A first-rate whodunnit from a writer to watch. The author’s note at the end of the book, which among other things explains the story’s setting, richly rewards the few minutes invested in reading it.

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. ( )

Unwilling to finish after first three chapters.
Didn't like writing style or how premise was presented ( )

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! ( )

The Names of Dead Girls by Eric Rickstad is a highly recommended police procedural/thriller. Detectives Frank Rath and Sonja Test work together again to track a depraved killer through rural Vermont and into Canada. This is a sequel to The Silent Girls, but can be read as a stand alone novel.

Rachel Rath is now a college student and she us being watched. Frank Rath and Rachel are sure the man who is watching her is the same man who killed her parents when she was a baby. Ned Preacher is out on parole now and he has called Frank, threatening Rachel. Frank has tried to protect his niece/adopted daughter from the horrifying details of her parents death, but now Rachel wants to know - and she may need to since Preacher is planning to harm her.

When Dana Clark, a woman who was the only survivor of an attack by the Connecticut River Valley Killer, goes missing, and another girl is found murdered, Frank Rath leaves retirement and works again with Sonja Test to investigate the murders and try to figure out if it is the Preacher or someone else. They are looking at old cases along with the new ones to try and piece together the information they need to find the killer. This includes withing with Canadian police detective Inspector Gerard Champine. Apparently there have been similar murder cases in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu.

The writing is excellent and there are several twists to the plot. Rickstad does an excellent job developing his characters while ratcheting up the suspense as the murder investigation is underway. The ever present, oppressive fog is both a character and a setting in The Names of Dead Girls. The heavy fog infiltrates the whole book and creates a foreboding atmosphere that, in turn, increases the tension you feel when reading. The Preacher and the heavy fog are both very creepy.

This is a nail biter, full of suspense, and should hold your attention from start to finish. It did feel like the actual procedural part, the detective work, was slightly lacking and it would have been nice to see more of the steps and the discovery as it all pertained to the investigation. While the main investigation is solved, there are still a few unanswered questions that may point to another book in the series.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of HarperCollins.

http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2017/09/the-names-of-dead-girls.html ( )