# River of Darkness: The First John Madden Mystery - Paperback

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by **Rennie Airth** (Author)

**"It's the tactics and the terrain, the morale and the characters that make the difference between an average thriller and one as good as this."--_The New York Times Book Review_**

Upon its original publication, _**River of Darkness**_ awed readers who look for intelligent, well-plotted psychological mysteries. This "fine, frightening piece of work" (_Kirkus Reviews_) introduces inspector John Madden who, in the years following World War I, is sent to a small village to investigate a particularly gruesome attack. The local police dismiss the slaughter as a botched robbery, but Madden detects the signs of a madman at work. With the help of Dr. Helen Blackwell, who introduces him to the latest developments in criminal psychology, Madden sets out to identify and capture the killer, even as the murderer sets his sights on his next innocent victims.

### Author Biography

Rennie Airth was born in South Africa and worked as a foreign correspondent for Reuters before becoming a novelist. He is the author of two other John Madden mysteries, _River of Darkness_, a finalist for the Edgar Award for Best Novel and a Macavity Award for Best Mystery, and a _New York Times_ Notable Book, and _The Blood-Dimmed Tide_. He lives in Cortona, Italy.

**Number of Pages:** 480

**Dimensions:** 0.84 x 7.72 x 5.18 IN

**Publication Date:** May 31, 2005

## Details

- **Price:** 39.0 GBP
- **Vendor:** BooksCloud
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books, Fiction, Historical, Mystery & Detective, Police Procedural, Price Written on Book, Psychological, Thrillers

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 39.00 GBP | In stock |

## Images

- River of Darkness: The First John Madden Mystery

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> Updated: 2026-08-22