River Bend Chronicles

An introduction to the River Bend Chronicles series, you will encounter fascinating characters, three murders, a marriage, and the beginning of a romance between Lynn and a detective known as Dusty. The story takes place over several weeks from May to August. Lynn learns from her father that she has a half -brother, a man whom she has known all of her life. She learns of this relationship on the eve of their 25th high school reunion. As she deals with this new wrinkle in her life, two classmates are murdered, then the sister of a benefactor of the River Bend Philanthropies, her employer, is kidnapped and murdered. New family relationships thread through this mystery, as Lynn works with a local detective to provide moral support to families of the murder victims. Renee Kumor has lived in North Carolina for over thirty years. The setting for the River Bend Chronicles series reflects her early life in Ohio and her later years in western North Carolina. She was a stay-at-home mom for several years developing a personal ethic of community service. Through the years as her children aged, she became active in the political and non-profit life of the community. She began writing a political opinion column for the local newspaper, but retired from writing when she announced her candidacy for local political office. After eight years as a county commissioner, she returned to non-profit service and began writing a monthly column for the newspaper on non-profit management and service issues. Renee has been married to her husband for forty-four years. They have four children and four grandchildren. Renee Kumor enthralls readers of her popular romance series -- The River Bend Chronicles -- drawing them into the lives and loves of the inhabitants of this all-too-familiar small town.

This second entry in the popular River Bend Chronicles gives us a growing relationship between Lynn Powers and police detective Dusty Reid -- along with two murders. It begins with a battered woman being taken to the local woman's shelter, and Lynn recognizing her as a potential donor to the River Bend Philanthropies. What's going on in this peaceful little town? Renee Kumor has lived in North Carolina for over thirty years. The setting for the River Bend Chronicles series reflects her early life in Ohio and her later years in western North Carolina. She was a stay-at-home mom for several years developing a personal ethic of community service. Through the years as her children aged, she became active in the political and non-profit life of the community. She began writing a political opinion column for the local newspaper, but retired from writing when she announced her candidacy for local political office. After eight years as a county commissioner, she returned to non-profit service and began writing a monthly column for the newspaper on non-profit management and service issues. Renee has been married to her husband for forty-four years. They have four children and four grandchildren. Renee Kumor enthralls readers of her popular romance series -- The River Bend Chronicles -- drawing them into the lives and loves of the inhabitants of this all-too-familiar small town.

In this third book in the River Bend Chronicles, Lynn Powers, a fortyish widow with a teenage son, continues to build her new life in River Bend. It's two weeks before Christmas and the holiday season is going full tilt -- except for Lynn and her son.In an effort to rekindle their slow starting romance, chief detective Dusty Reid pays a visit and finds Lynn's household untouched by holiday cheer. Dusty takes Jason on a routine call and starts a series of events that mirrors the death of Lynn's husband two years ago. In addition to grieving on the anniversary of her husband's death, Lynn has been advised by one of the board members of the River Bend Philanthropies that his review of a local nonprofit, River Bend Reads, has revealed embezzlement.This story weaves through the Christmas holidays, with Lynn and Dusty's big New Year's Eve date spent in the morgue identifying the body of a staff member of River Bend Reads. And then another body turns up. Renee Kumor has lived in North Carolina for over thirty years. The setting for the River Bend Chronicles series reflects her early life in Ohio and her later years in western North Carolina. She was a stay-at-home mom for several years developing a personal ethic of community service. Through the years as her children aged, she became active in the political and non-profit life of the community. She began writing a political opinion column for the local newspaper, but retired from writing when she announced her candidacy for local political office. After eight years as a county commissioner, she returned to non-profit service and began writing a monthly column for the newspaper on non-profit management and service issues. Renee has been married to her husband for forty-four years. They have four children and four grandchildren. Renee Kumor enthralls readers of her popular romance series -- The River Bend Chronicles -- drawing them into the lives and loves of the inhabitants of this all-too-familiar small town.

In this fourth book in the River Bend Chronicles, Lynn Powers and Dusty Reid have broken off their engagement to the consternation of both families. But Lynn gets drawn into a murder that requires Dusty's intervention. An actor who has come to town to help with the production of an Arts Council play is found murdered. Two days later another actor is also found dead. During the investigation, Dusty pleads with Lynn to elope, but the killer has other plans for Lynn. Murder and marriage – what a combination! Renee Kumor has lived in North Carolina for over thirty years. The setting for the River Bend Chronicles series reflects her early life in Ohio and her later years in western North Carolina. She was a stay-at-home mom for several years developing a personal ethic of community service. Through the years as her children aged, she became active in the political and non-profit life of the community. She began writing a political opinion column for the local newspaper, but retired from writing when she announced her candidacy for local political office. After eight years as a county commissioner, she returned to non-profit service and began writing a monthly column for the newspaper on non-profit management and service issues. Renee has been married to her husband for forty-four years. They have four children and four grandchildren. Renee Kumor enthralls readers of her popular romance series -- The River Bend Chronicles -- drawing them into the lives and loves of the inhabitants of this all-too-familiar small town.

