Riverside Blues (2005)

Introduction by James Newman

Art by Jackie Berkley

SYNOPSIS: Fifty years ago, Gordon's wife diappeared without a trace. He still mourns her. In an attempt to keep himself occupied, Gordon decides to clean up their special place along the river running behind his home. It's there he finds something from his wildest dreams and his darkest nightmares that will reveal the lies surrounding his wife's disappearance, lies he has believed for the last half century....

RIVERSIDE BLUES is an original, spellbinding novella of dark fiction by Erik Tomblin, with an introduction by James Newman.

"RIVERSIDE BLUES will haunt you. It lingers, like a blast of good southern bourbon. It lasts, like the final chord of a rambling bluegrass tune. And it chilled me down to the bones."
—Steve Vernon, HORROR READER

"A deep psychological thriller... leaves fans stunned and wanting more."
—Harriet Klausner, THE BEST REVIEWS

"I've been looking for this book since I first discovered horror. A masterpiece in its own right, this story will haunt you long after you've put it down. Five out of five stars."
—Horror-Web

"RIVERSIDE BLUES is a story to be experienced the way we experience a rattling good thunderstorm on a hot summer day, the way we experience first love, and its loss, and hate and anger, too, the way we experience the myriad tastes and textures of a gourmet meal, and the way, at last, and, most tellingly, we will undoubtedly experience the brittle and suffocating darkness that embraces us all when death pulls up to the curb and whispers, 'Get in.' "
—T.M. Wright

"Erik Tomblin's RIVERSIDE BLUES is flawless. Powerful and subtle, beautiful and tragic. If this is any indication of Tomblin's talent, the world of fiction will soon have a new heavyweight contender."
—James A. Moore

"From start to finish, RIVERSIDE BLUES grabbed me and held me. Tomblin's writing is rich, evocative, and colorful. Expect to see more great things from him."
—Horror World

"In RIVERSIDE BLUES, Erik Tomblin attempts something highly audacious and succeeds, telling a chilling and bittersweet story of lost love regained. It's a unique and atmospheric blend of horror, mystery, and Southern Gothic, with an ending that fulfills my definition of perfection -- surprising yet inevitable. A dark and deeply felt gem from a writer well worth watching."
— Chet Williamson

"RIVERSIDE BLUES is an outstanding, atmospheric tale of loss, revenge, and evil."
— Brian Keene

"A haunting tale of loss, sorrow and redemption, Erik Tomblin's RIVERSIDE BLUES is a chilling story leading to a tension-building, climactic ending you won't see coming."
— Chesya Burke