The Last Summer at Feather River: A Novel

What really happened that night? 

Ten years after an accident that forced her family to close Camp Feather River, Brooke must return to the ranch to care for her grandfather and face the repercussions of their decision. Brook once loved spending every summer at Feather River, riding horses, swimming in the lake, and helping her grandfather, Charlie, run the youth camp. But she has not set foot on the property since she and her mother abruptly left that night. Once back at the ranch, Brooke discovers that her family has been hiding more than she knew. While struggling to come to terms with what happened—and her part in it—Brooke realizes the accident might not have been an accident at all. 

Part coming-of-age, part suspense, and part a story of redemption, The Last Summer at Feather River is a novel about damage done, secrets kept, sacrifices made, and whether it can be put back together after it all unravels. 

About Karen Nelson

Karen Nelson is the author of the novels The Last Summer at Feather River and The Sunken Town, and she is the co-founder of the nonprofit Writing By Writers where she hosts writing workshops taught by nationally-known, award-winning authors. Her travel writing has appeared in Coast Magazine, Premium, The Orange County Register, and various other publications nationwide. She holds a degree in creative writing from Colby College and teaches writing at the local high school. When not organizing writing workshops, she can be found hiking with her dog, reading, traveling, experimenting in the kitchen, and hosting dinner parties. She lives in the Silicon Valley.

Praise for The Last Summer at Feather River: A Novel

"I believe Karen Nelson has just invented a whole new genre: Summer Camp Noir. The Last Summer at Feather River is a thrilling novel whose pastoral setting belies the dark depths that it bravely plumbs: the hormonal confusions of adolescence, the malleability of our memories, and, most profoundly, our efforts to suppress the truth of what we've lived through. It's also a genuine page turner, driven by a galloping sense of suspense and delivered in deft and assured prose. A winner."

—Steve Almond, All the Secrets of the World and Truth Is the Arrow, Mercy Is the Bow