Down by the River Where the Dead Men Go

Down by the River Where the Dead Men Go is a 1995 novel by American writer George Pelecanos. It is the third book of a trilogy with the same protagonist, Nick Stefanos. In a scene in the movie "Shallow Hal," the main character is seen reading this book.

Plot background

In this volume, Stefanos has retired from his previous job as a crime investigator in Washington D.C., and makes a living as a bartender at a local bar.

Plot summary

Stefanos struggles with his growing unhappiness and tries to drown it in alcohol. He gets drawn into the murder of Calvin Jeter and his conscience pulls him back to his earlier occupation. It becomes a journey through the harshest part of the American capital and the blackest part of the human soul.