The Same River

Ever since a childhood tragedy bonded Jessica Jensen to Oregon’s mighty Nesika River, she has seen herself as its guardian. Now a courageous field biologist, she has just finished gathering scientific evidence that could bring about the dismantling of the massive hydro dam that threatens to destroy her river. But then she discovers that her boss is suppressing her scientific evidence―leaving the dam’s fate at the mercy of a far-reaching corporate conspiracy—and she falls into a current of loss and desperation.

As Jess’s life spirals out of control, she mysteriously starts to make contact with Piah, a member of the Native American Molalla tribe who lived on the riverbanks of the Nesika two hundred years before Jess. Piah, too, faces a terrible threat that could destroy all that’s left of her world. As the veil between their two worlds begins to lift, each woman learns important lessons from the other about how to love, and to rekindle their faith in the future—even in the face of tragic loss and uncertainty.

“What an urgent story for our times! This has it all. A strong female protagonist. Suspense. Romance. And a looming corporate threat upon the natural world. Reddick offers us a fierce, yet heart-based response to the questions so many of us are burning to answer: How we can protect and save the animals, waters, and land we love so dearly? How do we keep going when the grief for all that we’ve lost threatens to overpower us? Reddick’s voice reminds me of the wisdom and sensitivity of Barbara Kingsolver mixed with the mystical creativity of Isabelle Allende. This is a delightful read, with a compelling story within a story and surprising twists that left me inspired and deeply satisfied to the end.”
—Gail Hudson, New York Times bestselling co-author with Jane Goodall of Seeds of Hope, Wisdom and Wonder from the World of Plants

“The story and characters here are strong; Reddick fleshes out both protagonists’ worlds with thought and compassion.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Vivid, poignant, and alarming, The Same River forces a young wildlife biologist to confront her conflicting passions as they collide at the crossroads of irrefutable science, the wounds of childhood tragedy, and the heartrending boundaries she must set on love. Reaching back to our native ancestors for the wisdom and strength to do what’s right, this urgent tale of for our times compels us to look our priorities in the eye when government and corporate bureaucracies willfully skirt problematic truths.”
—Ellen Notbohm, award-winning author of The River by Starlight

“This story is deeply rooted in personal experience, environmental science, and current social reality. Its skilled writing rewards a careful reading.”
—Joseph Meeker, author of The Comedy of Survival

“The mystery of the wild is woven through this well-crafted story of two women, connected across time, who share a deep kinship with the river that has taken so much and given so much in return.”
—Patricia Hasbach, Ph.D., co-author of The Rediscovery of the Wild

“The Same River is a gripping novel with complex, beautifully imagined characters whose intense and vividly portrayed inner lives will engage and inspire readers. Through Jess and Piah’s stories, we are invited to recognize our often-overlooked ability to listen carefully to the landscape and its inhabitants, and to thus be moved to act as protectors of the earth.”
—Mary Gomes, Ph.D., Co-editor of “Ecopsychology: Restoring the Earth, Healing the Mind”