Kindle Unlimited
Unlimited reading. Over 4 million titles. Learn more
Read for Free
OR
Kindle Price: $2.99

Save $6.99 (70%)

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Audiobook Price: $17.46

Save: $9.97 (57%)

Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions

Buy for others

Give as a gift or purchase for a team or group.
Learn more

Buying and sending eBooks to others

  1. Select quantity
  2. Buy and send eBooks
  3. Recipients can read on any device

These ebooks can only be redeemed by recipients in the US. Redemption links and eBooks cannot be resold.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs

Follow the author

Michael Richan
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The Bank of the River (The River Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Michael Richan (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 556 ratings
See all formats and editions
Haunted by the Spirits of the Innocent...

In the dead of night, ominous knockings echo through the stillness, ghostly apparitions lurk in the shadows, and an unspeakable malevolence courses through the very walls of Steven's home. Murdered children from a dark past are haunting his every step.

A staunch skeptic of the supernatural, Steven's rationality begins to unravel in the face of the chilling phenomena he can no longer deny. His new home is reshaping his beliefs in ways he could never have imagined.

Yet, it's his strained relationship with his father, Roy, that holds the key to figuring out the haunting enigma. Roy possesses "the gift" and can perceive what remains hidden from ordinary eyes. Steven, too, is gifted but refuses to embrace his latent abilities, initially dismissing them.

As the relentless apparitions intensify, they must confront the sinister riddle concealed within Steven’s home. A malevolence far more insidious than they could have fathomed lies behind the ghostly specters, and they must reconcile their differences and trust each other if they are to stand against the evil that lurks within the rooms of Steven's dwelling.

Prepare for a heart-pounding journey into the supernatural with "The Bank of the River," the pulse-pounding first installment of "The River" series. Step into a realm where the line between the living and the dead blurs, as you unravel a haunting mystery that will keep you teetering on the edge of your seat. If you crave ghost stories that send shivers down your spine, this is a series you can't afford to miss.

And that's not all. "The Bank of the River" is your gateway into an expansive supernatural universe, spanning 30+ enthralling books that interlace through three distinct series, offering hours upon hours of spine-tingling entertainment. A suggested reading order is included with each book, and you can always find more details and updates at the author's website.

Praise for The River Series from Amazon readers:

“Truly scary.”

"Finally found a book that got under my nerves!"

“Couldn't put it down...wanted the story to go on and on.”

“Very few authors can pull me in immediately and make me feel as though I were reading about old friends. Stephen King always has, and I can now add Michael Richan to the list.”

"Awesome ghost story with wonderful characters and a great plot!"

“Some of the most delightful reading I have done in a long time.”

"This was a great horror book. I absolutely loved it, and I know you will too! Keep the lights on when reading!"
Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 17
    The River
  2. Print length
    228 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    June 8, 2013
  6. File size
    896 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
Next page
Next 5 for you in this series See full series
Total Price: $16.95
By clicking on the above button, you agree to Amazon's Kindle Store Terms of Use
More like The Bank of the River (The River Book 1)
Page 1 of 1Start overPage 1 of 1
Previous page
  2. The Dark River: A
    Kindle Edition
    $2.99
  3. The Haunting of Pitmon House
    Kindle Edition
    $3.99
  4. A Haunting In Wisconsin
    Kindle Edition
    $3.99
  6. Little Miss Dead (The Horrors of Sobolton Book 1)
    Kindle Edition
    Just released
    $0.99
  7. Aunt Death
    Kindle Edition
    $3.99
  10. Haunted: Hotel
    Kindle Edition
    $4.99
  13. I Reside Here
    Kindle Edition
    $3.99
  16. The Haunting of Briarwood Manor
    Kindle Edition
    $3.99
  19. Terrify
    Kindle Edition
    $3.99
  21. The Coldwater Haunting
    Kindle Edition
    $3.99
  22. Mausoleum: Anomaly
    Kindle Edition
    $3.99
  23. The Seances
    Kindle Edition
    $3.99
  24. Cloudcroft
    Kindle Edition
    $3.99
  25. Slaughter, Idaho
    Kindle Edition
    $3.99
Next page
Loading...

Editorial Reviews

Review

"If you like a mystery, embedded into the supernatural with plenty of suspense, then don't miss out on Michael Richan's horror fiction." - Booktalk

From the Author

  • The Bank of the River is the first book in The River series. Each book in the series is novel length (The Bank of the River is over 50k words) and can be read stand-alone. 
  • The order of the series, as of 8/8/15, is: The Bank of the River, A Haunting in Oregon, Ghosts of Our Fathers, Eximere, The Suicide Forest, Devil's Throat, The Diablo Horror, The Haunting at Grays Harbor, It Walks At Night, and The Cycle of the Shen. 
  • Residual is a free novella that takes place between this title and the next book, A Haunting in Oregon. Residual is free when you sign up for my email list at michaelrichan.com.
  • I sincerely hope you enjoy this series. I have been blown away by the response. More titles in this series are coming!

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00DC1RTCQ
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Dantull (June 8, 2013)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 8, 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 896 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 228 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1490425209
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 556 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Michael Richan

Michael Richan

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Michael Richan lives in Washington State. He has written horror fiction for thirty-five years, and published several best-selling series with over forty horror/paranormal novels. For series reading, start with "The Bank of The River" and see http://michaelrichan.com/sro for a suggested reading order.

Non-series titles: "The Seances", "The Coldwater Haunting", "Slaughter, Idaho", "The School of Revenge", "I Reside Here", "Aunt Death", "Terrify".

