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Kat Campbell #1
Death Notice
Death Notice [Paperback] Ritter, Todd
326 pages, Paperback
First published October 12, 2010
22 people are currently reading
1702 people want to read
About the author
Todd Ritter
4 books302 followersAka Alan Finn
also see Riley Sager
Todd Ritter was born in rural Pennsylvania to a bank teller mother and a father who dabbled in taxidermy. He grew up among "Bambi"-esque forests and wide-open fields straight out of the cropduster scene from "North by Northwest." Appropriately, his two biggest influences are Walt Disney and Alfred Hitchcock. He lives in suburban New Jersey.
also see Riley Sager
Todd Ritter was born in rural Pennsylvania to a bank teller mother and a father who dabbled in taxidermy. He grew up among "Bambi"-esque forests and wide-open fields straight out of the cropduster scene from "North by Northwest." Appropriately, his two biggest influences are Walt Disney and Alfred Hitchcock. He lives in suburban New Jersey.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
July 5, 2015
This book had the best scene in a coffin I have ever read! ha! I have actually read alot of coffin scenes in my time, come to think of it. I will enthusiastically read the rest of this series.
December 31, 2017
3.5 stars
I picked this book up because I loved Final Girls. When I found out Riley Sager was Todd Ritter, I knew I had to read his older books. After about 100 pages, I was feeling very disappointed. The writing wasn't great, and the story wasn't pulling me in. Once I hit the halfway point the story started to pick up. I flew through the second half and ended up really enjoying the book.
I picked this book up because I loved Final Girls. When I found out Riley Sager was Todd Ritter, I knew I had to read his older books. After about 100 pages, I was feeling very disappointed. The writing wasn't great, and the story wasn't pulling me in. Once I hit the halfway point the story started to pick up. I flew through the second half and ended up really enjoying the book.
March 10, 2011
Death Notice is Todd Ritter’s debut mystery. If the way people are being killed doesn’t make you turn on the lights, then you’re a lot less squeamish than I am. I couldn’t have written this ‘cause I would have scared myself silly. Death Notice starts off with the killing of Winnick, then ratchets up the intensity by giving you just enough time between victims to catch your breath.
You get to know the people in the town and come to like Sheriff Campbell’s commitment to stopping the murderer. Your heart will race when the killer decides to make the chase personal for her. You’ll also be trying to figure out who in this small town could be the killer.
And, if you’re like me, you won’t forget Death Notice, no matter how you try. Todd Ritter puts you right into the victim’s head. Even if you’ve never met the victim before, you really want the good guys to get there and stop it. But you won’t stop reading because you want to know who the killer is. It makes your heart race and if it had been a movie, I would have covered my eyes through the scary parts.
I give Death Notice a rating of Hel-of-a-Story
You get to know the people in the town and come to like Sheriff Campbell’s commitment to stopping the murderer. Your heart will race when the killer decides to make the chase personal for her. You’ll also be trying to figure out who in this small town could be the killer.
And, if you’re like me, you won’t forget Death Notice, no matter how you try. Todd Ritter puts you right into the victim’s head. Even if you’ve never met the victim before, you really want the good guys to get there and stop it. But you won’t stop reading because you want to know who the killer is. It makes your heart race and if it had been a movie, I would have covered my eyes through the scary parts.
I give Death Notice a rating of Hel-of-a-Story
Want to read
May 15, 2019Found Riley Sager finally..
Hi, I'm Riley...
Hi, I'm Riley...
March 23, 2023
A great serial killer story. Solid characters. Quick read with plenty of red herrings.
May 6, 2024
Don’t you just love it when you pick up the book of an author you haven’t read before & immediately feel so comfortable with the characters, like you already know - & care - about them? I loved everything about this book (mmm….well maybe there’s one exception but I’ll get to that), the style of writing, the humour & of course I do like a gruesome murder.
There’s a strong lead in Kat but I felt all the characterisation was good. And let’s not forget Henry who I found quite endearing….not the ending I wanted for him but I’ll say no more about that…
The build up to the conclusion certainly had me on the edge of my seat but while it had me gripped I also found the one thing that stretched credibility a little () but I can let that slide.
