The affluent residents of Barron, Minnesota, thrive because
of a large, yet very secretive, scientific research
facility located in the town along the Spirit River. But
the downriver residents of St. Croix are not so fortunate,
even to the point of blaming the waste runoff from upriver
of causing an outbreak of cancer among its citizens. Harsh
feelings between the two towns take an even more sinister
twist when Ashlynn Steele, daughter of the head of the
research facility, is found shot to death in a secluded
park. Accused of the crime is Olivia Hawk, a St. Croix girl
who hated Ashlynn and was seen at the park.
Olivia's mother, Hannah, has no choice but to contact her
ex-husband Chris, a Minneapolis attorney, for help in
proving their daughter's innocence. As Chris investigates
the circumstances of Ashlynn's murder and tries to save
Olivia, he also discovers a lot of unsavory things about
the inhabitants of both towns. It seems the list is long of
people who want to perpetuate the feud, even to the point
of death. And it doesn't help matters when a weird
psychopath calling himself Aquarius starts making
disturbing threats against everyone involved in both towns.
Brian Freeman knows how to write psychological
suspense and really packs a punch with SPILLED BLOOD. The
tension is taut as each new twist and turn is revealed on
the way to a gripping conclusion. A great thriller!
A taut thriller about two rural Minnesota towns locked in
a deadly feud - and a teenage girl caught in the crossfire.
Linked by the Spirit River, the two towns couldn't be more
different: in affluent Barron, a powerful and secretive
scientific research corporation enriches its residents,
while downriver in blue-collar St. Croix, victims of that
company's carcinogenic waste struggle to survive.
The bad blood between the communities escalates into open
warfare when the beautiful Ashlynn, daughter of the
corporation's president, is found shot dead - and a St.
Croix girl, Olivia Hawk, is accused of the crime.
Reluctantly, Olivia's mother summons her estranged husband
Christopher, a Minneapolis lawyer, to come defend his
daughter. As Christopher struggles to unravel the mystery
of Ashlynn's murder and save his own daughter, he uncovers
some ugly truths that endanger the residents of both
towns. And looming over everything are the chilling,
apocalyptic threats from a murderous psychopath known only
as “Aquarius.”