In November 1985, the rain began falling across the mountains of West Virginia. Within days, entire communities would be changed forever.
November Rain: The River Came at Night is a powerful work of historical fiction based on the devastating November 1985 floods that swept through West Virginia, leaving destruction, heartbreak, and extraordinary stories of courage in their wake.
Through the eyes of a young Navy sailor returning to his hometown of Rowlesburg, West Virginia, author John DeRossett revisits one of the most catastrophic natural disasters in the state’s history.
Drawing upon personal memories, historical research, eyewitness accounts, and photographs preserved by those who lived through the disaster, DeRossett brings to life the people and communities caught in the path of the rising waters.
From families fleeing their homes in the darkness to neighbors risking everything to save one another, November Rain captures the fear, loss, resilience, and compassion that defined those unforgettable days.
More than a story about a flood, this is a tribute to small-town America, the strength of community, and the memories that refuse to disappear beneath the water.
The river took homes, possessions, and lives. But it could never wash away the stories.