Overall a great read - & it means I've now got yet another series to follow ;o)
There’s a strong lead in Kat but I felt all the characterisation was good. And let’s not forget Henry who I found quite endearing….not the ending I wanted for him but I’ll say no more about that…
The build up to the conclusion certainly had me on the edge of my seat but while it had me gripped I also found the one thing that stretched credibility a little () but I can let that slide.
Overall a great read - & it means I've now got yet another series to follow ;o)
July 20, 2015
This was a quick read, made even quicker because I scanned the pages during the last 20% of the book. By that time, I'd pretty much "gotten the message" and was eager to wind it up. I really enjoyed a later book in this series: Death Falls. This one was rather formulaic as far as the "chase" was concerned; however, it had very graphic descriptions about mortuary protocol and what it would be like to be trapped in a coffin/buried alive which might float the boats of some readers (thanks, but no thanks).
September 22, 2022
4/5
Not as polished as his Riley Sager works but still a propulsive mystery, and you can see the talent shining through at times. Parts of the plot get a little clunky or feel inorganic at times, but didn't really affect the readability for me. (This one is a lot more gruesome and bloody than the Sager books though, if you're considering reading it.)
Not as polished as his Riley Sager works but still a propulsive mystery, and you can see the talent shining through at times. Parts of the plot get a little clunky or feel inorganic at times, but didn't really affect the readability for me. (This one is a lot more gruesome and bloody than the Sager books though, if you're considering reading it.)
March 28, 2024
3.75 ⭐️
October 20, 2025
3.5 stars**
November 17, 2018
Good read
October 27, 2011
A solid debut mystery that was a bit too graphically gory for my taste. If the method that the killer uses doesn’t make you cringe, you’re a much stronger person that I am. Still, it won’t keep me from reading Ritter’s newly released second book.
A killer appears to be on the loose in Perry Hollow, Pennsylvania. The police chief is Kat Campbell, single mother of a boy with Down Syndrome. Nick Donnelly is a Lieutenant with the State Police, who arrives to assist with the case. Shortly before committing a murder, the killer faxes a death notice to Henry Goll, who writes obituaries for the local newspaper. Henry is an isolated man who is scarred both physically and emotionally from a terrible car accident in his past. He is nicknamed ‘The Ghoul’ by his co-workers.
Much of the time in the book is spent between these three characters and their backstories, and their attempt at finding the killer. While the revelation of the killer didn’t surprise me, I was not absolutely sure until the end. I was more pleased with who wasn’t revealed to be the killer --there is one that would have been too obvious. I think the author may have been a little too obvious in trying to flesh out his characters by giving them tragic backstories. For instance, there didn’t seem to be any helpful purpose to the murder of Nick’s sister.
But overall I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading the next, which is also set in Perry Hollow.
A killer appears to be on the loose in Perry Hollow, Pennsylvania. The police chief is Kat Campbell, single mother of a boy with Down Syndrome. Nick Donnelly is a Lieutenant with the State Police, who arrives to assist with the case. Shortly before committing a murder, the killer faxes a death notice to Henry Goll, who writes obituaries for the local newspaper. Henry is an isolated man who is scarred both physically and emotionally from a terrible car accident in his past. He is nicknamed ‘The Ghoul’ by his co-workers.
Much of the time in the book is spent between these three characters and their backstories, and their attempt at finding the killer. While the revelation of the killer didn’t surprise me, I was not absolutely sure until the end. I was more pleased with who wasn’t revealed to be the killer --there is one that would have been too obvious. I think the author may have been a little too obvious in trying to flesh out his characters by giving them tragic backstories. For instance, there didn’t seem to be any helpful purpose to the murder of Nick’s sister.
But overall I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading the next, which is also set in Perry Hollow.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2011
this was the author's first novel, so I'll give him some latitude, but... he had the bones of a good plot and originality- which isn't easy for a mystery novel. Unfortunately he took his good frame and filled in many spaces with some poorly thought-out characters/scenes It's set in a small town with a 2 person police force, yet it always takes them 20 minutes to travel across town? Overall though, it was a good first effort.
September 2, 2021
5/5⭐ without a doubt!
