“The Counterfeit Journalists” by Robert Russin

The Counterfeit Journalists

Robert Russin
Olympia Publishers (2026)
ISBN: 978-1806031863
Reviewed by Demetria Head for Reader Views (08/2026)

Robert Russin’s The Counterfeit Journalists is a thriller that opens with a busy, bustling restaurant scene at The Buried Lede. It is the year 2033, and Kathy is short-staffed, but the most perplexing issue she notices is that Lucy, her most reliable employee, has not shown up, and it’s an hour past four. Fast forward to 2035, and Devlin Woodhouse is auditing published news stories. One in particular is the interview journalist Ted Simons claims he did with Lucy Ramirez on November 22, 2033. When Devlin attempts to verify this with one of the bartenders at Lucy’s job, he discovers a huge problem. Lucy went missing on November 19th of that year. Before long, Devlin finds himself following this loose thread down a rabbit hole of danger, politics, murder, and powerful business interests.

This is probably one of the cleverest and most unsettling thrillers that I enjoyed reading. I love that the main character, Devlin, was not made into this hero detective, but just an auditor trying to uncover the truth. He is also very human, with a mortgage to worry about; he has complex relationships, and he knows there are risks that come with uncovering wrongdoing. A good example was the scene in chapter twenty-two where Devlin is driving along Interstate 10, takes note of the drones above, and he is thinking about the contents in the envelope that are on his passenger seat. He has flashbacks and is overcome with guilt about what he has done. He’s been blacklisted, and his reputation has been defaced, but he finally reasons within himself to do what needs to be done even if they take his life. Devlin is showing bravery and defiance in the face of possible defeat. I can appreciate the fact that Russin did not make him fearless overnight.

There were so many things that I loved about how Russin set up the premise and the variety of issues that tie together very well.  There were quite a few scenes that had a strong impact on me, and I think Russin intended for readers to react that way. The Phoenix setting, for instance, is painted as a city that has not had rain in five years. There are dead cacti; the drought has prevented certain fruit from growing; no one can afford gasoline-powered vehicles, only electric ones due to soaring taxes that make fuel too expensive. Now the water has to be rationed for ordinary residents, and only the wealthy and powerful can get exemptions. Can you imagine being limited to a 1500 gallon water ration per month unless you live in the wealthy part of town? Russin did a great job contrasting this with how the wealthier communities enjoy these privileges that are unavailable to the less fortunate. Even one of the characters, Greg, says it best: the “haves have water and gasoline.” Russin successfully ties the water crisis into the political and journalistic conspiracy. We see that the issue has become bigger than just someone going missing.

In my opinion, Russin took his time to develop the characters. This is another strength of the novel. Devlin, in particular, evolves over the course of the narrative from someone doing his job and following a trail that ultimately has him treading dangerous territory. He is forced to make a choice to either be fearful or fearless. The two retired journalists, Greg and Oscar, stood out because they added humor and brought different perspectives to the central premise. But they also challenge Devlin to go beyond simple fact-checking and to consider what makes a story worthwhile and truthful.

The pacing was moderate and appropriate for this type of novel. It matched the procedural elements of the early chapters, and when the story shifted into more of an investigative mystery, the pacing shifted appropriately. I loved how Russin added the suspenseful moments, especially when danger was lurking nearby before Devlin realized it. There were times, however, when I thought Russin overexplained things such as auditing standards, water policy, or bureaucracy, which tended to slow the momentum just a bit. However, some readers may think those elements give the novel its own identity beyond a typical conspiracy thriller.

Another strength of the novel is Russin’s writing style. I love that it’s direct and balances well with plenty of dialogue. Even with its dark moments, the eccentric humor balances it out, especially as readers get to know Greg and Oscar and their banter. It keeps the novel from treading too deep into heavy territory, but the premise is never lost. I also appreciated the addition of reflective moments, especially concerning Devlin. For example, he would refer to Patumpka proverbs for guidance such as, “To Share Water is to Share Life. To Steal Water is to Steal Life.” Beyond this, I appreciated how the story did not lose focus on the ordinary people working in the journalists’ bar and the nearly forgotten tribal communities. The water proverbs tied well into the ugliness that happens when things we take for granted suddenly become scarce.

Overall, The Counterfeit Journalists is an investigative, conspiracy thriller with elements of environmental suspense and political conspiracy. The way Russin paints the atmosphere of this near-future, dried-up town will allow readers to fully invest in the story. It reminded me of Paolo Bacigalupi’s The Water Knife, where money and politics are reshaped by a scarce water supply. But Russin amps up the environmental crisis in his novel and connects it to misinformation, journalism, a tribal community, and fact-checking. It succeeds with its tension of looming danger, powerful entities, an unfair game of water control, and whether or not journalism and the truth are worth protecting.