Environmental Mystery Meets Human Drama in Jennie Bricker’s Gripping Debut Novel Thirsty Creek

What happens when human ambition collides with the natural world? Jennie Bricker’s debut novel, Thirsty Creek, asks that question and refuses to look away.

Set in the wild beauty of Oregon’s Wallowa Mountains, Thirsty Creek follows biologist Jess MacKinnon, who’s been sent to investigate the mysterious collapse of a once-flourishing salmon population. But when she arrives, she discovers something much darker beneath the surface: the suspicious death of a colleague, a decades-old tribal feud, and her own buried guilt.

Bricker—a Portland-based natural resources attorney—uses her deep understanding of environmental law and ecology to craft a story that’s as authentic as it is gripping. The result is a novel that blends suspense, science, and social commentary into a page-turner that doesn’t just entertain—it enlightens.

And while it’s a mystery at heart, Thirsty Creek is also a story about redemption and connection. Jess’s investigation forces her to reckon with privilege, loss, and the fragile balance between human ambition and nature’s limits.

In an act as generous as her storytelling, Bricker is donating 50% of all proceeds from the book to the Nez Perce Wallowa Homeland, ensuring that Thirsty Creek gives back to the very land and people that inspired it.

Thirsty Creek releases December 16, 2025, through Unsolicited Press. Order your copy today at unsolicitedpress.com—because some mysteries are too real to ignore.