The River Is Waiting by Wally Lamb

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The River Is Waiting by Wally Lamb

Contemporary fiction

The River Is Waiting

by Wally Lamb

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Quick Take

This gut-punch of a novel follows a man to prison after his careless mistake causes an unimaginable tragedy.

Good to know

  • Illustrated icon, Emotional

    Emotional

  • Illustrated icon, Heavy_Read

    Heavy read

  • Illustrated icon, 400

    400+ pages

  • Illustrated icon, Family_Drama

    Family drama

Synopsis

Corby Ledbetter is struggling. New fatherhood, the loss of his job, and a growing secret addiction have thrown his marriage to his beloved Emily into a tailspin—and that’s before he causes the tragedy that tears apart his family. Sentenced to prison, Corby struggles to survive life on the inside, where he witnesses frightful acts of brutality. But he also experiences small acts of kindness and kinship. Buoyed by those and by his mother’s enduring faith in him, Corby begins to transcend the boundaries of his confinement, sustained by his hope that mercy and reconciliation might still be possible. Can those he loves ever forgive his crimes?

Content warning

This book contains scenes depicting sexual assault and the death of a child and mentions of suicide.
June 2025 audio
Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil
The River Is Waiting
The Love Haters
King of Ashes
The Summer We Ran
The Other Side of Now
June 2025 audio
View all
Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil
The River Is Waiting
The Love Haters
King of Ashes
The Summer We Ran
The Other Side of Now