Jason is a victim of a fight in the park and is thrown into a fishing boat and set adrift on the river. Dusty organizes a search for the youngster. Blaming himself, Dusty begins interviewing friends and family about parenting. During this hectic period, Sean Hennessey returns to River Bend to claim his inheritance. His father died before he and Sean could heal the breach in their relationship. As he spends time in town trying to learn more about the man his father really was, Sean becomes a suspect in Dusty's investigation. Lynn is injured in a truck accident. Sean inherits a fortune. And sons reconcile with their parents. A typical happenstance in the little town of River Bend. Renee Kumor has lived in North Carolina for over thirty years. The setting for the River Bend Chronicles series reflects her early life in Ohio and her later years in western North Carolina. She was a stay-at-home mom for several years developing a personal ethic of community service. Through the years as her children aged, she became active in the political and non-profit life of the community. She began writing a political opinion column for the local newspaper, but retired from writing when she announced her candidacy for local political office. After eight years as a county commissioner, she returned to non-profit service and began writing a monthly column for the newspaper on non-profit management and service issues. Renee has been married to her husband for forty-four years. They have four children and four grandchildren. Renee Kumor enthralls readers of her popular romance series -- The River Bend Chronicles -- drawing them into the lives and loves of the inhabitants of this all-too-familiar small town.

Sonny Bosco, one of the actors who came to River Bend for a community project last spring, stayed to die. She is a friend of a local physician. Dr. Rita Rutledge, and the River Bend gang, led by Lynn Powers and her family, have rallied to help with Sonny's care. A sick child is also facing death as his mother, an environmental attorney, and her team investigate water quality issues on the river. One of the environmentalists is murdered at the same time detectives find another body. The inhabitants of this small town explore love and loss while learning from Sonny to celebrate life well lived. Renee Kumor has lived in North Carolina for over thirty years. The setting for the River Bend Chronicles series reflects her early life in Ohio and her later years in western North Carolina. She was a stay-at-home mom for several years developing a personal ethic of community service. Through the years as her children aged, she became active in the political and non-profit life of the community. She began writing a political opinion column for the local newspaper, but retired from writing when she announced her candidacy for local political office. After eight years as a county commissioner, she returned to non-profit service and began writing a monthly column for the newspaper on non-profit management and service issues. Renee has been married to her husband for forty-four years. They have four children and four grandchildren. Renee Kumor enthralls readers of her popular romance series -- The River Bend Chronicles -- drawing them into the lives and loves of the inhabitants of this all-too-familiar small town.

This holiday season in River Bend includes family gatherings, snowmobile races, and a little romance. And murder. Lynn Powers and her family begin celebrations for Christmas with the first big party, Dusty's birthday. However, on Christmas Day Dusty is called to a murder scene where a young man is found dead in his bathtub. And returning from a school administrators Christmas gathering Pam finds a hit-and-run victim in the icy road. Is she under suspicion of the crime? Renee Kumor has lived in North Carolina for over thirty years. The setting for the River Bend Chronicles series reflects her early life in Ohio and her later years in western North Carolina. She was a stay-at-home mom for several years developing a personal ethic of community service. Through the years as her children aged, she became active in the political and non-profit life of the community. She began writing a political opinion column for the local newspaper, but retired from writing when she announced her candidacy for local political office. After eight years as a county commissioner, she returned to non-profit service and began writing a monthly column for the newspaper on non-profit management and service issues. Renee has been married to her husband for forty-four years. They have four children and four grandchildren. Renee Kumor enthralls readers of her popular romance series -- The River Bend Chronicles -- drawing them into the lives and loves of the inhabitants of this all-too-familiar small town.

