teke, their Australian Cattle Dog.

He shares two simple beliefs with his favorite character in his first novel, The River Hideaway. Faith in God and a conviction that ‘hearts have no color'.

The Preacher's Letter released 1/18.

The Girl in the River released in 7/2020.

HOME released 4/2022.

All works are traditionally published.

Reviews

[Nancy LiPetri]

Right away in the first pages I was soothed by the author's easy-going voice, down-to-earth humor...and also moved to tears. He won my 5-star hankie rating with relatable feelings about grief. Then he continued to charm me with terrific parallels between life and coaching basketball and training a cattle dog. The narrator's reflections take you back and forth in time. You can feel the intense love he has for his late wife. And the story is rich with other relationships including, of course, the girl found in the river. I loved the big role the smart dog plays and how she sensed emotions. Beasley weaves in some Bible verses as characters attempt to make sense of what's important in a crazy world, reminds us God is often confounding and also shares vivid descriptions of the Carolina coast. In all, he sure knows how to tug at the heartstrings in this wonderful story.

[Ruthie]

What a beautiful book! The emotionally touching story of a man who is grieving the loss of his wife and finds a runaway child trying to escape an abusive environment.
This will bring all of your feelings about the love of a child and the loyalty of a dog to the top. I didn't want it to end and read it in two days and kept thinking it would make a great movie.
Get ready to love it! Unputdownable and highly recommended!

[Jeff Garrison]

Billy Beasley tells a great story. This novel brings his first novel, The River Hideaway, which was set in the late 1960s, into the present. We learn what happened to the characters in that book fifty years later, as they play a role in supporting the protagonist of this book, Clint Hurley. Clint was a simple man who is wooed by a younger woman, Allie. They marry and have a family and a near perfect relationship. Then Allie dies and Clint, who always assumed he’d be the first to go, is left alone. He moves to a cabin on the Northeast Cape Fear River where, on the first Christmas after Allie’s death, he and his dog rescue a girl who’d fallen out of her kayak into the river. The girl had run away from her foster parents. As the cliché goes, no good deed goes unpunished. Soon Clint is charged with child abuse and his dog, Josie, is fighting for her life. But everything works out. In the closing epilogue, written thirteen years later by the Jasmin, the girl who was saved, tells of Clint and his dog, Julie’s death. They are both old and die together.

In a way, the story fits into the old ars moriendi (art of dying) genre. Clint shows his family and friends (and readers) how to have a “good death.” In another fashion, the story reads like a Hallmark Christmas movie. We have a log cabin, snow, special Christmas memories, and fires in the hearth and firepits out back. Christmas is an important theme as it is on Christmas that Allie dies. A year later, on Christmas, Jasmin floats into Clint’s life and saves him. For those who love dog stories, this book is also for you. The book also deals with race relations, another topic that Billy addressed in his first novel.

Billy often puts into his stories people he knows. The doctor, who treated Clint’s heart attack, was Nicky Pipkin. He’s named for a friend of both Billy and Me. Nicky was a heart surgeon. In 2018, I officiate at Nicky’s funeral, just a few days before Christmas. I met Billy and Nicky at the beginning of the fourth grade at Bradley Creek Elementary School. We had just moved to the area late that summer.

This book is a fast read. Billy writes about things he loves. Sports (especially Duke basketball), dogs (especially Australian Cattle Dogs), the Bible, and church. The book shows the possibility of love and reconciliation, something the world needs desperately these days.

[Jenese]

The Girl in the River by Billy Beasley is his finest work to date, and one of the best stories I have ever read. Being an avid reader, that is really saying something. Not only is this an excellent story, but it is told with a richness and beauty that make it absolutely unforgettable. Like an exquisite work of art, this book will make you cry, laugh, think, and hate for it to come to an end. Unlike my usual habit of reading through a book swiftly, I took my time and savored every single word. Somehow I knew that I would hate for it to end. The characters are rich, the setting is richly defined, and the story will draw you in like only a gifted author/artist can do. I tend to read serious non-fiction, but I will always be grateful that I followed other reviewers' recommendations and made this a part of my library. I intend to revisit this story, something I seldom do. I wait with great anticipation to see what Mr. Beasley will offer in the future. In this hectic world we are living in, a story like this one is a rare treasure to be enjoyed again and again. I won't spoil this marvelous story with any hints as to its progress, but I will say that it was real and beautiful and rare. It is most definitely worth taking the time to enjoy every single word.

