Meet local author J S James from nine to noon on June 6th at Seasons Coffee at The Old Liberty Theater in Ridgefield (115 N. Main Ave). Learn how he concocted River Run: A Delia Chavez Mystery out of several harrowing experiences on the Willamette River. Bring your board and enjoy Ridgefield’s annual Big Paddle Day event. Then stop by Seasons for some great coffee or hand-dipped ice cream and say hello to Joe.

River Run took the Pacific Northwest Writer’s Association’s mystery/thriller prize and received a “Highly Commended” second place in the Crime Writer’s Association’s Debut Dagger competition in London.

Joe was spinning his writing wheels when he entered and won the PNWA competition that supplied the traction needed to finish his debut novel. He lives in Ridgefield with his family, including their “Velcro” vizsla and furry red exercise machine, Maggie. He writes in Seasons Coffee for atmosphere, and mines a local casino for character ideas. He is currently hard at work on more stories in the genre.

Find out more.

The following are drawn from reviews and publication announcements:

River Run: A Delia Chavez Mystery by J. S. James (Crooked Lane Books, NY, NY)

Newly promoted sheriff’s deputy Delia Chavez has worked hard to get where she is. Without any family to speak of, law enforcement is all she has. But just a few days into her new job, Delia finds the body of a hunter washed up on a bank of the Willamette River and missing his trigger finger. Soon, more bodies are found—all hunters without their trigger fingers. This waterfowl season, the hunters become the hunted.

“Evocative and cleverly-plotted, J.S. James’ River Run delivers a cast of complex characters in which even the most minor ones come fully alive…Written in confident prose, River Run is an intelligent mystery that captures Oregon’s Willamette Valley in all its glory and haunting beauty. I can’t wait for the next Delia Chavez novel.” 
—Christine Carbo, bestselling author of A Sharp Solitude

“[A] promising debut and series launch…the action builds to an impressively explosive climax. Mystery fans will look forward to seeing more of this worthy heroine.”
–Publishers Weekly

“Generously Plotted.”
–Kirkus Reviews