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
556 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Don Gillespie
5.0 out of 5 stars Best Horror Series I have Ever Read
Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2015
Verified Purchase
I have looked for a great ongoing horror series for years, only to be disappointed by series with a finite end after 5 or 7 books, or just plain poor writing. After reading the first couple of chapters of The River, I felt like I had come home. The characters are complex but accessible and extremely likable, but the real gem is the ingenuity of the plots. The realm of The River books is like no other I have come across. Unpredictable, surprising, and absolutely unpredictable. The books are fast-paced, and even minor characters are fascinating. I love that many characters return in multiple books like old friends. Scary, thrilling, and intelligently crafted. I have read all in the original series, the Downwinders series, and now in the Dark River series, and I will continue to read them all as long as Michael Richan writes them. All the series are linked but dramatically different, and there is some cross-over between them. Every book he writes adds to the mythology of The River in a big way. I can't wait to see where it goes next. Most of all, I hope all the series just keep going and there is no finite end.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Kiwes
4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty Decent Read!
Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2014
Verified Purchase
First, I have to say how much I love the cover of this book! This story was terrifying, yet very intriguing. It engages the reader to want to find out more.

One thing is for certain, Steven, the main character moves into a new home, trying to put the pieces back to his life, when around 3 a.m., someone or something knocks on his door. Of course, the very sleepy Steven goes to answer only to discover there is no one there! Umm, probably neighborhood kids playing an early Halloween prank? Aaaw, I don't think so.

What Steve finally realizes is he's dealing with something much more sinister than that--something not of the human persuasion!

Thankfully, Steve's father was able to assist him in this area, as he becomes closer to the father he wrote off, sort of, so long ago. The more he learns about his father, Roy, the more he discovers that he shares a special gift with his father, and together they can hunt down the most terrifying apparition!

This was a great horror book. I absolutely loved it, and I know you will too! Keep the lights on when reading. ahahahaaaaaa
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
TJames
5.0 out of 5 stars Difficult to put down
Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2014
Verified Purchase
I started this book when I got up this morning and hardly put it down until I finished a little later. Yes, it's good!

Steven's mom shoved religion down his throat growing up, and instead of making him religious, it had the opposite effect. He had no patience for religion or anything that wasn't based firmly in science. So when he buys a house cheap, he doesn't care that the previous 4 owners had been run off or that there had been a suicide in the house. When he begins waking up at 3am every night because of a knocking, he does all the logical things to figure it out. Nothing works, so, after seeing a floating head, he assumes he has a brain tumor. That would be logical. He needs his dad to be his DNR contact and goes to visit him, and that's when he dips his toe into the river.

At first, I was worried that this would become a "good Christian" story of some kind. That his experience would turn Steven to God. Nope!

The story moves at a good pace. The amount of scare is perfect, with just the smallest dash of gore. It's a very nicely balanced story. The characters are well developed, even the minor ones, especially within the limits of a short story. I'm looking forward to hearing more from Roy (Steven's dad) - old man has spunk!!
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Andrew Kennett
3.0 out of 5 stars Formulaic and Derivative, but Fun
Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2013
Verified Purchase
The Bank of the River was a decent adventure story with a supernatural element. If that's what you're looking for, then by all means pick up this book. However, you're looking for horror or a real scare, then I would recommend passing this one by.

The story has a good set-up, but the feel is very familiar to those who've seen the "Supernatural" or "Grimm" TV shows. There are some rough spots with the characitures presented, especially that of the hard-nosed, rational skeptic of a son. Personally, my syspension of disbelief was broken at least once by character actions -- namely when the father, a tough figure who is the expert "hunter," has a misfire with his semi-auto and just keeps pulling the trigger rather than racking the slide. It's small things like this that cost the story one star.

The other star was lost because, while an okay action story, there really was little time and attention paid to creating an atmosphere of fear/horror. I couldn't buy the characters' fear because the author didn't create any for me. This element, while difficult to manufacture, is the key to successful horror.
15 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Bill
4.0 out of 5 stars Starts out with a bang and keeps on going until the end.
Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2017
Verified Purchase
Well, damn. No f’n around in this one. Starts out with a bang and just keeps on going.

My first Richan. Not bad. Written well. Fast moving and entertaining. Not overly fleshed out, so I am assuming it gets deeper character development as the series progresses. Looking forward to checking out the next installment.

3.5+ Amazon Stars.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Suziblue
4.0 out of 5 stars Good book.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 4, 2014
Verified Purchase
I thought this was a good book. A story that keeps your interest page after page. An enjoyable read, although I felt the author left too many loose ends. I would rather know what the outcome is of the characters and not have to wonder. Nevertheless my interest is piqued and I will most probably read more of Michael Richans work.
One person found this helpful
 Report
The book girl
5.0 out of 5 stars The river, the beginning of a great series of captivating novels
Reviewed in Australia on December 31, 2015
Verified Purchase
Once you start you will read them all. A unique story, fun characters, hard to categorize genre as this ticks so many boxes for me. Love them all, husband is also hooked. Generous sized books. My only complaint is the author can't write them as fast as I'm reading them, I am eagerly waiting Mr Richan.
2 people found this helpful
 Report
MR S ORMSTON
4.0 out of 5 stars Very good read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 17, 2013
Verified Purchase
This was a well crafted and extremely enjoyable novel. I found it very unusual how the author was able to use so few characters to tell his story so well when many writers seem to have casts of thousands. Definitely worth reading .
One person found this helpful
 Report
Report an issue

Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report