Adam Chase returns to Rowan County from five years of self-imposed exile in New York City. Although acquitted of the murder of Gray Wilson, many neighbors and his own family still believe him responsible for the death of Wilson. In fact, the only witness against him was his stepmother, Janice. And so starts John Hart’s latest spellbinder, “Down River.”

Adam is not sure why he has returned although his good friend Danny Faith has called several times to New York and asked Adam for help. Adam returns with mixed emotions, because he has never been able to heal the emotional wounds from the trial and his subsequent estrangement from his family, especially his father.

It doesn’t take him long to run into new trouble. First when he tries to find Danny, he is accosted by Danny’s father Zeb and two goons. Then he meets his long lost love, detective Robin Alexander. Apparently he still carries a torch for her even though he has not answered any of her letters.

Their brief tryst solves nothing and may even add to Adam’s problems. He is soon enmeshed in new accusations. Trouble just seems to find him. First, there is Grace Shepard and then there is Danny Faith.

Dolf Shepherd is Jacob Chase’s foreman and close friend. He is also the person who raised his granddaughter Grace when her parents dropped out of sight. As she grew up, it was Adam who also watched over her ... like a big brother. Then there are the twins, Jaime and Miriam, Adam’s step-brother and sister. And just where is Danny Faith? Adam comes across Grace by the river on the family farm, little realizing how much Grace had been in love with him all these years. As they talk, Adam realizes that Grace is in love with him, but when he explains that he loves her, too — but not in that way — Grace runs off.

What he doesn’t know is that within minutes Grace will be assaulted as she runs back to her house. Sure enough, Adam is soon back in police custody, being interrogated, since he was the last person to see Grace.

She hasn’t been raped, just beaten and a note is left in her hand: “Sell the land.”

In the hospital Grace tells the doctors that Adam had nothing to do with her assault but the note explains a lot about what is going on in Rowan County since Adam departed for New York. A nuclear plant is to be built on land that is partly owned by the Chase family but Jacob refuses to sell, even though it could mean millions of dollars to many people. The nuclear plant will mean salvation for Rowan County since it will mean jobs for many and much money for those whose land is needed for the project.

Adam is starting to get a clearer picture of the whole situation when Dolf approaches him and asks him to take a ride to the highest point of the Chase farm. Dolf tells Adam about the Indian massacre that occurred there so many years ago and the meaning it had for his father. While walking to the knob of the hill, Adam looks down a crevice where the Indian bodies were thrown and what he sees totally shocks him. There is a fresh body in the crevice and somehow he knows that it is the body of Danny Faith. Adam realizes that there are many problems and though he is not looked upon with favor by many residents and his own family, he must stay and help resolve the problems, including reconciling with his family.

This is a powerful story of deceit, treachery, love and wrongs that need to be corrected and resolved. This is John Hart’s second book(“The King of Lies” being his first) and it is just as powerful. You will not put it down until you too understand the powerful undercurrents that have been traveling through Rowan County in “Down River.”