This book has everything one rocking thriller should: likable characters, fast pace, crazy serial killer, dozen of suspects, some gruesome crime-descriptions, and perfect setting! I honestly enjoyed every bit of it and would highly recommend it to everybody who likes thrillers! Can't wait to read the other 2 books from triology😍😍
P.S. hope that Henry will be back ❤
This book has everything one rocking thriller should: likable characters, fast pace, crazy serial killer, dozen of suspects, some gruesome crime-descriptions, and perfect setting! I honestly enjoyed every bit of it and would highly recommend it to everybody who likes thrillers! Can't wait to read the other 2 books from triology😍😍
P.S. hope that Henry will be back ❤
February 12, 2012
Absolutely Amazing! Not too groteseque, but just enough to send chills down your spine. The story was fast paced and well balanced. Every event made you nervous, each page showered with thriller. You can't put the book down xD
March 3, 2018
This is a great debut novel. I still can't get some of the visuals out of my head.
September 5, 2019
This could have been an excellent read from the pen of a capable writer. Awesome premise but what a muddle. I'm surprised the author got more books published after this.
January 22, 2024
Always having twists that I don't forsee coming! Highly recommend.
October 19, 2021
DNF, not what I was expecting for Sager. This was full of clichés for a detective novel.
August 14, 2017
A fairly fascinating read.
I don't usually read crime novels, I tend to enjoy the crimes writers come up with but find the investigation and the look into the detectives lives tedious and boring.
Death Notice focuses mostly on the crime and investigation, but keeps enough of the personal information so you can at least feel for the characters.
The crimes themselves are fascinating and I can say I liked the characters, especially Henry Goll. I took a shine to him.
The book was a solid read for a first novel in a series, but I did find it kind of...I guess once again tedious and cliche that pretty much every main character had to have a tragic backstory, like most characters in crime books it seems.
Very rarely do you come across a crime novel that has a detective or surrounding main characters without devastating tragedy in their life and honestly? It gets kind of boring and eye rolling to read the same kind of spiel you come across more often than a house spider.
A few bits in the book made me double take and think; "Really?" as some were kind of ludicrous or overly convenient but they were passable for an entertaining read.
I don't usually read crime novels, I tend to enjoy the crimes writers come up with but find the investigation and the look into the detectives lives tedious and boring.
Death Notice focuses mostly on the crime and investigation, but keeps enough of the personal information so you can at least feel for the characters.
The crimes themselves are fascinating and I can say I liked the characters, especially Henry Goll. I took a shine to him.
The book was a solid read for a first novel in a series, but I did find it kind of...I guess once again tedious and cliche that pretty much every main character had to have a tragic backstory, like most characters in crime books it seems.
Very rarely do you come across a crime novel that has a detective or surrounding main characters without devastating tragedy in their life and honestly? It gets kind of boring and eye rolling to read the same kind of spiel you come across more often than a house spider.
A few bits in the book made me double take and think; "Really?" as some were kind of ludicrous or overly convenient but they were passable for an entertaining read.
January 4, 2018
I had read a book written by this author under another name, and liked it enough to find what name he usually goes by, and found Todd Ritter. I had never read one of his books, but may read more because this one was good. It centers around a sleepy town not too far from Philadelphia, and it's Police Chief, Kat. The light of her life is her 10-year-old son with Down's Syndrome. A serial killer is faxing notes to the newspaper obituary writer, telling him the name of someone who would die and what time. There is a rush to try to save the victims before the time that is stated on the fax, with some of the rescues more successful than others.
The characters are well developed, and most are likable and relatable. The reason I didn't give it more stars is because I had some trouble understanding the reason the killer was targeting the last person, which was part of the culmination of the plot. I may read another of the Todd Ritter Kat Campbell series, because the book was very good other than my feeling left a little flat at the end. Maybe I missed something and another reader would "get it."
The characters are well developed, and most are likable and relatable. The reason I didn't give it more stars is because I had some trouble understanding the reason the killer was targeting the last person, which was part of the culmination of the plot. I may read another of the Todd Ritter Kat Campbell series, because the book was very good other than my feeling left a little flat at the end. Maybe I missed something and another reader would "get it."
