cover image Find You in the Dark

Find You in the Dark

Nathan Ripley. Atria, $26 (368p) ISBN 978-1-5011-7820-7

Retired CEO Martin Reese, the Seattle-based protagonist of this gripping debut thriller from the pseudonymous Ripley (Canadian author Naben Ruthnum), has a bizarre hobby: combing through illegally purchased police files on serial killers, locating the undiscovered corpses of long-dead victims, and anonymously informing the police of the burial sites. His morbid fascination goes back decades to when his wife’s sister vanished, presumably murdered by a serial killer who was later caught and executed. But when Reese finds a freshly deceased corpse buried at a cold-case site in an old cemetery outside Seattle, he realizes too late that he has angered a mysterious serial killer who knows who he is and what he has been doing. With his family in danger and the police closing in on his identity, Reese becomes an unwilling pawn in the killer’s twisted game. The intriguing premise, competent character development, and numerous plot twists compensate for the predictable conclusion. Dexter fans will enjoy the creepy vibe. Agent: Samantha Haywood, Transatlantic (Canada). (June)