Description

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Based on the blockbuster movie starring Meryl Streep and Kevin Bacon.
To help heal a marriage on the rocks, river-rafting expert Gail, her husband Tom, and their son embark on a white water adventure in Montana. Along the way, they encounter two inexperienced rafters supposedly looking for their friends downriver. Little do they know that the men are escaped convicts whose bid for freedom has a body count. Things take a turn when the young family learns that they are now the captives of two armed killers, and it becomes clear that there is much more at stake than a marriage. Desperate to evade both the police and federal marshals, the men force the family down the river and into the mouth of a deadly class 5 white-water rapid. Careening towards mortal peril, Gail and Tom must bond together to save their family from the brutality of nature and the savageness of man.

This high-stakes thriller is both a testament to the power of mother nature and a classic adventure story that is perfect for fans of CJ Box and Craig Johnson. Denis O’Neill, the screenwriter for the movie The River Wild, brings the striking beauty of the film into his writing and ratchets up the danger that races forward to a breathtaking conclusion.

About the Author

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Denis O’Neill is an author, screenwriter, producer, and nature enthusiast who holds a master’s degree in journalism from Boston University. He worked on staff and as a freelance writer/producer for Boston’s public television station, WGBH-TV. He began publishing articles and short stories in Sports Illustrated, the Boston Globe Sunday Magazine, Fly Rod & Reel, Antiques, American Photographer, and others. His original screenplay, The River Wild, was produced in 1994, directed by Curtis Hanson, starring Meryl Streep, Kevin Bacon, David Strathairn, and John C. Riley. A Shot at Glory, directed by Michael Corrente and starring Robert Duvall, was released in 2001. He lives in Los Angeles.

Praise For…

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"Denis O'Neill knows the high-risk thrills and danger that come with class five river rafting."--Meryl Streep, actor

"As much fun, and a lot safer to read on dry land, than it was to actually go through the terrifying twists and turns the movie captured. A Class-5 ride from Denis O'Neill"—David Strathairn, actor

“O’Neill pits man against man and man against nature in this gripping thriller.”—Publishers Weekly

"Thrills, Chills, Spills! Those time honored adjectives applied and then some to the movie The River Wild, but it turns out that was only the half of it. That "all of it" is in Denis O'Neil's novelization of his superb screenplay!"--Larry Turman, Hollywood producer

"This book will ruin your life—because you won’t be able to put it down—for about three days. With additional plot twists and empathetic new characters, O’Neil’s gripping adventure-thriller about a former river guide who takes her family down the River Wild (a fictional river) in Montana for a restorative week of bonding, fishing and whitewater in the wilderness of her youth—and gets a hell of a lot more adventure than she bargained for—is as addictive in print as the original story was on film. . . . It’s Deliverance meets Key Largo, with a dash of Elmore Leonard. If you like C.J. Box or Keith McCafferty, you’ll love Denis O’Neil. Get a firm grip on our oars—there's no turning back—get ready for a wild ride, and take the plunge down The River Wild."—Fraser C. Heston, filmmaker, author of Desolation Sound "Set in the lovingly described Montana wilderness, The River Wild provides a terrifying ride, plunging the reader into as many heart-stopping spins and drops as the beleaguered family at the heart of the action."—Richard Babcock, author of Are You Happy Now? “Denis O'Neil's The River Wild fits into the long tradition of ordinary people rising to deal with extraordinary circumstances. Just getting down the river in one piece is not enough”— John Sayles, writer and director "Reversing the usual sequence, Denis O’Neill has smoothly transformed his earlier film script into a suspenseful novel. The fluidity of his prose objectifies the river’s flow. Be prepared for the rapids and the acceleration of your own rapid heartbeat. A sunlit idyll becomes a tense nightmare" —John Wilmerding, professor of American art, emeritus, Princeton University “Not a wasted word, with a plot that gushes faster than those Class VI rapids . . . a suspense-filled thriller and a rollicking thrill ride right from the get-go. Terrific storytelling that includes Mother Nature as a formidable cast member. Sweeps you into the twisting, turning current and never lets go. I really couldn’t put it down.”— Sean Plottner, Dartmouth Alumni Magazine "The River Wild" reveals how we search for our truth. And how we find it. River bends, deep currents and waterfalls - the challenge is taken by each character. Denis O'Neill's words come alive as we turn each page to find their journey. He allows a voice from a strong fly fishing guide to be heard, and she has something to say. The timing of this tale comes at a time when we are recognizing what women bring to fly fishing. It's fabulous that this story speaks from the heart of a woman who loves her river!"--Lori-Ann Murphy, reelwomenflyfishing.com

"Denis O'Neill knows the high risk thrills and danger that come with class five river rafting."--Meryl Streep, actor

"As much fun, and a lot safer to read on dry land, than it was to actually go through the terrifying twists and turns the movie captured. A Class-5 ride from Denis O'Neill"—David Strathairn, actor

“O’Neill pits man against man and man against nature in this gripping thriller.”—Publishers Weekly

"Thrills, Chills, Spills! Those time honored adjectives applied and then some to the movie The River Wild, but it turns out that was only the half of it. That "all of it" is in Denis O'Neil's novelization of his superb screenplay!"--Larry Turman, Hollywood producer

"This book will ruin your life—because you won’t be able to put it down—for about three days. With additional plot twists and empathetic new characters, O’Neil’s gripping adventure-thriller about a former river guide who takes her family down the River Wild (a fictional river) in Montana for a restorative week of bonding, fishing and whitewater in the wilderness of her youth—and gets a hell of a lot more adventure than she bargained for—is as addictive in print as the original story was on film. . . . It’s Deliverance meets Key Largo, with a dash of Elmore Leonard. If you like C.J. Box or Keith McCafferty, you’ll love Denis O’Neil. Get a firm grip on our oars—there's no turning back—get ready for a wild ride, and take the plunge down The River Wild."—Fraser C. Heston, filmmaker, author of Desolation Sound "Set in the lovingly described Montana wilderness, The River Wild provides a terrifying ride, plunging the reader into as many heart-stopping spins and drops as the beleaguered family at the heart of the action."—Richard Babcock, author of Are You Happy Now? “Denis O'Neil's The River Wild fits into the long tradition of ordinary people rising to deal with extraordinary circumstances. Just getting down the river in one piece is not enough”— John Sayles, writer and director "Reversing the usual sequence, Denis O’Neill has smoothly transformed his earlier film script into a suspenseful novel. The fluidity of his prose objectifies the river’s flow. Be prepared for the rapids and the acceleration of your own rapid heartbeat. A sunlit idyll becomes a tense nightmare" —John Wilmerding, professor of American art, emeritus, Princeton University “Not a wasted word, with a plot that gushes faster than those Class VI rapids . . . a suspense-filled thriller and a rollicking thrill ride right from the get-go. Terrific storytelling that includes Mother Nature as a formidable cast member. Sweeps you into the twisting, turning current and never lets go. I really couldn’t put it down.”— Sean Plottner, Dartmouth Alumni Magazine "The River Wild" reveals how we search for our truth. And how we find it. River bends, deep currents and waterfalls - the challenge is taken by each character. Denis O'Neill's words come alive as we turn each page to find their journey. He allows a voice from a strong fly fishing guide to be heard, and she has something to say. The timing of this tale comes at a time when we are recognizing what women bring to fly fishing. It's fabulous that this story speaks from the heart of a woman who loves her river!"--Lori-Ann Murphy, reelwomenflyfishing.com