The Ghosts That Haunt Me: Memories of a Homicide Detective

In this engrossing memoir, retired Toronto police detective Steve Ryan, who spent more than 30 years on the force, recounts six homicide cases that deeply moved him. He starts by recalling the case of the kidnapping, murder, and dismembering of a 10-year-old girl, which made him decide to change from the sex crimes unit to the homicide unit. Even though the murderer was caught, the family, the neighborhood, and much of Toronto still grieves. Several of the heartbreaking cases involved children, and some hit particularly close to home. Ryan tells the story of the 14-year-old daughter of two police officers, who was stabbed to death on New Year’s Day by an ex-boyfriend, in shocking detail. And the way he finally solved a cold case of a tortured and murdered little girl whose parents stuffed her in a suitcase and set it on fire is truly tragic. In plain, effective prose, Ryan writes honestly of the toll his work took on him and his family, and of the cruelty, horror, and sadness of the victims that ultimately led him to retire. This stark and honest account is sure to move true crime and police drama fans. (Oct.)