Frank Wills's life is spiraling out of control. A former Marine sergeant struggling with civilian life, his marriage is on the rocks, his job prospects are dwindling, and his anger issues are escalating. After intervening in a street altercation, Frank is mysteriously abducted by strange men in black and wakes up in Burning River-an otherworldly detention facility where inmates face bizarre justice for their crimes.
As Frank navigates this nightmarish prison beneath Lake Erie, he forms uneasy alliances with fellow captives, including the charismatic pod leader Chucho. But the enigmatic Warden-who claims to be the archangel Gabriel-has special plans for Frank. To survive, he must confront not only the dangerous inmates and sadistic guards but also the demons of his past-including a horrific incident from his combat days in Iraq that he's tried desperately to bury.
In this liminal space between punishment and redemption, Frank must decide whether to fight the system or submit to it, all while questioning what's real and what's hallucination. As the boundaries between justice and vengeance blur, Frank faces his ultimate moral test: Can he escape this metaphysical purgatory, or is he doomed to remain trapped in a prison of his own making?
A haunting exploration of guilt, PTSD, and the human capacity for change, Burning River asks profound questions about accountability, forgiveness, and whether anyone is beyond redemption.
If you enjoyed "The Midnight Library," "Shutter Island," and "American War," you'll love Burning River.
