Dark River Rising: A Winston Radhauser Mystery Book #13

**Trigger warning: child abduction, child exploitation, sexual exploitation of a minor, death of a child**

When Ashland Detective Winston Radhauser gets called to the scene of a crime, little does he know an old case of his has come full circle. Det. Radhauser finds himself looking at the body of a young girl, beaten to death and left in a dumpster, tossed out like garbage. Turns out, the victim is from an old abduction case that was never solved. Det. Radhauser's wants to find the answers to this tragic death and prosecute the offenders. Ava Cartwright is watching her body be found in a dumpster from above. As Ava learns to navigate the world of the spirits, she has one wish: to find her daughter and to make sure she is safe. Will Ava and Winston’s wishes come true? 

Ms. Goldner has navigated the unsavory world of sexual and child exploitation with sensitivity, respect, and care for the victims involved, and has taken an extremely sensitive topic and woven an engaging story where readers will picture a small slice of this larger world. Readers will be rooting for Winston as he figures out Ava’s story. Some readers may find themselves longing to hear more from certain characters, as questions are left unanswered as the storyline surrounding some peripheral characters could have a stronger presence in the story. The author has done an incredible job of telling this tale from multiple sides and multiple characters by using the characters in a unique way. Readers will be moved to tears when reading the last chapters of this compelling story, and will find satisfaction at how the story ends. 

Heather Kroll