Kansas City, 1935. Emmett Whelan, an idealistic county prosecutor who has left behind his Irish roots and married into the country club set, takes on the city's corrupt political machine when he investigates the brutal murder of a black musician. As Emmett probes the case, he discovers the city's underbelly of racism and criminality. His personal life deteriorates. The closer he gets to the heart of the corruption, the more he sees that it is deeper and closer than he has ever suspected. And when the truth unfolds - about the killings, the machine, Emmett's wife - a surprising and devastating climax reverberates at every level of the city. Reach the Shining River is an urban crime drama about money, race, and class. Tense and full of memorable characters, it has the smell of a big river, the atmosphere of 1930s America, and a soundtrack that is pure jazz and blues.

With brokenness and humility, three generations of women return to their roots to discover who they are and who they are meant to be.

Sometimes when we look back, we are able to see ahead Following her mother’s funeral, and on the verge of her own midlife crisis, widow Anna Larson returns to the home of her youth to sort out her parents’ belongings, as well as her own turbulent life. For the first time since childhood, Anna embraces her native heritage, despite the disdain of her vicious mother-in-law. By transforming her old family home on the banks of the Siuslaw River into The Inn at Shining Waters, Anna hopes to create a place of healing—a place where guests experience peace, grace, and new beginnings. Starting with her own family . . . “Melody Carlson painted a serene and unforgettable sense of place that came alive with shimmering waters, one woman’s dream, life-changing wisdom, and characters I care about ... I’m seriously hooked on the series!" -- Kathy Herman, author of Secrets of Roux River Bayou Series and the Sophie Trace Trilogy "Melody Carlson's River's Song eased through me gently layer by layer, deeper and deeper. This story of re-awakening or renewal appears deceptively simple but wields great emotional power. I look forward to book 2 in The Inn at Shining Rivers series." Lyn Cote, Author of Her Abundant Joy "In River’s Song, Melody Carlson beautifully tells a generational story of a family living alongside the banks of Oregon’s Siuslaw River. Told with sensitivity and insight the story includes a Native American thread, deals with issues of abuse, and weaves an ending full of redemption and grace. I can’t wait to read the next novel in the series!" Leslie Gould, Beyond the Blue and co-author of The Amish Midwife and The Amish Nanny, with Mindy Starns Clark

After she gave up a promising career as an artist and turned her back on her British roots, Gemma Oldfield settled into life in Los Angeles to be with the woman who'd captured her heart. When things don't go as planned, Gemma buries herself in her work as a Hollywood set decorator--all the while clinging to the hope that the passion with her lover can be rekindled. But she must temporarily leave L.A. behind and return to England after her grandmother's unexpected passing. Once there, she discovers shocking secrets she could never have foreseen. When she finds hundreds of letters written from a mysterious person dating as far back as the 1930s, Gemma embarks upon a quest to understand why her grandmother took so many secrets to her grave. In her pursuit to learn more about her grandmother's past, Gemma meets an intriguing woman who has the potential to change the course of her life forever. But can Gemma open her heart to love again? Will she stay in England for a new beginning or return to the States to the life she knew before?

Anna Larson's daughter, Lauren, is confused, brokenhearted, and misguided. It's the turbulent 1960s and, feeling alienated from her mother, Lauren chooses to stay with her paternal grandmother. However, repelled by the woman's manipulative and spiteful ways, Lauren returns to her mother, the river, and the Inn at Shining Waters. There, Lauren begins to appreciate the person her mother is becoming--and she loves the river. However, romantic interests throw a wrench into the works and Lauren, jealous and angry, returns to her grandmother yet again. But as time passes, Lauren, now a mother to her own defiant teenager, faces a new crisis--one that puts the entire family at risk.

Named a Notable Fiction Book of 2013 by The Washington Post “An engrossing adventure, with mystery, romance, humor, and impeccable historical detail.” –The Boston Globe Devon, 1815. The charming Lord Nicholas Davenant and the beguiling Julia Percy should make a perfect match. But before their love has a chance to grow, Nicholas is presumed dead in the Napoleonic war. Nick, however, is lost in time. Somehow he escaped certain death by leaping two hundred years forward to the present day where he finds himself in the care of a mysterious society – the Guild. Questioning the limits of the impossible, Nick is desperate to find a way back to the life he left behind. Yet with the future of time itself hanging in the balance, could it be that the girl who first captured his heart has had the answers all along? Can Nick find a way to return to her?

Draws on an extraordinary array of international research and anthropological studies to examine the lustrous qualities of silk and the special treatments that give fabrics shimmering qualities.