"I finished the book in one night.. .
LOVED IT! It reminded me a little of Wuthering Heights. What I liked most was your historical accuracy of old Detroit. . .there aren't many books that I've read that moved me like this one."
      ~~~Brenda Cornish, Playwright
“A suspenseful tale of love and deceit. . .Dark River combines real history with romantic suspense in a tale that will draw you in and keep you on the edge of your seat!”
~~~Sylvia Hubbard, Editor, Michigan Murder & Mayhem

“I really loved the book. . .I read it in two sittings!”
~~~Dr. Glenda Price, President Emeritus,
     Marygrove College
“Lyrical.”
~~~Tonya Hogans, Romance Writers of America

“Highly recommended.”
~~~Circle of Life Book Club

Greed, lust, murder,
and a love that will outlive the river itself. . .


“Are you his forever? The river will tell.”

These chilling words will change Isabelle Fontaine’s destiny. A celebrated Canadian pianist, she inherits historic Fontaine, the last French ribbon estate of the 1700s. Crossing the Detroit River to claim the house, Isabelle finds herself in a fight for her sanity. Isabelle learns that she bears an uncanny resemblance to Celeste, her great-grandmother. Ensnared by visions of a doomed love affair between Celeste and a man named Jacques, Isabelle relives the tragedy: Celeste was a captive of the sadistic Louis Fontaine, and some souls were damned as a result.

Bewildered, Isabelle outruns not only her past, but also her future. On the eve of Detroit’s transformation into a world-class city, newcomer Isabelle learns she is a pawn in one of the greatest riverfront scandals in American history. Cornered at every turn, Isabelle is aided by two great men, the ambitious entrepreneur Douglas, and the bitter physician, Michael.

Isabelle’s heart must make a choice, but the ethereal Jacques, whose dark love calls to her from the river’s bottom, has already claimed her soul. As Isabelle struggles to survive, a 100 year-old tragedy threatens to repeat itself. Jacques is coming for her. And he plans to take her home.

About the Author

Heather Buchanan is a native Detroiter, and has always been fascinated with her city’s history. Inspired by a series of articles about the little-known truth of slavery in Detroit and the reality of an unknown dead slave woman, Heather embarked on a ten-year odyssey to bring Dark River to life.

An award-winning publisher, poet and playwright, Heather is currently on the faculty of Lansing Community College, Schoolcraft College, and Wayne State University, respectively. She resides with her husband in Detroit, and is hard at work on a new journal featuring Midwest writers.

Dark River: A Novel of Suspense
Interesting People & Places in Detroit History within Dark River:

Fort Pontchartrain
Slavery in early Detroit
The Blackburn Riot of 1833
Notable Detroiters such as Joseph Campau, Elon Farnsworth, and Edmund Brush
The Cass Farm Company & the Detroit Riverfront Scandal of the 1830s
The Founding of Second Baptist Church, and. . .
The Mystery of the Unknown Woman Buried at Ste. Anne Catholic Church Downtown

"Dark River was a very good book. Excellent. This one should be sent to Oprah!"
     ~~~Christine Miller, Veteran's Administration
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"I finished the book in one night.. .
LOVED IT! It reminded me a little of Wuthering Heights. What I liked most was your historical accuracy of old Detroit. . .there aren't many books that I've read that moved me like this one."
      ~~~Brenda Cornish, Playwright
"I finished the book in one night.. .
LOVED IT! It reminded me a little of Wuthering Heights. What I liked most was your historical accuracy of old Detroit. . .there aren't many books that I've read that moved me like this one."
      ~~~Brenda Cornish, Playwright
"I finished the book in one night.. .
LOVED IT! It reminded me a little of Wuthering Heights. What I liked most was your historical accuracy of old Detroit. . .there aren't many books that I've read that moved me like this one."
      ~~~Brenda Cornish, Playwright
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“A suspenseful tale of love and deceit. . .Dark River combines real history with romantic suspense in a tale that will draw you in and keep you on the edge of your seat!”
~~~Sylvia Hubbard, Editor, Michigan Murder & Mayhem

“We recommend this book!”
~~~Ella’s Book Club, Fellowship Chapel

“Your book is fun and enlightening about early Detroit history!”
~~~Dr. Kathleen Wider, Professor of Humanities,
                 University of Michigan-Dearborn

“I really loved the book. . .I read it in two sittings!”
~~~Dr. Glenda Price, President Emeritus, Marygrove College

“Lyrical.”
~~~Tonya Hogans, Romance Writers of America

“Highly recommended.”
~~~Circle of Life Book Club

“I finished your book last night and absolutely LOVED IT!  Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. It reminded me of Wuthering Heights. What I liked most was your historical accuracy of old Detroit. There aren't many books that I've read that moved me like this one.” 
~~~Brenda Cornish, Playwright

“We’re recommending Dark River to all of our book club chapters!”
~~~Diva Dialogues Book Club

"DARK RIVER by Heather Buchanan is a very intriguing mystery that dips in and out of Detroit's history. It gives information about how slaves and freedmen were treated, as well as how truly mixed, by blood, the whites and the blacks actually were. It is obvious that much research was done. The writing is superb and the characters invite you into their lives. It was a very good read."
~~Reviewed by Alice Holman of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers