A sulfur sky poisoned her family and her heart. Now revenge tastes sweeter than justice.
It’s 1900. In a Pennsylvania coal town tainted by corruption and pollution, Charlotte's world collapses when her parents meet a tragic end. Sent to a foster family in a Maryland fishing village, she’s fueled by grief and embarks on a relentless quest for justice against the ruthless coal boss, Nels Pritchard.
But Charlotte is no ordinary girl. She shares the fiery spirit of her father, whose powerful speeches inspired worker riots. With a burning desire for vengeance, she sets out to uncover the truth behind Pritchard's crimes, unearthing a shocking connection between the town's toxic air and the lifeless fish washing up on the shore of her Chesapeake Bay foster town.
To expose the truth, Charlotte builds a network of unexpected allies. There are gutsy suffragists, a literary society of teenage girls willing to print the truth… and Weylan. The captivating young man lost his own family to Pritchard’s poison. He offers support, but Charlotte questions his true motives when he lures her to break the law. Could she be falling into a dangerous trap, leading her to a fate worse than poison?
With her unwavering spirit and determination, Charlotte must forge alliances and navigate a web of treachery before Pritchard seeks his own ruthless revenge.
The newest book by award-winning author Jennifer M. Lane is perfect for fans of Jeannette Walls’ Hang the Moon and the fiery protagonist in The Hunger Games. Join Charlotte in this small town, coming-of-age dystopian historical saga as she finds resilience, courage, and triumph in her search for identity, independence, and her true home.
Book Title: Downriver
Series: The Poison River Series (Book 1)
Author: Jennifer M. Lane
Publication Date: May 28, 2024
Publisher: Pen & Key Publishing
Pages: 344
Genre: Historical
Join me in a cosy chat with author, Katerina Dunne.
What inspired you to start writing?
I was an avid reader as a child, and my first job was at my local library as a summer volunteer, shelving books. It’s quite possible my love of to-do lists was fostered by summer reading programs. I started writing fiction at a very young age. Later, I studied journalism and undertook a lot of academic writing, which combined with the churn of life took my focus away from fiction for a time. I returned to it in 2016, when we purchased a classic car that inspired me to write my first novel in print, Of Metal and Earth.
What was the hardest part about writing this book?
The Tiffany Effect, where something historic feels too modern to be realistic, is a prevalent challenge when you write at the turn of the 20th century. High schools existed, alongside ditto machines, and canned foods on market shelves.
Does one of the main characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?
Many of them do. I just want to wrap Emmett up and tell him he’ll be fine. And I love Weylan’s stoicism. I’m enjoying cracking his shell in book 2.
If your book was to be made into a movie, who are the celebrities that would star in it?
Charlotte was modeled after Prussian Princess Victoria Louise (1892-1980) and Weylan is modeled after Rupert Brooke (1887-1915). If I had to choose modern actors, which isn’t my forte, I might choose Emily Henry, who’s done such a great job of playing a multi-faceted female lead in My Lady Jane, and a younger Penn Badgley, who had a smoldering sort of academic look.
What do you hope your readers take away from this book?
There are many layered contexts in Downriver that will expand through the series. Worker rights, climate and natural resource protections, to name a few. People power is my favorite element. These are seemingly powerless teenagers, mostly girls in an era when they had few rights, fighting not for themselves but for everyone. Trust, family, and faith are all tested and redefined for these young women and men many times throughout the series, and I hope readers enjoy that journey from powerlessness to hope.
Buy this Book
This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.
A Maryland native and Pennsylvanian at heart, Jennifer M. Lane holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Barton College and a master’s in liberal arts with a focus on museum studies from the University of Delaware, where she wrote her thesis on the material culture of roadside memorials.
Jennifer is a member of the Authors Guild and the Historical Novel Society. Her first book, Of Metal and Earth, won the 2019 Next Generation Indie Book Award for First Novel and was a Finalist in the 2018 IAN Book of the Year Awards in the category of Literary / General Fiction. She is also the author of Stick Figures from Rockport, and the six book series, The Collected Stories of Ramsbolt.
Social Media Links:
Thank you for hosting Jennifer M. Lane, with a great interview.
ReplyDeleteTake care,
Cathie xx
The Coffee Pot Book Club