In this fourth novel in the series, Sam, a special agent with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, must solve a case concerning his childhood friend Holden Riggins, an expert outdoorsman and a known poacher. 

 

Holden made a small fortune by exploiting nature’s bounty, so it’s no surprise when two conservation officers (COs) from the Department of Natural Resources, in search of a missing colleague, come upon Holden’s fishing boat, anchored beside an illegal walleye net. Holden is nearly frozen to death on the bottom of his boat. Thought that’s not the COs’ most shocking discovery. Twisted and tangled in another nearby net is the dead body of their missing colleague.

 

After the COs save Holden from the icy grip of hypothermia, the suspected murderer refuses to answer questions. The only person he’ll speak with is Sam Rivers, a man he last saw when they were both 12 years old. Since then, Holden has become a known scofflaw and ex-con, using the wilderness for his ill-gotten gains.

 

Has Holden resurrected his illegal netting ring, cashing in on the state’s $25 million walleye industry? Did he murder to evade the law? One thing is certain: Sam will follow the facts wherever they lead. But is he the one reeling in suspects, or is he just the bait?

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Natural history writer Cary J. Griffith brings back Sam Rivers for his fourth outdoors-themed mystery—a suspenseful novel filled with fast-paced action. Jeffrey B. Burton, award-winning author of the Dead Years and The Mace Reid K-9 Mysteries, has this to say: “Dead Catch captures your attention from the opening sentence, and then, like Griffith’s first victim in the poacher’s net, you’re caught in a trap that’ll keep you flipping pages until the final twist. You’d best call in sick tomorrow, as this book will keep you up all night.”

 

Award-winning author Cary J. Griffith grew up among the woods, fields, and emerald waters of Eastern Iowa. His childhood fostered a lifelong love of wild places. He earned a B.A. in English from the University of Iowa and an M.A. in library science from the University of Minnesota. Cary’s books explore the natural world. In nonfiction, he covers the borderlands between civilization and wild places. In fiction, he focuses on how some people use flora and fauna to commit crimes, while others with more reverence and understanding of the natural world leverage their knowledge to bring criminals to justice. He lives with his family in a suburb of Minnesota’s Twin Cities.

 

Other books in the Sam Rivers Mysteries series are Wolf Kill, Cougar Claw, and Killing Monarchs.

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For a high-resolution cover image, a review copy, or to schedule an interview with the author, contact Liliane Opsomer at 205-443-7981 or liliane@adventurewithkeen.com.

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$16.95 – ISBN 978-1-64755-401-9 – June 11, 2024 – 424 pages