Lynn Powers is facing the month of May caught up in the activities driven by a son who is graduating from high school. But that doesn't stop her from becoming embroiled in mayhem as she discovers an elderly black woman who has been assaulted. Throughout the story Lynn and her family learn about the history of many people in town, including the simmering feuds and sad stories among members of River Bend's African-American community. In addition, Lynn learns more of her own family history as she discovers a small diary belonging to her mother. Mix all this in with the usual antics of Lynn, Dusty and their family and it adds up to another installment of the River Bend Chronicles. Renee Kumor has lived in North Carolina for over thirty years. The setting for the River Bend Chronicles series reflects her early life in Ohio and her later years in western North Carolina. She was a stay-at-home mom for several years developing a personal ethic of community service. Through the years as her children aged, she became active in the political and non-profit life of the community. She began writing a political opinion column for the local newspaper, but retired from writing when she announced her candidacy for local political office. After eight years as a county commissioner, she returned to non-profit service and began writing a monthly column for the newspaper on non-profit management and service issues. Renee has been married to her husband for forty-four years. They have four children and four grandchildren. Renee Kumor enthralls readers of her popular romance series -- The River Bend Chronicles -- drawing them into the lives and loves of the inhabitants of this all-too-familiar small town.

It's the beginning of a new year. Lynn Powers is still recovering from witnessing her friend Susan Carmichael die in an explosion. Polly, Susan's teenage daughter, has agreed to stay in River Bend for the rest of her freshman year of high school. She is having some difficult periods of adjustment. As Lynn and her friends cope with Polly, Yolanda Valeri receives a bequest from an elderly admirer. She is given a half-a-million dollars to distribute to local nonprofits as she sees fit. After consulting with Lynn, Yolanda accepts funding proposals but is soon overwhelmed with gifts from eager nonprofits. She meets the son of her elderly admirer and begins to date him, causing local eyebrows to raise. As usual, Lynn and her friends are drawn into a mystery as a nonprofit tries to intimidate Yolanda into granting it all her money. They soon learn that the agency is fake, is running a gambling establishment, and is responsible for assaulting several of their clientele, resulting in at least one death. As usual, Lynn and her husband, Dusty, surprise one another during an investigation as another local River Bend nonprofit causes murder and mayhem. Renee Kumor has lived in North Carolina for over thirty years. The setting for the River Bend Chronicles series reflects her early life in Ohio and her later years in western North Carolina. She was a stay-at-home mom for several years developing a personal ethic of community service. Through the years as her children aged, she became active in the political and non-profit life of the community. She began writing a political opinion column for the local newspaper, but retired from writing when she announced her candidacy for local political office. After eight years as a county commissioner, she returned to non-profit service and began writing a monthly column for the newspaper on non-profit management and service issues. Renee has been married to her husband for forty-four years. They have four children and four grandchildren. Renee Kumor enthralls readers of her popular romance series -- The River Bend Chronicles -- drawing them into the lives and loves of the inhabitants of this all-too-familiar small town.

River Bend is alive with spring blossoms and Lynn Powers is doing her best to trade, barter or steal samples of some of the best perennials for her garden. Dusty, her husband, interrupts her spring fever as he draws her into helping with his new assignment. He has been named to a local county board by the sheriff to work with early release felons. According to a new state law, each county is to create a new local nonprofit to help the early release prisoners as they update their education, enroll in job training, find work and create a stable life in the county. Dusty, a law enforcement professional, has no expectations for success of the program or the early release felons. His suspicions are proved valid as two of the three felons rob a bank and kidnap Lynn and her friend, Amelia Shipley. The River Bend gang muddles through spring with robbery, dancing lessons, Memorial Day parades and unexpected romance. Renee Kumor has lived in North Carolina for over thirty years. The setting for the River Bend Chronicles series reflects her early life in Ohio and her later years in western North Carolina. She was a stay-at-home mom for several years developing a personal ethic of community service. Through the years as her children aged, she became active in the political and non-profit life of the community. She began writing a political opinion column for the local newspaper, but retired from writing when she announced her candidacy for local political office. After eight years as a county commissioner, she returned to non-profit service and began writing a monthly column for the newspaper on non-profit management and service issues. Renee has been married to her husband for forty-four years. They have four children and four grandchildren. Renee Kumor enthralls readers of her popular romance series -- The River Bend Chronicles -- drawing them into the lives and loves of the inhabitants of this all-too-familiar small town.

