Whiskey River Publishing
Whiskey River Publishing
mysteries that run deep
Whiskey River Publishing is the private label imprint of mystery author Clint Potts, born from a love of gritty noir storytelling, flawed heroes, and the secrets small towns try to bury.
The debut release, Big Yellow Lies, is a haunting Midwest mystery set in Peoria, Illinois—a city shaped by its river, its industry, whiskey barons, and the lives left behind in its shadows. With sharp dialogue, layered characters, and a storyline that twists through decades of betrayal, Big Yellow Lies is the first in a series of atmospheric thrillers that explore how far people will go to protect the truth—and how much farther they’ll go to hide it.
Whiskey River Publishing is dedicated to bringing bold, character-driven crime fiction to readers who crave authentic places, broken loyalties, and mysteries that refuse to stay buried. The stories may start in Peoria, but they’ll take you places you never saw coming.
our Authors
Clint Potts
Clint Potts is a former drive-time DJ, Zamboni Driver, Residence Hall Director, Computer Systems Analyst, and now Government Project Manager. He is a mystery author with a sharp ear for dialogue and a deep affection for hometown detectives who don’t always behave. Born and raised in Peoria, Illinois, Clint blends real locations, working-class grit, and dark humor into tightly wound stories about buried secrets and broken loyalties.
His debut novel, Big Yellow Lies, kicks off a gritty noir series set in his hometown—where the river runs deep, the roads never quite line up, and the past is always just one wrong turn away.
When he’s not writing, Clint manages large-city tech projects, spins vintage vinyl in the man cave, and maps out the next crime scene. He writes for readers who like their mysteries messy, their heroes conflicted, and their towns full of ghosts.
big yellow lies - Coming soon !!
1987: Four kids broke into a warehouse.
By morning, one cop was dead. One friend was busted.
Then there were three…
The rest swore they'd never forget him.
2006: The past just showed up with a badge and a body count.
Private investigator Jesse Keaton is about to find out that in Peoria, secrets will kill to stay buried, and rivers don’t care who they drown.
Big Yellow Lies
A rust-belt noir thriller where loyalty is lethal
and the truth will test your Friends and Family plan.
From Whiskey River Publishing
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Got a Problem? Let's Talk.
This is the part where you click the button, tell me what’s going on, and I pretend not to be judging you. Don’t worry—I’ve heard worse. Probably this morning.
Whether you’ve got a question about the book, want to collaborate, or just need someone to help you disappear a typo, I handle all inquiries with the same care I give to missing persons and warehouse conspiracies: discreetly, professionally, and preferably before the coffee runs out.
Drop me a line. I don't promise answers, but I do promise I’ll read it.
– Jesse Keaton
(P.I., mystery magnet, and occasional website receptionist)