Two things Perry Hollow Police Chief Kat Campbell never thought she would do Enter a burning building, and lay eyes on Henry Goll, the man who was trapped inside with her the last time she was in one. So Kat's on high alert when, barely a year after the dust settled around the Grim Reaper killings, both happen on the same day.She's jolted awake at 1a.m. by a desperate phone call telling her Perry Hollow's one and only museum—home to all the town's historical artifacts—has been set on fire. Arriving at the scene, Kat catches just a glimpse of Henry's face among the crowd before she's rushed into the charred building, only to find the museum curator dead…bludgeoned, not burned. Kat has lived through some tense moments and seen some gruesome crimes, but the next twenty-four hours will be the most dangerous of her life as she and Henry seek out a killer and the motivation behind these terrifying crimes.Todd Ritter returns to the beloved town of Perry Hollow, Pennsylvania with Devil's Night, his most poignant, cleverly plotted novel yet.
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.
3 1/2 stars for Death Night, my second Todd Ritter book.
I have read and enjoyed (except for the ending) the first in this series, Death Falls.
Death Night took me a little longer to get interested in than Death Falls did, but on the whole it was a more satisfying read.
When the Perry Hollow Museum catches on fire, and the body of the head of the Museum Curator is found in a crawl space under the floor clutching a bag of human bones Police Chief Kat Campbell knows she has a mystery on her hand. For she was bludgeoned to death, not burnt and written on her hand are the words "THIS IS JUST THE FIRST".
But the first what? The first Murder? The first Arson?
And whose are the bones? And where did they come from? And why were they there, in the museum, protectively clutched to the chest of the dead woman?
Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins UK Avon, Avon publishers for the gift of a copy of Death Night in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
It is both frustrating and exciting to start a book at its climax, only to then be taken back in time to read about the events that led up to that point. That's exactly what happens in Death Night when we see police chief Kat Campbell standing inside a room that has been kitten out with propane tanks which could explode at any time. Fires are breaking out across the small town of Perry Hollow, fires which could devastate the town forever. Kat arrives at Perry Hollow's one and only museum which holds all of the town's historical artifacts, and finds inside the dead body of the museum's curator, but it wasn't the fire that killed him. The ensuing twenty-four hours are about to become the most dangerous of her life. I always say that I have a soft spot for female crime fiction detectives and I especially liked how well created the character of Kat was, she is a character with real depth and one where you can really see the effort the author has put into the character, especially in terms of her personal life and history.
Crime fiction which takes place in a small town American setting are some of my favourites to read. Small towns having their own rules, and they are places where everybody knows your business. In terms of where the story goes in Death Night it reminded me of a John Sandford novel I read a while ago, and it really shows the lengths that people will go to in order to protect their town and also to save it. There's real atmosphere all the way through Death Night and I could easily picture what I was reading thanks to Todd's quite vivid descriptions. The book had that 'American' feeling that I usually get from a Karen Rose novel, this one was just a thousand pages less.
Each chapter takes place over just one hour which makes the book exciting and extremely fast-paced. It's one of those books that demands a one or two-sitting read if possible. The mystery element is brilliantly done and it certainly kept me guessing throughout. I have read a number of books recently where the final resolution shocked me, but at the same time left me wondering how I didn't work it out sooner. In Death Night the final revelations are fantastic, and the reasoning behind everything is all too believable. How's that paragraph for ambiguity? In all seriousness though it is a great read.
It seems Todd Ritter's Kat Campbell series is another one that has passed me by until now, but I'll definitely be hoping to read the previous books in the very near future.
This is a really solid series, and I'm disappointed that it wasn't continued. The writing and plotting are strong, and the characters are likable but not simplistic. These books remind me of Linda Castillo's Kate Burkholder series, minus the Amish. Give it a try.
Well Kat Campbell definitely knows how to turn up the heat, that is, one crazed arsonist did in her beloved town of Perry Hollow. As told in true Todd Ritter fashion, Perry Hollow was haunted on this Halloween night. Amazing what can occur within a 24 hour period!
Historical landmarks burning hotter than the sun, bodies slain in the aftermath, faith and trust shaken, old relationships struggling to remain intact, is there any wonder poor Chief Campbell made it out alive?
If you've been following the Kat Campbell series, this book will not disappoint, although there is one section of the book that saddened me tremendously, but the ending was really great! Not sure if more books are in the work for this series, but it's one that I truly have enjoyed.
All the same characters you came to learn and love are still with us in this hellish Halloween story. When you discover who the killer is, I guarantee you, YOU will be surprised! You probably won't see it coming! Well done!
This is my first time reading Todd Ritter's Kat Campbell series. Thank you Netgallery for giving me the opportunity to read this novel. This is definitely a well written police procedural story and our lead character is certainly complex and developed. The plot gets a bit complicated and I found myself wondering where these "seeds" were leading; however, everything comes together at the end. I like the "who done it" plot - good read.