The gang in River Bend is enjoying an early spring after a January filled with snow. As everyone enjoys life, they hear ominous reports of an impending world-wide pandemic. As most people prepare for and complain about the challenges of lockdown, masking, and hand sanitizing, one fellow, Heath Dawson, sees this as an opportunity to commit a few crimes. In his thinking masking for health will allow him to move through the community unidentified. With a plan in place, he prepares to murder several relatives and ease the way for him to inherit a substantial amount of money.Lynn and her family diligently prepare for the changes that will occur with the pandemic. Piper learns quickly that not all parents are aware of school closings as she finds several students huddled at the doors of the elementary school the morning of the mandated closing. She learns that those children have parents who must work, even in lockdown - like grocery clerks and CNAs. She starts a secret school for those students until the sheriff directs Dusty to arrest her for violating protocols of lockdown.Dusty works through Piper's misdemeanor and is next faced with arresting his old friend and former sheriff, Bergy Bergman. Bergy tries to escape from the retirement community where he resides, a community also following health protective directives that almost isolate residents. He wants out and tries to convince his old, retired deputies to help. Mars and Dusty arrive just in time to keep Bergy locked down.As citizen responses to pandemic life continue in River Bend, Heath Dawson carries out his murderous plan to gain an inheritance. He lost his wife, Alicia to cancer. As her second husband, he became guardian of her three children. Those children were supported through a well-endowed trust fund managed by Alicia's grandmother. Heath soon realizes that he could inherit all the endowed funds if first, the grandmother dies, and then the deaths of the children follow. He slips into River Bend to take advantage of pandemic masking as a way to keep him almost invisible while plotting and committing murder.Alicia's grandmother Emily Jacobs is no fool. When Heath appears at her home saying he has come to help her through this dangerous health risk and will bring the children once their school closes, she becomes very suspicious. He finds a CNA of dubious skill and moral character to help him drug Emily with pills that would send her to sleep forever. Emily manages to vomit up the killing potion. Heath, thinking she is dead, murders the CNA and moves on preparing to kill the children.He picks up the children from the airport and takes them to Emily's old family cabin in the forest. He has rigged the cabin so that the children will be locked in. He tells them they will be quarantined for a few days to protect Emily. The kids are suspicious and plan an escape.Emily awakens from her supposed deep sleep and finds her gardener, Juan, working her yard. She convinces him to help her get away. Juan assists her and together they contact Lynn and Dusty. Once Emily tells her story, Dusty sends investigators out to her home and finds the dead CNA, but no Heath.Suddenly Emily's suspicions are real and Dusty and his team rush to find the children in the forest cabin. The team arrives and finds the children in the forest just as the cabin explodes. Dusty moves Emily and the children to his house for safe keeping while they try to find the murderer. In the meantime, Heath quietly leaves town confident that he planned five deaths very well. He hides out in a deserted luxury cabin waiting to claim his inheritance, ready to explain that he's been in self-quarantine. Renee Kumor has lived in North Carolina for over thirty years. The setting for the River Bend Chronicles series reflects her early life in Ohio and her later years in western North Carolina. She was a stay-at-home mom for several years developing a personal ethic of community service. Through the years as her children aged,

Renee Kumor enthralls readers of her popular romance series -- The River Bend Chronicles -- drawing them into the lives and loves of the inhabitants of this all-too-familiar small town.In the first book -- Small Town Secrets -- Kumor introduced us to Lynn Powers, a newcomer to town, and local police detective Dusty Reid. Then she tossed in some more fascinating characters, three murders, and a marriage. In the second entry -- Taking A Chance -- we followed the beginnings of the romance between Lynn and Dusty. In the third book -- 'Tis the Season -- we celebrated the holidays with Lynn and her teenage son, as Dusty uncovered a series of events that mirrored the death of Lynn's husband two years earlier. And in the fourth book -- An Act of Charity -- Lynn Powers and Dusty Reid have broken off their engagement to the consternation of both families. But then Lynn gets drawn into a murder that requires Dusty's intervention.Now you can get all four at once in this new anthology The River Bend Quartet. This special bundle is a huge savings of 37% off the individual ebooks price (making them less than $2.50 each). Renee Kumor has lived in North Carolina for over thirty years. The setting for the River Bend Chronicles series reflects her early life in Ohio and her later years in western North Carolina. She was a stay-at-home mom for several years developing a personal ethic of community service. Through the years as her children aged, she became active in the political and non-profit life of the community. She began writing a political opinion column for the local newspaper, but retired from writing when she announced her candidacy for local political office. After eight years as a county commissioner, she returned to non-profit service and began writing a monthly column for the newspaper on non-profit management and service issues. Renee has been married to her husband for forty-four years. They have four children and four grandchildren. Renee Kumor enthralls readers of her popular romance series -- The River Bend Chronicles -- drawing them into the lives and loves of the inhabitants of this all-too-familiar small town.