Spooky Rivers: 25 Strange and Mysterious Rivers that Snake Across Our Planet

Take the plunge into the strangest, spookiest, and most fascinating rivers around the world (if you dare) in this beautifully illustrated companion to Spooky Lakes―the New York Times and Indiebound bestseller from TikTok star and educator Geo Rutherford.

“Amazingly quirky and educational.” ―Booklist starred review for Spooky Lakes

From Geo Rutherford―the creator of the hit series Spooky Lake Month (over 79 million likes!)―comes this thrilling nonfiction book that follows the winding histories of 25 mysterious rivers around the world. Readers will explore natural phenomena, scientific oddities, historical events, and environmental disasters, as well as the myths and legends tied to these waterways, which are increasingly threatened by climate change.

Rivers are Earth’s restless travelers―carving landscapes, shaping history, and holding secrets. Some are forces of destruction, sweeping away everything in their path, while others are lifelines, sustaining civilizations for millennia. And some are both, bringing prosperity and devastation in equal measure.

From deadly whirlpools to lost cities submerged beneath their waves, these rivers challenge everything we think we know about the natural world. There are rivers that catch fire, rivers that boil, and rivers so deep they seem bottomless. Some slither beneath the ground you stand on, while others vanish without a trace.

Who knew rivers could be so . . . spooky?

Backed by extensive research and packed with all-new content―including eerie and eye-popping gouache illustrations in full color―Spooky Rivers takes readers on an adventure through weird and wild waters.

Includes river facts, author’s note, glossary, bibliography, and index.

Geo Rutherford is an artist, educator, and content creator who transitioned into the publishing world after a career dedicated to art education. She currently serves as a lecturer at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and is the Visual Arts Director at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. Geo’s fascination with lakes, initially sparked by her artistic practice, gained widespread attention when she began sharing on TikTok. "Spooky Lakes" grew out of a 31-day series in October called Spooky Lake Month. Geo currently resides on a spooky lake in Sauk City, Wisconsin, with her dog, Padfoot.