Readers will churn through The Current’s 400 pages—a paradox that only the most accomplished mystery writers ever achieve.

With unhurried ease The Current carries us along, mirroring that fatal river, as clear as winter ice on the surface while beneath flowing darkly into the past.

The Current is a haunting story…Johnston masterfully brings out both the brutal and loving sides of human nature. It is a real treat for those who love thrillers.

It’s doubtful you’ll ever read a more beautifully written book than The Current.

Johnston writes in gracefully exact language with genuine heart.

A first-rate thriller…exquisitely suspenseful.

In this thoughtful yet driving mystery, two young women plunge into a Minnesota river, but only one comes out alive.

Johnston’s masterful novel…soars above the constraints of a traditional thriller.

I really loved Johnston’s previous novel, Descent, so I mean it as an enormous compliment when I say that this book blows that one out of the water. The Current is a gorgeous, heartrending punch to the gut, and I loved every page.

Atmospheric, Emotional and Raw.

Johnston imbues each character with believable motives. The nuanced plot delves deep into how a community—and surviving relatives—deal with the aftermath of a death.

The characters, thrown together by acts of violence, reveal a vulnerability that is more powerful and more engrossing than the crime itself—steering his readers toward a powerful message around humanity.

Johnston creates people you can believe in, with all their conflicts and confusions and sorrows…Maybe ‘thriller’ is the wrong name for what he’s created. It’s an awfully good novel of any genre.

Johnston has quickly become my favorite writer in this genre, and his books are perfect for thriller readers who want a bit more substance to their stories without sacrificing suspense.

A page-turning mystery and a deeply moving story.