[Helen Brumbaugh]

The Girl in the River
The latest book by gifted Wilmington writer Billy Beasley will not disappoint.
The story of broken hearted Clint Hurley, upon the lost of his beloved wife, and the strength he summons from his faith and his loyal canine companion Josie to keep living will have you turning page after page. His discovery on Christmas Day of a young child rescued from the river the year after his wife died will change his life and the child’s. Billy does a brilliant job making his characters come to life in the book. He is not afraid to tackle racial injustices, political corruption , or his strong religious beliefs in The Girl in the River as he has done in his previous books. His writing style is reminiscent of my favorite southern author, Pat Conroy. Billy’s stories are gripping, raw and oh so believable. Bravo on another great book and I look forward to your next one.

[Evelyn Nicholson]

Billy has once again hit a home run. After The River Hideaway and The Preacher's Letter, I was wondering how he could possibly write a book as good or better than the others. He has definitely equaled his other two with the richly developed characters, beautifully described settings, and fast moving plots that eventually merge into each other. My favorite characters were Josie, the Australian Cattle Dog; Jasmin, the young lady whose unfortunate circumstances set the novel is motion, and Clint, the husband, father, and savior, who epitomized decency and love. I look forward to Billy's next book.

[Denise stone]

Great reading and love that it's set in NC.

I was gifted the book Home last week by a friend. I absolutely loved it. Great characters, keeps your interest and it would be easy to identify with the characters in book. NC born and raised and appreciated it being set in NC.
I quickly both The girl In the River and again was not disappointed. Love this authors way with words and just love the stories. Loved that you included a dog. I highly recommend this author and ill be buying another today. Thank you.

[Kim Lucas]

A captivating story of love, loss, friendship and faith. Billy Beasley has captured it all in this engrossing story of Clint Hurley, a retired high school basketball coach. After the devastating death of his beloved wife, Allie, Clint builds a log cabin in the country to quietly spend his later years. Accompanied by his loyal canine, Josie, he’s content to spend his days alone with her, and his memories of Allie. One snowy Christmas Day his life is forever changed by a little girl, who he and Josie save from a capsized kayak in the river. The third book by this talented author will reel you in with this intense and uplifting story.

[Beth]

This book is about a widower, his dog, and a runaway child. A year after the death of his beloved wife, Clint rescues a child who was running away from an abusive situation. Clint Hurley's life would never be the same. A story of love, faith, courage, and an Australian Cattle Dog, Josie. Another page turner written by this gifted writer.

[Brooke]

Incredible book that shares the story of family, love, and adventure through the eyes of Clint Hurley. Every page brings a new piece of his adventure with an Australian Cattle Dog and runaway child as they venture into unchartered waters together. Beasley does not disappoint in this heartfelt and courageous page tuner, I am counting down the days for his next release! Loved this book.

[Jeffrey]

Billy Beasley brings characters to life in a way that very few authors are able to do. Once I started reading I could not put this book down and had completed it within a couple days. Brought tears to my eyes at the end, but I will not reveal why. You should find out for yourselves so be sure and read this book. You will not be disappointed.

[Frankie]

Most definitely a page turner. Could not put down. Through all the emotions, laughter and tears, you feel, like you are right there. Always kept you wanting more. Hated for it to end. Knowing the locations and a character made for a very good read. Can’t wait for Billy’s next one!

[Bridget Thomas]

I finished Billy Beasley’s The Girl in the River in one afternoon . Once I started reading I could not put the book down. The story grabs you from the first page and had me crying on the last pages. That describes a great read !!!

[Norma Bloodworth]

The Girl in the River is a great read. I couldn't put it down. I was a bit sad once I finished reading this book. I felt like I knew the characters personally. There were times I had to stop reading because of my tears blurring my vision.

Can't wait to read Billy's next book.

Norma

[Sandie]

Do not sit down with this book without a box of tissues!
What a beautiful love story on multiple levels.
Each time I had to put this book down, I couldn’t wait to jump back into the story.
Billy Beasley has done it again; another wonderfully woven tale.

[Sadie]

Great read

Wonderful characters and a compelling story. I have to admit to tearing up several times and enjoying this book greatly. Loved the pup as a main character and the "girl" is a treasure.

[Kimberly Greenwald]

A little too preachy for me...