ISBN: 1-891799-66-5
Publisher: Harbor House Books
Publication Date: September 2008

After the tragic death of his wife and unborn child, Bill returns home to Cane River, where his father is known as the town looney and roots run deep beneath the surface.

This southern-gothic ghost story deals with the sins of the father, the sins of the town, and how the dead must be remembered, or they will take revenge.

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Here's what people are saying about Cane River: A Ghost Story:

A classy supernatural tale that will tangle you up and hold you tight until the last word on the final page is read.
Guts of the Plot:
Cain River was a quiet town with little crime, but a secret from the past will change all of that when Bill comes back to town.
For years, crazy Gene Wheeler has been haunted by a little girl relentlessly - she will not leave him alone until her body is found. Gene has a skeleton in his closet as well. When his son Bill begins to see the girl, Gene knows the time to tell him the truth has come.
Sandy Duprie is a woman in search of real love, who also sees the girl. Sandy and Bill's paths cross and they become acquainted, not knowing they are sharing the same supernatural experience.
To complicate matters further, Gene is diagnosed with cancer and he knows the wrath of the little girl will soon fall full force upon his son.
Sandy's son and a group of his friends vanish. Who kidnapped the kids and why? Bill, Gene, and Sandy must solve the mystery , or else her son and his friends could be lost forever.
Final Thought:
Scott kept me interested from page one. The characters are richly drawn Some of the dialogue seemed a little off to me, but all in all the writing was very good.
The last 25-30 pages will have your heart smacking furiously against your ribs.
Definitely worth checking out.

Brian Yount
Wicked Karnival Magazine

The story was creepy and unsettling and left me completely cold. Seriously, ice water in my veins kind of cold. It gave me the shivers, which isn't easy to do! I'm a big fan of ghost stories, and this is a stellar example. Rooted in American soil, but definitely containing an element of the more disturbing Asian ghost tales. The image of Madison will, without a doubt, continue to haunt anyone who reads it long after they've put down the book. She was both sympathetic and horrifying at the same time. Beautiful, haunting and ultimately terrifying - it's a ghost story no horror fan will want to miss.

Morgan Ploutz
Reviewer, Dread Central

Scott Johnson gets better and better. The story of mysterious and dangerous vines, a small girl gone missing fifty years ago, and a man who thinks he’s going insane, all intertwined in the disappearance of five young boys, Cane River is fast-paced and foreboding. The language is evocative and crisp—you can feel the humidity and the darkness. The characters are nicely honed, and the plot moves though the darkness with well-timed twists and speed. With Cane River, Scott Johnson has developed a clear, steady voice for writing that entices you in to his world, where it’s all very scary indeed.
Read this one with a weed-whacker next to the bed.

Beverley Braud
Professor of English, Texas State University-San Marcos

Like the sinister vines in Gene's garden, Cane River will wrap its terrifying tendrils around your throat and choke the fear into you until the very last page is turned. Scott A. Johnson knows how to tell a Texas gothic ghost story better than anyone — his eerie flourishes never fail to delight and chill me. Do yourself a frightful favor and read Cane River… it's a truly irresistible deadtime story!

Staci Layne Wilson, Horror.com

Cane River, it's a sleepy little town...that will keep you awake at night. Haunting and heart-warming, Cane River walks the line between horror and romance as Johnson weaves a ghost story as twisting as the creeping vines within its pages.
Cane River, it's a nice place to visit...except for the restless child spirit reaching out through the years to have her satisfaction. Like the creeping vines within its pages, Johnson weaves a tale about a man and a woman discovering each other while uncovering secrets long since buried.

Steve Ruthenbeck, author of Dogs of War

A good old fashioned ghost story, solid characters, and a heartwarming romance…Cane River delivers on all of that. Characters you can care about and dark things that prowl the swamp…what more can you ask for?

Mary Rosenblum, author of Horizons

Cane River made me fear my own back yard.

Kyra Schon, Night of the Living Dead