Blackwater

Cover SynopsisBlackwater

A mans body is found in a tree on a lonely ridge in the Dolly Sods Wilderness deep in the mountains of West Virginia. It is wrapped in an old blanket and tied to a high limb. It had been there for monthsbirds and other predators had been working on it. The medical examiner determines that he had been bludgeoned to death with a rock. When the local police forces investigation stalls, Dr. James Houston, college professor and avid fly fisherman, is asked by the deceased mans fianc to investigate the killing. Hes off for the summerwhat else does he have to do? He enlists his friend, Sam Miller, a former state policeman, to help. Together, they travel through the Allegheny Mountains seeking justice for a dead man.

They begin their investigation by asking the most obvious questions. How did the dead mans body end up in a tree? What was the motive for the killing? Although the deceased man was a likable loner who occasionally argued with family members, a clear reason for the killing proves to be elusive. He had little of value except an old farm with a tumble-down house that he planned to donate to a nature preserve. With no obvious leads, everyone is a suspect. As Jimmy and Sam set out to solve this mystery, they seek answers in the lush Canaan Valley and the enigmatic waters of the Blackwater River.