Police Chief Kat Campbell is in for a hellish 24 hours when she's awakened at 1 AM by a phone call telling her that Perry Hollow's museum is on fire. When she arrives on scene she swears she sees Henry Goll, whom she hasn't seen in a year, before entering the building to find the museum curator bludgeoned to death. However, neither the bludgeoning or the fire is the most interesting thing happening in the museum - it's what the victim died protecting. Running into Henry after things cool down, they embark on a twisted mystery including witchcraft, antiques, murders, and fires. ••• I'm so sad the Kat Campbell series came to an end because I loved all 3 books so much! Kat was such a strong, smart, likable character and the setting of Perry Hollow was your total small town where nothing bad was supposed to happen but actually was subject to a lot of tragedy and mystery. However, this was my least favorite of the 3 for a few reasons. I felt that some of the characters were not developed well and there was a lot of random plot points that didn't actually drive the story. I was also really sad about some of the fates of recurring characters and didn't feel that the ending packed the punch it deserved. I would rate this a 4/5 and recommend this to readers who are interested in stories about witchcraft.
The third instalment was just as good as the 1st and second. I was left guessing pretty much up until the last chapter, which for a Kat Campbell book I have to admit was pretty good going. These books have a way of keeping you guessing and changing your mind every few chapters however this one really pushed it to the limit. I suspected EVERYONE!. The story itself was gripping and emotional, but not in the same way as Bad Moon or Death Notice. I think I like that about these books, the fact that although they are similar they are, in their own way, very different. The ending left me wanting more but at the same time hoping that there was never a need for more to come. I felt that to continue would only bring about it unhappiness to an otherwise bitter-sweet ending. I won't say more on the matter at risk of spoiling it.
This is my least favourite book in the series. However, credit should be given for the outstanding writing skills, ever-present in a Todd Ritter book.
The book is a very nice wrap-up of the series but I have too many issues with the set-up.
First of all, the "everything happened in 24 hours" is ridiculous. Where did all the supplies come from? The main characters and their everlasting endurance are just as ridiculous and qualifies better for a superhero comic rather than a good mystery book. Again as in "Death Notice" important evidence is overlooked just to show up at a later point, several investigation lines unexplored. Again, what is wrong with these people who keep bringing children in potential crime scenes?
Overall, the book brings a conclusion to the series but would not recommend it as a standalone reading.
Marking this as a DNF even though I read way over and half and then the ending. I’ve enjoyed a lot of Riley Sager’s books, so I was curious to see what he wrote as Todd Ritter. This is actually part three in a series, which I didn’t realize when I picked it up. Part of why I’m not rating it. The other is that I had an ebook copy which wasn’t formatting correctly on my phone and may have contributed to my (lack of) enjoyment of this one. It wasn’t terrible by any means. But definitely reads like a less established author compared to his more recent books. Also kind of romancey in places, which doesn’t interest me in a crime story. Not in any real hurry to check out the others in this series, but I may try starting from book one at one point and see if it works better for me.
I’ve really enjoyed these Kat Campbell mysteries. The author does a great job really engaging you with the story and these characters. This particular plot took me a little longer to get into than the second book, but while I didn’t love the ending, I think it was necessary to leave us readers with things the way they were written. I would certainly recommend this book, but definitely read these stories in order for them to make the most sense as past events are frequently referenced.
Back in Perry Hollow, Pennsylvania, danger ratchets high as someone seems determined to destroy the community's most historic buildings. Arson after arson claims lives and destroys historic property. Police Chief Kat Campbell and returned friend Henry Goss find themselves on the precipice of constant danger and fatality.
Really good book, especially for being a part of a series. Love how he continued the storyline from the previous two books & we continue to see more about each character. I also like how this book tells the events that happened all in one day & with the different character points of view as well. A good ending to the series. Riley Sager books don’t disappoint.
Another thoroughly enjoyable story following Kat as Police Chief, hunting an arsonist over a period of hours, not days.Does she get her man (or woman)? The ending is fairly unexpected.
3.5 stars...I thought this was the weakest book in the Kat Campbell trilogy, but it was still quite enjoyable. I'm going to miss these books. I would love to see more Kat Campbell in the future.
Most times, I’m able to guess ‘who-did-it,’ but not so in this case. Ritter gave me whiplash from trying to guess who the culprit was. Just when I thought I had it all figured out—this is cliché, I know, but so very true—Ritter surprised me and I realized I was wrong. And the end? No way did I even come close to guessing it.
Kat Campbell is Perry Hollow’s Police Chief. The town—and Kat—has already seen its share of pandemonium. And now Kat is hoping things quiet back down again. But fire after fire has her literally running all over town trying to save what’s left of the historical buildings.
The first fire was the Historical Society and Exhibition Hall. And it’s not just an arsonist Kat needs to worry about. It’s a murderer. The museum’s curator Constance Bishop is found dead, slumped over a wooden chest beneath the burning floor of the museum. The death wasn’t a result of smoke inhalation or the fire at all but from being whacked over the head. This is just the start of the next exhausting twenty-four hours for Kat.
