On July 23, 2o24, Deputy US Marshal and “natural born tracker” Arliss Cutter returns for his most personal and thrilling adventure yet in Bad River, the latest novel from New York Times bestselling author Marc Cameron.
Cutter, who first appeared in Cameron’s 2019 thriller Open Carry, has fast become a favorite among readers who enjoy similar types of heroes from C.J. Box and William Kent Krueger. Most recently, Cutter, who has starred in five novels to date, was seen in Breakneck (2023), which follows Arliss to Anchorage, Alaska, where a once peaceful train ride through the austere beauty of Alaska’s icy wilderness suddenly becomes a harrowing fight for survival. As for what readers can expect next, it sounds like Cutter will take on an emotional investigation in Bad River, which will test him in ways like never before. One thing we know for sure, though, is that there will be plenty more of Cutter, as Cameron just recently signed a new two-book deal with Kensington, his longtime publisher, ensuring there will be more books in 2025 and 2026.
“Arliss Cutter books are close to my heart,” Marc Cameron told The Real Book Spy in an exclusive comment, “fugitive tracking around Anchorage, mysterious discoveries in the Arctic, and answers to his brother’s murder in South Dakota—BAD RIVER was a blast to write.”
Check out the official plot details and cover art below.
From a remote village perched on Arctic permafrost to the Badlands of South Dakota, searching for answers about his brother sets Arliss Cutter on an icy trail of murder and madness into the darkest heart of the Alaskan wilderness. New York Times bestselling author and former U.S. Marshal Marc Cameron captures the beauty and brutality of both man and nature in his newest high stakes suspense for fans of Paul Doiron, CJ Box, Allen Eskens, and Jane Harper.
“Cameron’s novels hook you from the first line, cement your eyes to the page, and grip your heart in a vice. I can’t think of another writer whose work I admire more.” —WILLIAM KENT KRUEGER
“A double-barreled blast of action, narrative, and impossible-to-fake authenticity.” —CJ BOX
In the Inupiaq village of Wainwright on the Arctic Ocean, two teenagers discover a frozen body in the permafrost wall of their family’s cellar. They recognize the face through the ice. It is the face of a young woman who went missing—two years ago . . .
In South Dakota, Arliss Cutter searches for answers surrounding his brother’s mysterious death. But his visit only raises more questions without any leads. Until he returns to Alaska—and learns that his brother had something in common with the frozen body in the ice cellar . . .
Inside the young woman’s pocket is a fossilized animal tooth—similar to the one Arliss’s brother picked up on a trip to South Dakota. A bizarre coincidence? Or are the two connected somehow? Before Arliss can figure it out, his brother’s widow and children become the targets of a brutal home invasion. Arliss arrives on the scene in time to save them—but his actions trigger a larger investigation that puts his own neck on the line. From South Dakota to Anchorage to the Inupiaq villages of the Arctic, Arliss follows this bloodstained trail of clues to a remote lodge on the banks of the Kobuk River. Here, in this unforgiving wilderness, he will find the answers he seeks. Here, in this untamed, often violent land, he will come face to face with the terrible truth—and the man behind his brother’s murder . . .
Marc Cameron is a former U.S. Marshal and the New York Times and USA Today bestselling, award-winning author of the Arliss Cutter novels, the Jericho Quinn series, and the Tom Clancy Jack Ryan Sr. books, starting with Power and Empire. A Texas native who now lives in Alaska, his law enforcement career spanned over three decades, beginning as a uniformed police officer, mounted (horse patrol) officer, and detective before accepting a position with the United States Marshals Service. In that role he served as a Deputy, Fugitive Task Force Commander, Supervisory Deputy, Senior Inspector, and Chief. His assignments have taken him from rural Alaska to Manhattan, from Canada to Mexico and points in between. A second-degree black belt in jujitsu, he often teaches defensive tactics to other law enforcement agencies and civilian groups. Cameron presently lives in Alaska with his wife and his BMW motorcycle. Visit him online at MarcCameronBooks.com.
Readers looking to pre-order Bad River ahead of its July release can do so here or anywhere else books are sold.
Praised as “One of the hardest working, most thoughtful, and fairest reviewers out there” by New York Times bestselling author Lisa Scottoline, Ryan Steck has “quickly established himself as the authority on mysteries and thrillers” (Author A.J. Tata). Steck also works full-time as a freelance editor and is building a growing community on Twitch. His debut thriller, FIELDS OF FIRE, which #1 New York Times bestselling author Jack Carr says “will leave you speechless and begging for more,” is now available. His second novel, LETHAL RANGE, is also in bookstores, and his third book, OUT FOR BLOOD, comes out on June 4th. For more information, be sure to follow him on Twitter and Facebook. To interact with other readers and talk about your favorite books and authors, join The Real Book Spy’s Discord server.