The Tragedy of Wild River Valley, written by Martha Finley and first published in 1893, is a juvenile fiction novel set in the post-Civil War American Midwest. The story follows Phelim O'Rourke, a soldier who returns home to find his love married to another man, leading him to join a gang planning a burglary. The narrative explores themes of morality, revenge, and family ties, as it intertwines the struggles of the O'Rourke family with those of the Heath family amidst rising criminal activity in their community.