Her mind produces one suspect after another while she leaps headlong from one harrowing situation into another, determined to stop the murdering arsonist from striking again. All while trying to figure out the motive behind her town being attacked. It’s a terrifying ordeal for her and those around her and she ends up putting herself and others into very dangerous situations. The problem is, she’s not sure if she can get out of them alive before stopping the killer.
Ritter weaves a thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat, literally. This author is now at the top of my ‘must-read’ list.
Reviewed by Starr Gardinier Reina, author of “The Other Side: Melinda’s Story”
A gripping crime / thriller. Kat Campbell is the local police chief and gets more than she bargained for on Halloween when the local history museum goes up in smoke. But apart from an accidental fire or even arson they find one of the curators and member of the history society, Constance Bishop found in a crawlspace beneath the floor bludgeoned to death and beneath her a chest full of ancient bones. So now with TWO dead bodies on her hands with a sinister message written on Constance's wrist: "This is just the first." Kat is baffled, what does it mean? This is the first in a spate of murders? The first in a series of fires laid around town? The truth unfolds VERY quickly and with the help of an old friend and sidekick, Henry Goll she intends to find out. But with many things happening at once around Perry Hollow its a race against time to figure out who and what is at the heart of the terrible murder and fires. The town is slowly being destroyed and chaos is left in its wake, by the time Kat and Henry realise who is to blame will there be anything of Perry Hollow left to save? Brilliant from start to finish, exciting, fast paced and a real whodunnit with many suspects for the reader to puzzle over. This is my first read of this author but will definitely not be the last as he is one to look out for and is a must for all crime / thriller fans in genera. A wonderful read.
I loved the first two books in the Kat Campbell series, and I had loaned them to family members to enjoy as well. I was looking forward to enjoying this, the third in the series. Kat, Nick & Henry are back for another adventure, this time investigating arson and murder in the town of Sleepy Hollow. Unlike the first two books, this one was kinda cheesy as the plot unfolded, more "Murder She Wrote" than action-suspense-thriller, and there was too much drama related to relationships and romance. There were also too many coincidences in events that happened, and a moment (although I won't spoil it) where the reader thinks "Yeah right, no cop would do that". After the first two books, which were thrilling and thoroughly enjoyable, I was surprised at the way this book played out - it was as if written by a different author, not the talented Todd Ritter. Having said this, it wasn't the worst book I have read lately, and the ending wasn't bad, so I may consider reading a fourth book in this series based on my enjoyment of the first two, but to be honest, if this had been my first Ritter book, it would have been my last.
This is the 3rd in a series starring Kat Campbell, a single mom and Police Chief of a very small police department in a very small town in Pennsylvania. Even though its a very small town, serial killers seem to be abundant there.
This time around Kat is hunting down an arsonist and murderer who burned down the historic museum...with the president inside. With her body they also find a bag of old, old bones. And so the hunt begins.
In a typical small town, everyone knows everyone else, and the author does a really good job with descriptions and mannerisms. While there are several minor players in the mystery, they resonate with you and could also be your neighbors.
I enjoyed the book but this one did not excite me as much as the first two books in the series... seemed a little lackluster in a few areas. You don't 'have' to read the first ones as there are several mentions of what has happened previously, but I would recommend reading them in order.
I was given a copy of Death Night from NetGalley for an honest review and this is the review. I am a total fan of Todd Ritter and after reading Death Night I can't wait to see what happens next in this series. I love Kat as a character and I think she would be a really cool person if she really did exists and the rest of the characters in this series are also awesome as well. I loved this storyline because I really I had no idea who the arsonist was until the very end and I love that in a mystery, an author that keeps you guessing. I also enjoyed the bit of sexual tension between Henry and Kat and would love to see that go somewhere in the next book. Overall, this was an excellent read that I highly enjoyed and I would recommend it to others and that is why I am giving it five out of five stars.
Jolted awake in the early am and called to a fire at one of the Perry Hollow's historical buildings Chief Kat Campbell arrives only to find one of the museum's trustee has been murdered and left in the burning building. Then she comes face to face with Henry Goll from her past and things really start to happen. More historical building are burning and more people are turning up dead. Henry almost among them. As she hurries to solve this crime before her town is reduced to ashes she finds that these fires are tied into a mystery that is 300 years old. Can she and Henry Goll solve this mystery before they lose their own lives or before Perry Hollow is reduced to ashes. Can be read as a stand alone novel.
Todd Ritter has written another good one. This one, as usual has many surprises and suspects. I had no idea who the killer was and I loved that.
This was an edge of your seat journey that started out with a bang on the first page. There were even a couple of laughable moments to help release the tension before it started right back up again.
This was my third Todd Ritter book and I have loved them all. I can't believe he's not more popular than he is. Someone needs to market him.
Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for providing me with this free e-galley in exchange for an honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it!
Kat Campbell is the police chief is a small Pennsylvania town that is on the decline. Historic buildings are being burned and the body of the curator of the museum is found under the building after a fire along side a box of bones. A mysterious investor has just bought a large chunk of land. As the bodies and destruction piles up, Kat needs to find the motive. This is a good mystery read.