The Names of Dead Girls

By Eric Rickstad

“As I read Eric Rickstad’s latest, The Names of Dead Girls, I felt myself constantly wanting to skip ahead -- anxious, desperate, to find out what was going to happen...You’re in the hands of one of the best in the business, at the very peak of his form. “ -- Michael Harvey, author of Brighton

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Eric Rickstad delivers another Canaan Crime novel and features once again detectives Frank Rath and Sonja Test as they track a depraved killer through rural Vermont.

Every murder tells a story. Some stories never end . . .

In a remote northern Vermont town, college student Rachel Rath is being watched. She can feel the stranger’s eyes on her, relentless and possessive. And she’s sure the man watching her is the same man who killed her mother and father years ago: Ned Preacher, a serial rapist and murderer who gamed the system to get a light sentence. Now, he’s free.

Detective Frank Rath adopted Rachel, his niece, after the shocking murder of her parents when she was a baby. Ever since, Rath’s tried to protect her from the true story of her parents’ deaths. But now Preacher is calling Rath to torment him. He’s threatening Rachel and plotting cruelties for her, of the flesh and of the mind. When other girls are found brutally murdered, and a woman goes missing, Rath and Detective Sonja Test must untangle the threads that tie these new crimes and some long-ago nightmares together. Soon they will learn that the truth is more perverse than anyone could guess, rife with secrets, cruel desires, and warped, deadly loyalty.

Mesmerizing, startling, and intricately plotted, The Names of Dead Girls builds relentlessly on its spellbinding premise, luring readers into its dark and macabre mystery, right to its shocking end.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Sep 12, 2017
• ISBN: 9780062672810

Eric Rickstad

Eric Rickstad is the New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author of The Silent Girls, Lie in Wait, and Reap, novels heralded as intelligent and profound, dark, disturbing, and heartbreaking. He lives in his home state of Vermont with his wife, daughter, and son.

Reviews for The Names of Dead Girls

[Jamie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Not a bad book. Few good twists. Did not expect the ending!

[Mitch Ryan · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book keeps you entranced with every turn of the page. If you have some great stories like this one, you can publish it on Novel Star, just submit your story to [e-mail] or [e-mail]

[aljaira · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great story I love how it was given. Good job writer! If you have some great stories like this one, you can publish it on Novel Star just submit your story to [e-mail]

[SamanthaL.Miller · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Really good book, couldn't put it down. Thrilling, twisty. Great read.

[Ronald j stanard · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Good read. Plot a little too complicatef.will read more of his books.

[cherylk_44 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the first book I have read by this author. I can guarantee that it will not be the last book I read by Mr. Rickstad. This book really can be read as a standalone novel. Yet, if you are like me and have not read the first book, The Silent Girls, you will be picking up a copy afterwards. Instantly, the intensity was cranked up and it only got better the further I got into the story. The dynamics between Rath and Preacher was very personal. This up'd the ante as Preacher knew how to push Rath's buttons. Yet, Rath had Preacher in his sights and he was just waiting for the right moment to move in for the kill. However, these two men were not the only leading characters in this story. There were two leading ladies as well. Detective Sonja Test and Rath's daughter, Rachel. Sonja was like a bulldog. She was not afraid to back down from a dangerous situation. Once, she went down a path, she was focused. Rachel could have sat back and let her father protect her but instead she decided to take matters in her own hands. A woman on a mission. The Names of Dead Girls is spine tingling addictive!

[carol420 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A very atmospheric story and a definite page turner. The author keeps the characters believable...the story was tight with few to no unnecessary parts. It's fast paced and it was nice to see some of the bad guys get their due at the hands of their victims. The dialogue was a tad weak but still interesting and easy to follow. If you are a James Patterson fan you will surely love this authors' offerings.

[Diane Berry · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Thoroughly good book, great follow up to a the silent girls..

[Jill Vod · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It takes over where The Silent Girls left off in a way that is seamless and easy to follow. I almost put it down, thinking I’d read it already.
The action is believable, the twists are hard to see coming and the characters are real.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, especially the way it tied up loose ends from the first story.