December 10, 2018
I did thoroughly enjoy this book; it had solid pacing and the characters were well developed (for the most part) Although there were a lot of interesting, well fleshed out scenes - I found this book to be quite predictable. By the half way point I already knew who the killer was and pieced together a lot of the things that would tell them where they were and sort of their MO I guess but none of the officers on the case picked up on them when they were quite obvious. What I didn't know was the 'why', which in the end I didn't find completely satisfactory but I won't go into detail as to why for spoilers. However, overall I did still enjoy the book and recommend picking up for a quick, intriguing read.
December 19, 2019
The book is a far cry from the usual high quality of its author, however I should say I attribute all 2 stars to his unique writing and unusual twists.
Unfortunately, the killer is pretty obvious, especially when no one knows about the death notices and he asks about them. A lot of other, very obvious clues (like raw wood coming from a saw mill, who would think?) were neglected for more than half year to just be wrapped in a few minutes.
All in all, some slacks should be cut, considering this is a first published book. However, I would recommend this book only if you are looking forward to completing the series. My first choice, based on other reviews, was "Death Falls" /"Bad Moon" and I consider it far better.
Unfortunately, the killer is pretty obvious, especially when no one knows about the death notices and he asks about them. A lot of other, very obvious clues (like raw wood coming from a saw mill, who would think?) were neglected for more than half year to just be wrapped in a few minutes.
All in all, some slacks should be cut, considering this is a first published book. However, I would recommend this book only if you are looking forward to completing the series. My first choice, based on other reviews, was "Death Falls" /"Bad Moon" and I consider it far better.
October 20, 2018
Ein guter Thriller, denn bereits im Prolog wird Spannung erzeugt, die sich bis zum Ende durchzieht. Das packende Finale ist wirklich sehr gut gelungen, vor allem, weil lange nicht bekannt ist, wer der Täter ist. Der Erzähler gibt immer wieder Hinweise, die auf den Täter schließen lassen könnten, aber im nächsten Moment wird der Verdacht wieder aufgehoben oder auf jemand anderen gelenkt. Das finde ich sehr gut, da man als Leser ebenfalls seinen Spürsinn walten lässt, aber dann doch wieder auf eine andere Spur gelenkt wird. Allerdings fande ich einige Stellen zu langatmig und daher konnte mich das Buch leider nicht ganz so überzeugen. Dennoch kann ich es sehr empfehlen.
June 22, 2023
I had never heard of the author before, so I started with little to no expectations, but it pulled its worth. The author does not spare any of the gruesome details of the crimes, he manages to shed light on the crime and the crime-solving part which is not something you can find in many crime novels. It felt like I was watching one of the episodes of Criminal Minds (which is hand down my favorite show of all time) . The only letdown for me was the ending tho, I get why it ended the way it did, I didn't quite find it satisfactory.
October 28, 2020
A bit slow to start, but boy oh boy what a fast paced and crazy ending. Can’t say I was shocked, but I enjoyed the ride. The story certainly had me gasping and talking out loud at times. I just couldn’t help but express my horror at what was unfolding as I read on. The book kept my interest and I was entertained. I look forward to the next in the series.
November 1, 2020
Very good book! Loved the plot twists, engaging writing style, and suspenseful moments. Gave it 4 stars because it was much more graphic/gory than I expected. Definitely not a book to finish at 11:30 if you want to fall asleep at a reasonable time 😅 (I speak from experience). But I really loved it, and I'm looking forward to reading the next one!
October 25, 2022
I loved this book! It was fast paced and kept you guessing ! I had one open question which I won’t post hers so as not to spoil the fun but this was a face paced thriller that had aspects that bordered on horror! I burned through this book in a day and can’t wait to read the next one by Mr. Ritter!
December 13, 2023
This book is all around 5 stars from Riley Sager/Todd Ritter. It keeps you guessing the whole time who the killer is & what’s going to happen next. I love the fact that it is a 3 book collection. Curious to see what’s next for Kat Campbell in the other books. Many twists & turns & is really well written.
February 2, 2024
I really really enjoyed this one! I’ve burned through pretty much all of Riley Sanger’s books so I moved on to his Todd Ritter ones. I was not disappointed! I actually feel like his characters were much more fleshed out in this book. Lots of depth. It honestly wasn’t overly predictable! I can’t t wait to read the next one. 5 out of 5
Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews