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Who Knew the Ridpath Girl: A Mystery
A gripping mystery perfect for fans of Amy Tintera following one man's investigation into the death of his sister years earlier, forcing him to confront old faces, a strong-willed detective, and a string of new murders in his remote small town.
Welcome to Meander, where truths are best left buried.
Gracen Ridpath has a secret. As the host of a successful YouTube channel for stay-at-home-dads, Gracen is known for his handy tips and trademark self-deprecating humor. But off camera, he struggles with the aftereffects of a tragedy that shaped him and everyone else in his hometown of the death of his eleven-year-old sister, Douggy.
When Gracen mentions his sister's long-ago death for the first time on his channel, he taps a vein of interest he hadn't known existed. Soon enough, he finds himself discussing a theory he's kept quiet for that Douggy chose to die. And he's finally figured out why . . . and who is to blame.
At first, Gracen is grateful for the jump in views, until his shift in content brings Quinn, Douggy's childhood best friend, back to Meander looking for answers. And when people start dying around them and detectives start asking questions, Gracen and Quinn find themselves at the center of an investigation that will prove to have consequences deadlier than they ever could've imagined.
Welcome to Meander, where truths are best left buried.
Gracen Ridpath has a secret. As the host of a successful YouTube channel for stay-at-home-dads, Gracen is known for his handy tips and trademark self-deprecating humor. But off camera, he struggles with the aftereffects of a tragedy that shaped him and everyone else in his hometown of the death of his eleven-year-old sister, Douggy.
When Gracen mentions his sister's long-ago death for the first time on his channel, he taps a vein of interest he hadn't known existed. Soon enough, he finds himself discussing a theory he's kept quiet for that Douggy chose to die. And he's finally figured out why . . . and who is to blame.
At first, Gracen is grateful for the jump in views, until his shift in content brings Quinn, Douggy's childhood best friend, back to Meander looking for answers. And when people start dying around them and detectives start asking questions, Gracen and Quinn find themselves at the center of an investigation that will prove to have consequences deadlier than they ever could've imagined.
448 pages, Paperback
Published April 14, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
November 24, 2025
✰ 2.75 stars ✰
I would not call it a mystery. In fact, I wouldn't even call it a thriller, more like an investigation that grew root when present-day murders inadvertently entwined with the past of those Who Knew the Ridpath Girl and their unsettled emotions regarding eleven-year-old Douggy's tragic apparent suicide that occurred in Meander, nearly fifteen years ago. 🍄
For despite how the three perspectives did eventually connect, there was no moment where I was able to connect the dots, regarding an explanation to the past, nor clues that led me to the culprit behind these twisted killings. The only way out is through. 😟 I had a very lackluster response to each reveal, as there was no build-up, nor indication, nor true revelation to each. It is just an admission; so what's the fun in that - as a reader.
“... I’m still waiting for that click of rightness when the pieces fall together and the lies are unmasked.”
I felt neither the tension nor the thrills, more like, okay, that's so out of left field, now how can I bring myself to care about it being solved? 🤷🏻♀️ It was also a slow start; one very much dedicated to setting the scene and introducing each character's background and their distinctive personalities and how affected they've been by a tragedy - a friend, a brother, and a cop, each with their own attempts to grasp it, as the mind remains at unrest.
Quinn's loss of their best friend, Gracen, whose guilty conscience as the brother who failed, was not allowing him to live in the now as a good father and husband, living out his grief and trauma through his podcast - he’d give a lot to know the truth, and Kirsten, whose own marriage is suffering because she brings the work home. The author does not shy to say how each is still struggling with the darkness of their traumatic pasts. 🥺
“The awful things people do, out of pettiness, or loneliness, or pain. The unbearably permanent, disproportionate consequences.”
As the truths were revealed, secrets no longer stayed hidden, it gave them each a moment of clarity and forgiveness for their past sins. ❤️🩹❤️🩹 Quinn taking the brave steps forward to the next stage of their lives, repairing fractured wounds, Gracen, whose only outlet had been his podcast, but now with the answers solved, he can finally forgive himself, and Kirsten, who of the three did not really get a fulfillment of happiness, but one where she at least has a moment to reflect on her future choices.
So as much as the suspense element failed to ignite, I can appreciate it as a character-driven one that allowed them to gain the closure needed in order to lay to rest the demons of their traumatic pasts and find a way to move on. 🌷
“It’s going to be okay. This terrible thing—it will leave scars. But life goes on. I promise.”
I would not call it a mystery. In fact, I wouldn't even call it a thriller, more like an investigation that grew root when present-day murders inadvertently entwined with the past of those Who Knew the Ridpath Girl and their unsettled emotions regarding eleven-year-old Douggy's tragic apparent suicide that occurred in Meander, nearly fifteen years ago. 🍄
For despite how the three perspectives did eventually connect, there was no moment where I was able to connect the dots, regarding an explanation to the past, nor clues that led me to the culprit behind these twisted killings. The only way out is through. 😟 I had a very lackluster response to each reveal, as there was no build-up, nor indication, nor true revelation to each. It is just an admission; so what's the fun in that - as a reader.
“... I’m still waiting for that click of rightness when the pieces fall together and the lies are unmasked.”
I felt neither the tension nor the thrills, more like, okay, that's so out of left field, now how can I bring myself to care about it being solved? 🤷🏻♀️ It was also a slow start; one very much dedicated to setting the scene and introducing each character's background and their distinctive personalities and how affected they've been by a tragedy - a friend, a brother, and a cop, each with their own attempts to grasp it, as the mind remains at unrest.
Quinn's loss of their best friend, Gracen, whose guilty conscience as the brother who failed, was not allowing him to live in the now as a good father and husband, living out his grief and trauma through his podcast - he’d give a lot to know the truth, and Kirsten, whose own marriage is suffering because she brings the work home. The author does not shy to say how each is still struggling with the darkness of their traumatic pasts. 🥺
“The awful things people do, out of pettiness, or loneliness, or pain. The unbearably permanent, disproportionate consequences.”
As the truths were revealed, secrets no longer stayed hidden, it gave them each a moment of clarity and forgiveness for their past sins. ❤️🩹❤️🩹 Quinn taking the brave steps forward to the next stage of their lives, repairing fractured wounds, Gracen, whose only outlet had been his podcast, but now with the answers solved, he can finally forgive himself, and Kirsten, who of the three did not really get a fulfillment of happiness, but one where she at least has a moment to reflect on her future choices.
So as much as the suspense element failed to ignite, I can appreciate it as a character-driven one that allowed them to gain the closure needed in order to lay to rest the demons of their traumatic pasts and find a way to move on. 🌷
December 7, 2025
I feel the characters' relatability in my bones. Quinn and Gracen are our main characters and we follow their lives in both the past and present. When Gracen discusses his sister's death in a podcast he creates, it brings factors into motion that had the potential to uncover sinister small town secrets. As a dweller in a small southern town, at least in spirit, I can relate to the whispers barely concealed as Gracen maneuvers recovering from this tragedy in relation to the family he loves now. This one is quickly paced and fraught with mystery- I could not look away and was so dedicated to unraveling the metaphorical red threads that I didn't want to put this one down. I came away from Ridpath concluding it was as entertaining and enthralling as a crime television show around generations of poverty, abuse, and how such things can end terribly and cause repercussions generations will suffer from. Stacy Johns delivers a thriller that is utterly bleak in it's reality, and she delivered. Thanks to the author and Poisoned Pen Press for the chance to read and review this eARC! All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you, NetGalley, for this ebook ARC of 'Who Knew The Ridpath Girl' by Stacy Johns, expected release date of 04/14/2026
ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book had such potential and started out strong but took a huge turn the last 20% or so, around when the (present day) murderer was revealed. What, why, how did THAT come about?
Through the whole book, all the hype about what happened to Douggy, Gracen's confession about his involvement didn’t make sense either, why then do a whole podcast suggesting she committed suicide knowing what you did to her right before she died?
Then the end. It was way too out there - chaotic, rushed, and ridiculous, it was hard to follow. For a 450-page book it was slow to go anywhere then hurried to finish and the last 20% just felt disjointed compared to the rest of the writing.
As far as the characters, I liked the surprise dual-role of the (present day) murderer, that was unexpected, but not enough was provided about her background or current life to make her reveal as exciting as it should’ve been. As for the main characters, I kinda, sorta liked Quinn although they didn't feel like a fully developed character. I didn't like Gracen (or his wife at all), they were shallow and not relatable (also, seemed like neither of them wanted to be parents). Kirsten was just OK and I didn’t understand the need for her character to prematurely fire her weapon. I guess what I'm trying to say is the character development was weak, and the storyline was not executed very well.
ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book had such potential and started out strong but took a huge turn the last 20% or so, around when the (present day) murderer was revealed. What, why, how did THAT come about?
Through the whole book, all the hype about what happened to Douggy, Gracen's confession about his involvement didn’t make sense either, why then do a whole podcast suggesting she committed suicide knowing what you did to her right before she died?
Then the end. It was way too out there - chaotic, rushed, and ridiculous, it was hard to follow. For a 450-page book it was slow to go anywhere then hurried to finish and the last 20% just felt disjointed compared to the rest of the writing.
As far as the characters, I liked the surprise dual-role of the (present day) murderer, that was unexpected, but not enough was provided about her background or current life to make her reveal as exciting as it should’ve been. As for the main characters, I kinda, sorta liked Quinn although they didn't feel like a fully developed character. I didn't like Gracen (or his wife at all), they were shallow and not relatable (also, seemed like neither of them wanted to be parents). Kirsten was just OK and I didn’t understand the need for her character to prematurely fire her weapon. I guess what I'm trying to say is the character development was weak, and the storyline was not executed very well.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 28, 2026
Quinn has returned to their hometown for the first time in years, and not for a happy reason - they need to confront their neglectful mother and secure help for their brother. But the town has been rocked by a recent podcast reliving the death of a young girl, Douggy, who ate the notoriously named Death Cap mushrooms at only 11 years old. Her brother, Gracen, a well-known podcaster, is claiming that it may have been suicide rather than an accident and is shaking up the whole town. Quinn, who was Douggy’s only friend, is struggling with the information, as a sudden speed of deaths start occurring. Are they related to the recent podcast? Or is a random killer suddenly stalking Meander? These young people who have led hard lives struggle with these answers while facing down their own traumas.
This book is told from multiple points of views, including Quinn, Gracen, and the lead detective on the case.
This book deals with a lot of issues, including the tragic death of a young child and generational familial trauma, so needless to say it’s not exactly a bright and cherry book. But the storyline is really good and it addresses these topics in a really realistic and mature way. The characters were really well developed and layered so I really feel like I got to know them and empathize with them.
As far as the plot, I really enjoyed the story, especially the historical mystery with the death of Douggy and the events surrounding that. The solution to the current day deaths was not as interesting to me, though I didn’t guess it, and I wouldn’t call it boring at all! I just wasn’t as invested in it. The mystery from the podcast and its solution was so good and it caught me by surprise, in all the right ways. It made sense and filled in a lot of plot points, like a good mystery solution should.
The main characters were also very good and I liked getting to know them. I wasn’t a huge fan of Kirsten, I couldn’t really get a read on her, but Gracen and Quinn were both great. They were down-to-Earth and flawed, but trying to work through it. I was rooting for them.
Overall, I definitely recommend this book! It has a good, if dark, mystery and complex characters. It’ll be a great addition to any mystery fan’s collection!
This book is told from multiple points of views, including Quinn, Gracen, and the lead detective on the case.
This book deals with a lot of issues, including the tragic death of a young child and generational familial trauma, so needless to say it’s not exactly a bright and cherry book. But the storyline is really good and it addresses these topics in a really realistic and mature way. The characters were really well developed and layered so I really feel like I got to know them and empathize with them.
As far as the plot, I really enjoyed the story, especially the historical mystery with the death of Douggy and the events surrounding that. The solution to the current day deaths was not as interesting to me, though I didn’t guess it, and I wouldn’t call it boring at all! I just wasn’t as invested in it. The mystery from the podcast and its solution was so good and it caught me by surprise, in all the right ways. It made sense and filled in a lot of plot points, like a good mystery solution should.
The main characters were also very good and I liked getting to know them. I wasn’t a huge fan of Kirsten, I couldn’t really get a read on her, but Gracen and Quinn were both great. They were down-to-Earth and flawed, but trying to work through it. I was rooting for them.
Overall, I definitely recommend this book! It has a good, if dark, mystery and complex characters. It’ll be a great addition to any mystery fan’s collection!
May 5, 2026
This was absolutely impossible to get through
July 28, 2026
This book has me hooked from start to finish!! Even with so many theories swirling in my head, nothing could have prepared me for the twisty ending! This story explores the trauma left behind for family and friends after Douggy Ridpath died (either accidentally or by suicide).You’ll follow multiple POVs in this story including Douggy’s brother Gracon (who blames himself for Douggy’s death), Quinn (Douggy’s childhood best friend who’s haunted by Douggie’s last phone call) and the detective who is investigating multiple murders that are somehow linked to Gracon’s podcast “The Ridpath Girl” . This story has a bit of everything: Tragedy, Revisiting the past, buried guilt/trauma, small town drama, dark secrets, LGBTQIA rep
Definitely worth checking out!
Thank you to Net Galley and Poisoned Pen Press for the gifted copy in exchange for my review. These are my opinions alone
Definitely worth checking out!
Thank you to Net Galley and Poisoned Pen Press for the gifted copy in exchange for my review. These are my opinions alone
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
In the stagnant town of Meander, Oregon, a decades-old tragedy refuses to stay buried in Stacy John's latest thriller, WHO KNEW THE RIDPATH GIRL Eleven-year-old Douggy Ridpath’s death was always called an accident—until her brother, Gracen, launched a voyeuristic true-crime podcast that set the town ablaze with suspicion.
As the oppressive weight of the past resurfaces, a new string of chilling murders begins to mirror Douggy’s final moments, forcing the fractured residents to face their own complicit silence. Trapped between a melancholy history and a deadly present, Detective Kirsten Boon must navigate a slow-burning web of intertwined secrets to find a redemptive truth before the town's ominous cycle of violence claims its next victim.
Key Characters...
Highlights...
2006: Ten years ago, 11-year-old Douggy Ridpath died after eating poisonous mushrooms.
Gracen starts investigating, suggesting on his podcast that his sister's death was not a simple accident, but perhaps a planned suicide or murder. Quinn DeCelles, Douggy’s childhood best friend, returns to town with her own secret motivations to investigate the death. As the podcast gains traction, residents of Meander start dying, drawing in detective Kirsten Boon.
Detective Kirsten Boon, who is already struggling with self-doubt after a previous case resulted in an innocent man's death, is tasked with investigating the new murders and untangling the truth behind Douggy's death.
The engrossing mystery focuses on deep-seated family dysfunction, guilt, and the danger of unearthing buried truths in a small town.
My thoughts...
An atmospheric, moody, and chilling psychological thriller that explores grief, trauma, and the deceptive nature of memories while utilizing a podcast element similar to true crime media to drive the narrative.
The vibe is chilly, claustrophobic, and modern-noir. A blending of a binge-worthy true crime podcast and a "small town with a dark secret" thriller.
Set in Meander, Oregon— damp woods, grey skies, and that heavy, "everyone is watching" feeling typical of isolated towns. It’s high-tension but introspective, and told through multiple perspectives. The claustrophobic setting is "oppressive" and "complicit," acting as a character that actively tries to keep its "buried truths" hidden.
WHO KNEW THE RIDPATH GIRL explores the consequences of uncovering the past and how a community reacts when a seemingly settled tragedy is questioned. The tension lies in the collision of unresolved past trauma, public investigation, and present-day danger.
The author effectively uses several thematic and narrative elements to explore how the past refuses to stay buried in a small town. Exploring the consequences of turning private tragedies into public entertainment.
Vibe...
~Oppressive, Chilling, Melancholy, Stagnant, Ominous
Themes...
~The Burden of Guilt
~The Ethics of Modern True Crime:
~Small-Town Secrets
~Family Dysfunction & Abandonment
Narrative & Stylistic Elements
~Multiple Perspectives
~Atmospheric Pacing
~Chilling & Unsettling
~Dual Timelines/Echoes
The story is told through the viewpoints of Gracen, Quinn, and Detective Boon, allowing the reader to see the investigation from civilian, emotional, and professional angles. The plot relies heavily on the "then and now" structure, where modern murders mirror the details of Douggy’s death in 2006.
Ultimately, the characters are all "fighting for something"— a normal childhood for a daughter, a marriage, or justice—as they attempt to find a way to let go of their pasts.
Character-driven, a slow-burning, intertwined mystery. The relationship between Detective Boon and Gracen Ridpath is one of the most tense elements of the book, as they represent two very different ways of seeking "justice." By the end, their relationship serves to highlight the difference between vengeance (Gracen’s goal) and legal truth (Boon’s goal).
An interesting character, Detective Kirsten Boon’s investigation is less of a standard police procedural and more of a personal battle against her own history of failure. She is terrified of making another mistake, which creates tension between her need for the truth and her fear of ruining another life. Her character arc demonstrates how the book's themes of guilt and redemption intersect with the law and small-town judgment.
Every main character is running from their past with the weight of guilt and regret:
~Gracen feels responsible for not protecting his sister.
~Detective Boon is haunted by a professional mistake that cost an innocent man his freedom.
~Quinn carries the "survivor’s guilt" of being the one who lived and moved on while Douggy stayed trapped in Meander.
The novel highlights how children are often the most vulnerable to the failures of adults. It examines bullying, neglect, and the long-term psychological "scars" that follow a person into adulthood if their childhood trauma is never addressed.
The ultimate takeaway is that silence is a form of complicity. While a single person may commit a crime, an entire community—and even a family—can be responsible for a tragedy if they choose to look away from suffering to maintain their own comfort.
Justice isn't just about catching a killer; it’s about acknowledging the collective failures that allowed a victim to fall through the cracks in the first place.
My first book by the author, and I look forward to reading more!
Recs...
If you enjoyed the "true crime podcast" mixed with "small-town secrets" in "Who Knew the Ridpath Girl," I would recommend these titles with similar vibes:
~Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera
~None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell
~All Good People Here by Ashley Flowers
~The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
Special thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for graciously sharing an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: April 14, 2026
My Rating: 4 Stars
April Newsletter
As the oppressive weight of the past resurfaces, a new string of chilling murders begins to mirror Douggy’s final moments, forcing the fractured residents to face their own complicit silence. Trapped between a melancholy history and a deadly present, Detective Kirsten Boon must navigate a slow-burning web of intertwined secrets to find a redemptive truth before the town's ominous cycle of violence claims its next victim.
Key Characters...
~The Influencer/Gracen Ridpath:
A guilt-ridden influencer seeking closure and someone to blame for his sister's death.
~The Childhood Friend/Quinn DeCelles:
A returning resident with a complex history involving abandonment and a secret agenda.
~The Investigator/Detective Kirsten Boon:
A strong-willed but shaken investigator trying to prevent a new tragedy
~The Victim:
Douggy Ridpath, though deceased, is the presence that drives everyone’s actions. Her childhood was marked by a devastating injury, bullying, and a dysfunctional home life
Highlights...
2006: Ten years ago, 11-year-old Douggy Ridpath died after eating poisonous mushrooms.
Gracen starts investigating, suggesting on his podcast that his sister's death was not a simple accident, but perhaps a planned suicide or murder. Quinn DeCelles, Douggy’s childhood best friend, returns to town with her own secret motivations to investigate the death. As the podcast gains traction, residents of Meander start dying, drawing in detective Kirsten Boon.
Detective Kirsten Boon, who is already struggling with self-doubt after a previous case resulted in an innocent man's death, is tasked with investigating the new murders and untangling the truth behind Douggy's death.
The engrossing mystery focuses on deep-seated family dysfunction, guilt, and the danger of unearthing buried truths in a small town.
My thoughts...
An atmospheric, moody, and chilling psychological thriller that explores grief, trauma, and the deceptive nature of memories while utilizing a podcast element similar to true crime media to drive the narrative.
The vibe is chilly, claustrophobic, and modern-noir. A blending of a binge-worthy true crime podcast and a "small town with a dark secret" thriller.
Set in Meander, Oregon— damp woods, grey skies, and that heavy, "everyone is watching" feeling typical of isolated towns. It’s high-tension but introspective, and told through multiple perspectives. The claustrophobic setting is "oppressive" and "complicit," acting as a character that actively tries to keep its "buried truths" hidden.
WHO KNEW THE RIDPATH GIRL explores the consequences of uncovering the past and how a community reacts when a seemingly settled tragedy is questioned. The tension lies in the collision of unresolved past trauma, public investigation, and present-day danger.
The author effectively uses several thematic and narrative elements to explore how the past refuses to stay buried in a small town. Exploring the consequences of turning private tragedies into public entertainment.
Vibe...
~Oppressive, Chilling, Melancholy, Stagnant, Ominous
Themes...
~The Burden of Guilt
~The Ethics of Modern True Crime:
~Small-Town Secrets
~Family Dysfunction & Abandonment
Narrative & Stylistic Elements
~Multiple Perspectives
~Atmospheric Pacing
~Chilling & Unsettling
~Dual Timelines/Echoes
The story is told through the viewpoints of Gracen, Quinn, and Detective Boon, allowing the reader to see the investigation from civilian, emotional, and professional angles. The plot relies heavily on the "then and now" structure, where modern murders mirror the details of Douggy’s death in 2006.
Ultimately, the characters are all "fighting for something"— a normal childhood for a daughter, a marriage, or justice—as they attempt to find a way to let go of their pasts.
Character-driven, a slow-burning, intertwined mystery. The relationship between Detective Boon and Gracen Ridpath is one of the most tense elements of the book, as they represent two very different ways of seeking "justice." By the end, their relationship serves to highlight the difference between vengeance (Gracen’s goal) and legal truth (Boon’s goal).
An interesting character, Detective Kirsten Boon’s investigation is less of a standard police procedural and more of a personal battle against her own history of failure. She is terrified of making another mistake, which creates tension between her need for the truth and her fear of ruining another life. Her character arc demonstrates how the book's themes of guilt and redemption intersect with the law and small-town judgment.
Every main character is running from their past with the weight of guilt and regret:
~Gracen feels responsible for not protecting his sister.
~Detective Boon is haunted by a professional mistake that cost an innocent man his freedom.
~Quinn carries the "survivor’s guilt" of being the one who lived and moved on while Douggy stayed trapped in Meander.
The novel highlights how children are often the most vulnerable to the failures of adults. It examines bullying, neglect, and the long-term psychological "scars" that follow a person into adulthood if their childhood trauma is never addressed.
The ultimate takeaway is that silence is a form of complicity. While a single person may commit a crime, an entire community—and even a family—can be responsible for a tragedy if they choose to look away from suffering to maintain their own comfort.
Justice isn't just about catching a killer; it’s about acknowledging the collective failures that allowed a victim to fall through the cracks in the first place.
My first book by the author, and I look forward to reading more!
Recs...
If you enjoyed the "true crime podcast" mixed with "small-town secrets" in "Who Knew the Ridpath Girl," I would recommend these titles with similar vibes:
~Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera
~None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell
~All Good People Here by Ashley Flowers
~The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
Special thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for graciously sharing an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: April 14, 2026
My Rating: 4 Stars
April Newsletter
November 12, 2025
This is the second book of Stacy's that I have read, Teague House being the first, and I really enjoy her writing style. Good mystery that keeps you guessing. Thought I had it figured out, but nope, loved the twist! Look forward to reading more of Stacy's work.
November 24, 2025
A good 85% of this book was what I expected from the blurb.
Damaged people still coming to terms with trauma, months, or years after it happened.
Our three main characters were written well, each of them seemed believable to me.
I particularly liked Quinn.
But the book hits a certain point where it goes quite wild, just not what I expected at all. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it, but it felt very different to the rest of the book.
I'd be interested in revisiting each of these characters, checking in on them in the future, see how they've moved on.
Always a good sign when you feel that for them.
Thanks to netgalley for the free digital copy.
Damaged people still coming to terms with trauma, months, or years after it happened.
Our three main characters were written well, each of them seemed believable to me.
I particularly liked Quinn.
But the book hits a certain point where it goes quite wild, just not what I expected at all. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it, but it felt very different to the rest of the book.
I'd be interested in revisiting each of these characters, checking in on them in the future, see how they've moved on.
Always a good sign when you feel that for them.
Thanks to netgalley for the free digital copy.
June 18, 2026
First, I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher Poisened Pen Press for the E-ARC.
This book is marketed as a mystery, and it certainly has mystery elements to it. Melissa "Douggy" Ridpath dies at 11, the official story an accident, but her older brother Gracen suspects it may have been suicide. Gracen, many years later, starts a podcast called "Who Knew the Ridpath Girl" which brings up a world of emotions, questions surrounding her death, and who, if anyone drove her toward the act of ending her life, if it was in fact, suicide. He gives vague descriptions of who the people involved might be that could have driven his sister to suicide after a dog bit her as an even younger child, which we find out in the prologue chapter.
The story is told from three POVs: Gracen, the brother; Quinn, the best friend; and Kirsten, one detective assigned to the case of a murder victim who might be connected to everything.
The first perspective we are met with is Quinn's . This character was my first encounter with a non-binary identifying character, so to say the least, I was incredibly confused when I kept reading they/them pronouns. I kept thinking, who are they? Why does this character keep referring to multiple people? I caught on eventually, but it takes about two entire chapters from this character's perspective to even mention that they are non-binary identifying.
Quinn's POV seems to take up most of the book, and 90% of what is going on in their chapters doesn't seem to be relevant at all to what the story is supposed to be about. Which is in itself incredibly confusing because this story is supposed to be about Gracen and determining whether his sister's death was an accident or suicide.
A lot of what happens seems to center on Quinn, but the blurb talks about Quinn coming back to meander looking for answers about Douggy's death, and somehow Gracen doesn't like that? This is not the primary reason Quinn has come back to Meander. Sure, they listen to the podcast, and it makes them doubt their own involvement in what happened, wondering if it was their fault, and so they go looking for closure on that. This is only a secondary reason until the podcast they had wanted to remain mostly anonymous, get what they need from their mother and go back to the life they left behind.
I skimmed a lot, especially toward the end, because I just wanted to see if we got our big reveal of who committed the recent murders. It took a long time to get there. The story got incredibly boring for me, so much fluff and not enough to keep my attention. I read a lot of mysteries, and this did not feel like one at all. There was no tension, no build-up, very few breadcrumbs to tease us with and make us feel high stakes tension that I usually find in mystery stories.
Kirsten's character development seems to lack, it's like the author had to throw every cop trope in there, where they had a case that went bad in the past, and allegedly is neglecting herself, her family, everything around them, and not seeking help, to a husband who is fed up with her putting her job before them, while she is working on an active case, and so of course the only solution is divorce. Honestly, a lot of this was out of left field for me. We don't get to see what this character is like outside of an active case. We are literally introduced to her when the first recent murder happens, as she is the lead investigator in that case. So all we see is a detective trying to do her job and an unsupportive husband, with no evidence whatsoever for these things to cumulate immediately after a second person has been murdered and is probably connected to the first murder so yeah, her attention is going to be on the case, we have a potential serial killer here.
The ending of the book feels rushed, like we spent 90% of the book getting to this point, and honestly, the reveal of what really happened to Douggy was a letdown. But wait, we still haven't found out who is responsible for the murders. Who that ends up being makes no sense to me, also feeling like out of left field.
We get our reveal, everything seems to resolve, but then the story keeps going to a point that makes no sense for an ending.
I wanted to like this one, the prologue chapter had me interested, but the execution of this story was not where it ought to have been, for what was supposed to be a mystery book it felt more like a contemporary fiction with mystery elements, because it was more a journey of self-healing than it was solving a mystery.
This book is marketed as a mystery, and it certainly has mystery elements to it. Melissa "Douggy" Ridpath dies at 11, the official story an accident, but her older brother Gracen suspects it may have been suicide. Gracen, many years later, starts a podcast called "Who Knew the Ridpath Girl" which brings up a world of emotions, questions surrounding her death, and who, if anyone drove her toward the act of ending her life, if it was in fact, suicide. He gives vague descriptions of who the people involved might be that could have driven his sister to suicide after a dog bit her as an even younger child, which we find out in the prologue chapter.
The story is told from three POVs: Gracen, the brother; Quinn, the best friend; and Kirsten, one detective assigned to the case of a murder victim who might be connected to everything.
The first perspective we are met with is Quinn's . This character was my first encounter with a non-binary identifying character, so to say the least, I was incredibly confused when I kept reading they/them pronouns. I kept thinking, who are they? Why does this character keep referring to multiple people? I caught on eventually, but it takes about two entire chapters from this character's perspective to even mention that they are non-binary identifying.
Quinn's POV seems to take up most of the book, and 90% of what is going on in their chapters doesn't seem to be relevant at all to what the story is supposed to be about. Which is in itself incredibly confusing because this story is supposed to be about Gracen and determining whether his sister's death was an accident or suicide.
A lot of what happens seems to center on Quinn, but the blurb talks about Quinn coming back to meander looking for answers about Douggy's death, and somehow Gracen doesn't like that? This is not the primary reason Quinn has come back to Meander. Sure, they listen to the podcast, and it makes them doubt their own involvement in what happened, wondering if it was their fault, and so they go looking for closure on that. This is only a secondary reason until the podcast they had wanted to remain mostly anonymous, get what they need from their mother and go back to the life they left behind.
I skimmed a lot, especially toward the end, because I just wanted to see if we got our big reveal of who committed the recent murders. It took a long time to get there. The story got incredibly boring for me, so much fluff and not enough to keep my attention. I read a lot of mysteries, and this did not feel like one at all. There was no tension, no build-up, very few breadcrumbs to tease us with and make us feel high stakes tension that I usually find in mystery stories.
Kirsten's character development seems to lack, it's like the author had to throw every cop trope in there, where they had a case that went bad in the past, and allegedly is neglecting herself, her family, everything around them, and not seeking help, to a husband who is fed up with her putting her job before them, while she is working on an active case, and so of course the only solution is divorce. Honestly, a lot of this was out of left field for me. We don't get to see what this character is like outside of an active case. We are literally introduced to her when the first recent murder happens, as she is the lead investigator in that case. So all we see is a detective trying to do her job and an unsupportive husband, with no evidence whatsoever for these things to cumulate immediately after a second person has been murdered and is probably connected to the first murder so yeah, her attention is going to be on the case, we have a potential serial killer here.
The ending of the book feels rushed, like we spent 90% of the book getting to this point, and honestly, the reveal of what really happened to Douggy was a letdown. But wait, we still haven't found out who is responsible for the murders. Who that ends up being makes no sense to me, also feeling like out of left field.
We get our reveal, everything seems to resolve, but then the story keeps going to a point that makes no sense for an ending.
I wanted to like this one, the prologue chapter had me interested, but the execution of this story was not where it ought to have been, for what was supposed to be a mystery book it felt more like a contemporary fiction with mystery elements, because it was more a journey of self-healing than it was solving a mystery.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is a story that is family drama with a mystery woven throughout. I am not sure how to rate this as there were parts I really liked, and parts that seemed rushed. I will break down with what I liked/What I struggled with!
The story is about what happened to the Ridpath's, all of them, after the death of Melissa "Douggy" Ridpath. Gracen is Douggy's older brother. He has always been charged with watching her. One day an incident happens that scars Douggy both physically and mentally. After this, life for the Ridpath's goes downhill, and Douggy eventually is suspected of committing suicide. About a decade later, Gracen begins a podcast about the incident, wanting to try and figure out what happened to cause Douggy to take this action. Gracen is dealing with his own traumas; his father left after Douggy's death, his mother simply gave up on life and had resentment toward Gracen.
Quinn was Douggy's best friend at the time. She, too is struggling with what happened, as well as issues in her own family. She goes back to Meander to see her estranged mother. While there she begins listening to the podcast, and old hurts and anger is stirred up. She starts to question the people that were involved.
Eventually, people who were around at that time, begin to be murdered. Police Detective Kristem is charged with figuring out what is going on.
Ok-
What I Liked"
1. Quinn and Gracen. They are struggling with so much, and trying to move onward. Yet the pain and trauma they experienced are so evident. Stacy Johns did a fantastic job of writing characters that have flaws, hurts, and yet still have a little hope. I found I was rooting for them.
2. The small town atmosphere. The things that happened in the past are still felt, and it brings a tension to the story. That one moment in time affected the trajectory of so many lives.
3. The way she explored the mental health issues through the main male character. This is not seen very often, and I felt she handled it with care and empathy.
What I Struggled With:
1. It begins as more of a deep exploration into a family drama. I was pulled in, wondering where it would go. But then the "mystery"- it was very slow, and we are introduced to them as a kind of secondary plot. However, it does all come together- more on that.
2. The tying up of the case! I feel that there was no build up to the culprit. Yes I thought this person was a bit off- but the WHY was really ridiculous and seemed to come out of left field.
3. Detective Kristen. She is a mess! And there are references to why she is this way, but the reader is never given the back story. This was very frustrating because she made some silly choices that a seasoned detective would not have made. But if we had an understanding of the back story, the reader might understand these choices.
4. What really happened to the Ridpath girl. We know how she died, but the reveal about what really happened seem rushed and a bit out of nowhere.
So overall a decent read, heavy on family secrets and drama, confusing on the 2 different mystery plotlines! I think it could have been a great mystery, but...
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.
The story is about what happened to the Ridpath's, all of them, after the death of Melissa "Douggy" Ridpath. Gracen is Douggy's older brother. He has always been charged with watching her. One day an incident happens that scars Douggy both physically and mentally. After this, life for the Ridpath's goes downhill, and Douggy eventually is suspected of committing suicide. About a decade later, Gracen begins a podcast about the incident, wanting to try and figure out what happened to cause Douggy to take this action. Gracen is dealing with his own traumas; his father left after Douggy's death, his mother simply gave up on life and had resentment toward Gracen.
Quinn was Douggy's best friend at the time. She, too is struggling with what happened, as well as issues in her own family. She goes back to Meander to see her estranged mother. While there she begins listening to the podcast, and old hurts and anger is stirred up. She starts to question the people that were involved.
Eventually, people who were around at that time, begin to be murdered. Police Detective Kristem is charged with figuring out what is going on.
Ok-
What I Liked"
1. Quinn and Gracen. They are struggling with so much, and trying to move onward. Yet the pain and trauma they experienced are so evident. Stacy Johns did a fantastic job of writing characters that have flaws, hurts, and yet still have a little hope. I found I was rooting for them.
2. The small town atmosphere. The things that happened in the past are still felt, and it brings a tension to the story. That one moment in time affected the trajectory of so many lives.
3. The way she explored the mental health issues through the main male character. This is not seen very often, and I felt she handled it with care and empathy.
What I Struggled With:
1. It begins as more of a deep exploration into a family drama. I was pulled in, wondering where it would go. But then the "mystery"- it was very slow, and we are introduced to them as a kind of secondary plot. However, it does all come together- more on that.
2. The tying up of the case! I feel that there was no build up to the culprit. Yes I thought this person was a bit off- but the WHY was really ridiculous and seemed to come out of left field.
3. Detective Kristen. She is a mess! And there are references to why she is this way, but the reader is never given the back story. This was very frustrating because she made some silly choices that a seasoned detective would not have made. But if we had an understanding of the back story, the reader might understand these choices.
4. What really happened to the Ridpath girl. We know how she died, but the reveal about what really happened seem rushed and a bit out of nowhere.
So overall a decent read, heavy on family secrets and drama, confusing on the 2 different mystery plotlines! I think it could have been a great mystery, but...
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The book started pretty strong and grabbed my attention from the very first page, but as I progressed, I got to know that it is not a 'whodunnit' story; rather, it took me through the lives of three characters.
3.2
I’d like to thank NetGalley, the publisher Poisoned Pen Press, and the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The story follows three distinct threads. In the past, we see glimpses of Gracen’s (POV 1) life with his younger sister, nicknamed Douggy. In the present, Gracen has started a podcast to process the mystery of what happened to his sister while grappling with his own internal demons. As Gracen progresses through, we get to know that something has happened with Douggy, but we don’t fully know it.
In this present day, we are also following Quinn, who is revealed to be a childhood friend of Douggy and is currently back in town to reach out to her estranged mother.
The last POV we follow is that of Kirsten, an investigator working a recent murder case, desperate to prove herself after a previous failure.
Characters: I loved how the characters were written; the author has brought out their struggles with mental health and in general day-to-day life quite beautifully on the pages. The voices of each character are handled with care, and their actions are kept realistic. Both Gracen and Quinn had a difficult past, and the way they are coping in the present is beautifully done.
On the other hand, I struggled to connect with Kirsten. As the "officer who can't mess this up," her storyline felt more like a standard procedural trope. I didn’t actually connect with her, as she was irritable and quick to jump to conclusions.
Plot and writing: The plot has immense potential and delivers a genuinely shocking finale. However, the author keeps her cards so close to her chest that I felt I was guessing in the dark for over half the book rather than following a trail of breadcrumbs. I had expected at least we would get all the pointers of Douggy’s life except the twist, but that was not so. After the prologue, I was left guessing what happened to Douggy for the better part of the book. We go through a character’s POV where they are dealing with their present life, but nothing about the past or the present mystery is revealed or even mentioned. Gracen's life got upside down from some incident related to Douggy, but both Quinn and Kirsten are quite unrelated to the incident. The major thing that irked me was the frequent POV changes; it changes after every chapter, and that too randomly. While I usually enjoy multiple perspectives, these felt disjointed because the characters’ lives are so different. Just as I would get engrossed in one storyline, a small cliffhanger would occur, and I’d be whisked away to a different plot thread. This pulled me out of the story several times.
Despite the heavy subject matter, the writing is very accessible. It doesn't delve quite as deep into the "grit" as some psychological thrillers, making it a faster, more approachable read than expected.
Recommended for: Readers looking for something fresh with a character-focused book and a mystery that will definitely catch you off guard at the end.
3.2
I’d like to thank NetGalley, the publisher Poisoned Pen Press, and the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The story follows three distinct threads. In the past, we see glimpses of Gracen’s (POV 1) life with his younger sister, nicknamed Douggy. In the present, Gracen has started a podcast to process the mystery of what happened to his sister while grappling with his own internal demons. As Gracen progresses through, we get to know that something has happened with Douggy, but we don’t fully know it.
In this present day, we are also following Quinn, who is revealed to be a childhood friend of Douggy and is currently back in town to reach out to her estranged mother.
The last POV we follow is that of Kirsten, an investigator working a recent murder case, desperate to prove herself after a previous failure.
Characters: I loved how the characters were written; the author has brought out their struggles with mental health and in general day-to-day life quite beautifully on the pages. The voices of each character are handled with care, and their actions are kept realistic. Both Gracen and Quinn had a difficult past, and the way they are coping in the present is beautifully done.
On the other hand, I struggled to connect with Kirsten. As the "officer who can't mess this up," her storyline felt more like a standard procedural trope. I didn’t actually connect with her, as she was irritable and quick to jump to conclusions.
Plot and writing: The plot has immense potential and delivers a genuinely shocking finale. However, the author keeps her cards so close to her chest that I felt I was guessing in the dark for over half the book rather than following a trail of breadcrumbs. I had expected at least we would get all the pointers of Douggy’s life except the twist, but that was not so. After the prologue, I was left guessing what happened to Douggy for the better part of the book. We go through a character’s POV where they are dealing with their present life, but nothing about the past or the present mystery is revealed or even mentioned. Gracen's life got upside down from some incident related to Douggy, but both Quinn and Kirsten are quite unrelated to the incident. The major thing that irked me was the frequent POV changes; it changes after every chapter, and that too randomly. While I usually enjoy multiple perspectives, these felt disjointed because the characters’ lives are so different. Just as I would get engrossed in one storyline, a small cliffhanger would occur, and I’d be whisked away to a different plot thread. This pulled me out of the story several times.
Despite the heavy subject matter, the writing is very accessible. It doesn't delve quite as deep into the "grit" as some psychological thrillers, making it a faster, more approachable read than expected.
Recommended for: Readers looking for something fresh with a character-focused book and a mystery that will definitely catch you off guard at the end.
June 11, 2026
**Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the digital ARC of this book.
Who Knew the Red Path Girl follows Gracen, a husband, father, and YouTuber who launches a series exploring his theory about the death of his sister, Douggy, who died at age eleven. For years, her death was believed to be the result of mushroom poisoning, but Gracen begins to question that narrative and suggests that the bullying and cruelty she endured in their small town may have played a larger role than anyone was willing to acknowledge. As his series gains attention and old wounds are reopened, a string of present-day murders begins to shake the community. Even Gracen himself starts struggling. Kirsten, one of the detectives assigned to the recent murder cases, becomes convinced that the new crimes may somehow be connected to Douggy’s decades-old death, leading to an investigation that uncovers long-buried secrets.
This was an interesting small-town mystery that explores family trauma, mental health, bullying, and the lasting impact of secrets. The story is told through three perspectives: Gracen, old family friend Quinn, and Kirsten. Of the three, Kirsten was easily my favorite. Her chapters were the most engaging, and I found myself most invested in the police investigation and the process of uncovering both the identity of the current-day killer and the truth behind Douggy’s death all those years ago.
The mystery itself was compelling, and I enjoyed watching the pieces come together. While I correctly guessed the identity of the culprit before the reveal, I did not predict the full connection behind everything, and that aspect genuinely surprised me. The novel also deserves credit for addressing mental health and the lasting effects that bullying and social isolation can have on a person.
Unfortunately, this book didn’t completely work for me. I struggled to connect with both Gracen and Quinn, and there were stretches where the pacing felt slow enough that my attention started to drift. I also felt that some areas received more focus than they needed, while others could have been expanded. Given that the premise centers around Gracen’s YouTube series and its impact on the town, I would have liked to see that aspect explored in greater depth rather than only receiving snippets throughout the story.
I think part of my disappointment may also stem from how much I enjoyed Stacy Johns’s previous novel, What Remains of Tea House. I went into this book with very high expectations because I loved that earlier release, and unfortunately this one didn’t quite reach the same level for me.
Overall, I found this to be a solid mystery with an intriguing premise, strong investigative elements, and meaningful themes. I gave it 3 out of 5 stars. While the characters and pacing didn’t fully capture my attention, readers who enjoy small-town mysteries, family secrets, cold cases, and stories that explore the long-term effects of trauma may find a lot to enjoy here.
Who Knew the Red Path Girl follows Gracen, a husband, father, and YouTuber who launches a series exploring his theory about the death of his sister, Douggy, who died at age eleven. For years, her death was believed to be the result of mushroom poisoning, but Gracen begins to question that narrative and suggests that the bullying and cruelty she endured in their small town may have played a larger role than anyone was willing to acknowledge. As his series gains attention and old wounds are reopened, a string of present-day murders begins to shake the community. Even Gracen himself starts struggling. Kirsten, one of the detectives assigned to the recent murder cases, becomes convinced that the new crimes may somehow be connected to Douggy’s decades-old death, leading to an investigation that uncovers long-buried secrets.
This was an interesting small-town mystery that explores family trauma, mental health, bullying, and the lasting impact of secrets. The story is told through three perspectives: Gracen, old family friend Quinn, and Kirsten. Of the three, Kirsten was easily my favorite. Her chapters were the most engaging, and I found myself most invested in the police investigation and the process of uncovering both the identity of the current-day killer and the truth behind Douggy’s death all those years ago.
The mystery itself was compelling, and I enjoyed watching the pieces come together. While I correctly guessed the identity of the culprit before the reveal, I did not predict the full connection behind everything, and that aspect genuinely surprised me. The novel also deserves credit for addressing mental health and the lasting effects that bullying and social isolation can have on a person.
Unfortunately, this book didn’t completely work for me. I struggled to connect with both Gracen and Quinn, and there were stretches where the pacing felt slow enough that my attention started to drift. I also felt that some areas received more focus than they needed, while others could have been expanded. Given that the premise centers around Gracen’s YouTube series and its impact on the town, I would have liked to see that aspect explored in greater depth rather than only receiving snippets throughout the story.
I think part of my disappointment may also stem from how much I enjoyed Stacy Johns’s previous novel, What Remains of Tea House. I went into this book with very high expectations because I loved that earlier release, and unfortunately this one didn’t quite reach the same level for me.
Overall, I found this to be a solid mystery with an intriguing premise, strong investigative elements, and meaningful themes. I gave it 3 out of 5 stars. While the characters and pacing didn’t fully capture my attention, readers who enjoy small-town mysteries, family secrets, cold cases, and stories that explore the long-term effects of trauma may find a lot to enjoy here.
July 4, 2026
I really wanted to enjoy this one. The premise immediately caught my attention, and a mystery set in a small town with secrets from the past sounded exactly like the kind of book I usually love. Unfortunately, it never came together for me, I struggled a lot to read this, it bored me, and finishing it felt like a chore.
The biggest issue for me was the storytelling itself. The timeline felt chaotic and confusing, and the writing often made it difficult to follow what was happening or why certain pieces of information were being introduced. The story constantly presents details that seem important, and I filed them away as clues, only for many of them to have no relevance whatsoever. They ended up being fillers. This book could have been shorter by 200 pages.
The structure also didn't work for me. Some characters are written in first person while others are written in third person, but I never understood why. The choice didn't reveal anything unique about those characters or enrich the story in any meaningful way. It simply made the reading experience feel inconsistent.
Another problem was the sheer number of subplots. New threads are introduced one after another, but many are never explored in enough depth to justify their inclusion. By the end, I had more unanswered questions than satisfying answers. Even the final chapter felt unnecessary.
The mystery disappointed me. I saw the main twist coming long before the reveal, and the reveal felt rushed and disconnected from everything that had come before. The killers' motivations never felt convincing to me. Instead of emerging naturally from the characters, they seemed almost arbitrary, as though they had been chosen at the last minute simply to provide a surprise. I truly wonder if the author simply rolled the dice to make some decisions.
I also struggled to connect with the characters. The detective was difficult to root for and I am not sure she is a good person, and I never became emotionally invested in anyone else's story either.
Finally, there were a few editing issues as well, including a minor character whose name changes on the same page. Combine that with a confusing structure and constant stream of unnecessary information, and you get a book that could have benefited from a better editing process.
This book wasn't for me. I was left wanting a more focused mystery and a resolution that felt both surprising and earned. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.
The biggest issue for me was the storytelling itself. The timeline felt chaotic and confusing, and the writing often made it difficult to follow what was happening or why certain pieces of information were being introduced. The story constantly presents details that seem important, and I filed them away as clues, only for many of them to have no relevance whatsoever. They ended up being fillers. This book could have been shorter by 200 pages.
The structure also didn't work for me. Some characters are written in first person while others are written in third person, but I never understood why. The choice didn't reveal anything unique about those characters or enrich the story in any meaningful way. It simply made the reading experience feel inconsistent.
Another problem was the sheer number of subplots. New threads are introduced one after another, but many are never explored in enough depth to justify their inclusion. By the end, I had more unanswered questions than satisfying answers. Even the final chapter felt unnecessary.
The mystery disappointed me. I saw the main twist coming long before the reveal, and the reveal felt rushed and disconnected from everything that had come before. The killers' motivations never felt convincing to me. Instead of emerging naturally from the characters, they seemed almost arbitrary, as though they had been chosen at the last minute simply to provide a surprise. I truly wonder if the author simply rolled the dice to make some decisions.
I also struggled to connect with the characters. The detective was difficult to root for and I am not sure she is a good person, and I never became emotionally invested in anyone else's story either.
Finally, there were a few editing issues as well, including a minor character whose name changes on the same page. Combine that with a confusing structure and constant stream of unnecessary information, and you get a book that could have benefited from a better editing process.
This book wasn't for me. I was left wanting a more focused mystery and a resolution that felt both surprising and earned. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.
April 14, 2026
⭐ 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars
Thank you to NetGalley, Stacy Johns, and Poisoned Pen Press for the ebook ARC.
📝 Short Summary
Years after the death of his sister, Gracen returns to the past in a very public way through his YouTube channel, reopening old wounds in his small town. What starts as revisiting a tragedy quickly turns into something much bigger as new deaths surface and buried secrets refuse to stay hidden.
Review
This one is a little hard to rate because it had so much potential, and parts of it really worked for me, but other parts lost me along the way. I was pulled in right from the start. The premise is strong, and I loved the idea of revisiting a childhood tragedy through a modern lens with the YouTube angle. It felt fresh and different, and I was immediately curious where it was going to go.
The beginning had me hooked. There was tension, mystery, and that small town vibe where you know everybody is hiding something. I love that kind of setting because it always feels a little claustrophobic in the best way. You could tell early on that there were layers to what happened to Douggy, and that kept me interested.
Where it started to dip for me was in the middle. There are a lot of characters in this story, and at times it got overwhelming trying to keep track of who was who and how everyone connected. It pulled me out of the story a bit because instead of being fully immersed, I found myself trying to piece things together just to stay on track. The pacing also slowed down in that middle section, and it did not have the same momentum as the beginning.
That said, the ending really came through. It completely pulled me back in and reminded me why I was interested in the first place. The twists at the end were strong, and it had that wow factor that made everything feel more worth it. I love when a thriller can stick the landing, and this one definitely delivered there.
Overall, this felt like a book with a really strong concept, a great start, a bit of a messy middle, and then an ending that absolutely hits. I just wish the middle had been a little tighter because it could have easily been a higher rating for me.
✅ Would I Recommend It?
Yes, especially if you enjoy small town mysteries with layered secrets and are okay pushing through a slower middle for a strong payoff at the end.
Thank you to NetGalley, Stacy Johns, and Poisoned Pen Press for the ebook ARC.
📝 Short Summary
Years after the death of his sister, Gracen returns to the past in a very public way through his YouTube channel, reopening old wounds in his small town. What starts as revisiting a tragedy quickly turns into something much bigger as new deaths surface and buried secrets refuse to stay hidden.
Review
This one is a little hard to rate because it had so much potential, and parts of it really worked for me, but other parts lost me along the way. I was pulled in right from the start. The premise is strong, and I loved the idea of revisiting a childhood tragedy through a modern lens with the YouTube angle. It felt fresh and different, and I was immediately curious where it was going to go.
The beginning had me hooked. There was tension, mystery, and that small town vibe where you know everybody is hiding something. I love that kind of setting because it always feels a little claustrophobic in the best way. You could tell early on that there were layers to what happened to Douggy, and that kept me interested.
Where it started to dip for me was in the middle. There are a lot of characters in this story, and at times it got overwhelming trying to keep track of who was who and how everyone connected. It pulled me out of the story a bit because instead of being fully immersed, I found myself trying to piece things together just to stay on track. The pacing also slowed down in that middle section, and it did not have the same momentum as the beginning.
That said, the ending really came through. It completely pulled me back in and reminded me why I was interested in the first place. The twists at the end were strong, and it had that wow factor that made everything feel more worth it. I love when a thriller can stick the landing, and this one definitely delivered there.
Overall, this felt like a book with a really strong concept, a great start, a bit of a messy middle, and then an ending that absolutely hits. I just wish the middle had been a little tighter because it could have easily been a higher rating for me.
✅ Would I Recommend It?
Yes, especially if you enjoy small town mysteries with layered secrets and are okay pushing through a slower middle for a strong payoff at the end.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A mystery that understands grief is rarely quiet — it lingers, reshapes, and eventually demands to be heard.
In Who Knew the Ridpath Girl, Stacy Johns builds a small-town story where the past is not background noise but the central force driving everything forward. The death of Douggy Ridpath may have happened years earlier, but its weight still defines the people who survived it — especially her brother Gracen, whose decision to finally speak publicly about what happened becomes the story’s catalyst.
What makes this novel compelling is its emotional foundation. Rather than relying solely on shock, the narrative leans into guilt, memory, and the uncomfortable reality that unanswered questions rarely stay buried. Gracen’s public persona contrasts sharply with the private uncertainty he carries, creating a tension that feels personal before it ever becomes dangerous.
The multi-perspective structure strengthens the mystery. Through Gracen, Quinn, and the investigating detective, the story slowly reveals how one tragedy can fracture lives in different ways — shaping identity, relationships, and the stories people tell themselves in order to move forward. Each voice adds texture, expanding the mystery beyond a single event into something more layered and human.
Atmosphere plays a significant role. Meander feels watchful, almost complicit, a place where silence becomes part of the town’s identity. As new deaths begin to surface, the narrative shifts from reflection to urgency, and the question is no longer just what happened back then — but why the truth still carries consequences now.
The novel’s strength lies in this intersection of past and present. It is less about a single revelation and more about the slow recognition that grief, secrecy, and public storytelling can collide in unpredictable ways. The investigation becomes emotional as much as procedural, asking what people owe the truth — and what it costs to finally confront it.
Who Knew the Ridpath Girl is a thoughtful, character-driven mystery that favors tension over spectacle and emotional weight over easy answers. For readers drawn to small-town suspense where trauma shapes the narrative as much as the crime itself, this is a quietly gripping and memorable read.
In Who Knew the Ridpath Girl, Stacy Johns builds a small-town story where the past is not background noise but the central force driving everything forward. The death of Douggy Ridpath may have happened years earlier, but its weight still defines the people who survived it — especially her brother Gracen, whose decision to finally speak publicly about what happened becomes the story’s catalyst.
What makes this novel compelling is its emotional foundation. Rather than relying solely on shock, the narrative leans into guilt, memory, and the uncomfortable reality that unanswered questions rarely stay buried. Gracen’s public persona contrasts sharply with the private uncertainty he carries, creating a tension that feels personal before it ever becomes dangerous.
The multi-perspective structure strengthens the mystery. Through Gracen, Quinn, and the investigating detective, the story slowly reveals how one tragedy can fracture lives in different ways — shaping identity, relationships, and the stories people tell themselves in order to move forward. Each voice adds texture, expanding the mystery beyond a single event into something more layered and human.
Atmosphere plays a significant role. Meander feels watchful, almost complicit, a place where silence becomes part of the town’s identity. As new deaths begin to surface, the narrative shifts from reflection to urgency, and the question is no longer just what happened back then — but why the truth still carries consequences now.
The novel’s strength lies in this intersection of past and present. It is less about a single revelation and more about the slow recognition that grief, secrecy, and public storytelling can collide in unpredictable ways. The investigation becomes emotional as much as procedural, asking what people owe the truth — and what it costs to finally confront it.
Who Knew the Ridpath Girl is a thoughtful, character-driven mystery that favors tension over spectacle and emotional weight over easy answers. For readers drawn to small-town suspense where trauma shapes the narrative as much as the crime itself, this is a quietly gripping and memorable read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Who Knew the Ridpath Girl by Stacy Johns is a mystery novel about a man who starts a podcast about his sister, who died over a decade ago.
I’d like to thank NetGalley, the publisher Poisoned Pen Press, and the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Yes, this book is about murder. But more than that, this book is about family. It is about guilt. It is about finding peace.
Quinn and Kade were abandoned by their parents, sent to live with their abusive grandparents, but Quinn is fighting for Kade. Douggy and Gracen also grew up in a rather dysfunctional family but Gracen is fighting to have a normal childhood for his own daughter. Then there is Kristen, who was, in her own way, fighting for her marriage and kids. Not all would succeed if they continued on the path they were on, but their stories were deep, heartfelt, and compelling. They were all feeling guilt for something, and not all were deserving of it.
Overall, it was a good plot, with solid characters that you could get behind, cheer them on. Perhaps a little more depth to each of them might have been good, but they were relatable...we all feel guilt, and sometimes we just have to let it go.
So all that was great.
Unfortunately, it seemed to move a little slow, and if you didn't pay attention, things could get murky quite fast. A few too many extraneous characters just added confusion. This is the second book in a row that I have read that includes a non-binary character. I think the inclusivity is good, but if it isn't handled well, things get confusing. The pronoun "they" is fine, but in a number of cases throughout the book, I was not sure whether the author was referring to one person, or a number of them. When you have to re-read paragraphs/pages to figure it out, the author has lost their reader (well, me, anyway).
Anyway, until next time ....
For a more thorough review of this book and others (including the reason I chose to read/review this book, my own synopsis of the book, and its author information), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Who Knew the Ridpath Girl by Stacy Johns is about an 11 year old girl nicknamed Douggy, who died over a decade in the past. Was it an accident? Was it suicide? Or was it murder? That question is foremost in the mind of Gracen, an established and popular podcaster—and also her older brother. He’s taken aim at figuring out and trying to point the blame where it belongs. But digging up old secrets leads to murder, and it may all be connected to little Douggy’s tragic demise.
This is a three person narrative. There’s Gracen, there’s a cop named Kirsten who is struggling to hold her family together while haunted by a former case where she messed up, and Quinn, a nonbinary person who was Douggy’s best friend and who is back in town seeking help from their mother. They all weave together, and I think I probably liked Quinn’s best. I didn’t love Kirsten’s as much because I figured out who killed the people in the present day REALLY early and it frustrated me as Kirsten and her partner Eb dithered and went back and forth over who it could be. (Side note: I noticed Eb is from Johns’ previous novel, What Remains of Teague House, which was fun!). The narrator characters themselves are all flawed, too, which I appreciate.
There are some clues sprinkled through the story which should be adequate if people are paying attention, I think. As I said, I got it and held on doggedly to the end. The present day murders were fine in terms of satisfaction as to the answer, but I didn’t love the resolution for Douggy. I felt sure it would be a fakeout and then that was it.
I’d recommend this for anyone who enjoys modern day murder stories. This book is decently long, yet I finished it in almost two sittings. It’s just very engrossing!
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a three person narrative. There’s Gracen, there’s a cop named Kirsten who is struggling to hold her family together while haunted by a former case where she messed up, and Quinn, a nonbinary person who was Douggy’s best friend and who is back in town seeking help from their mother. They all weave together, and I think I probably liked Quinn’s best. I didn’t love Kirsten’s as much because I figured out who killed the people in the present day REALLY early and it frustrated me as Kirsten and her partner Eb dithered and went back and forth over who it could be. (Side note: I noticed Eb is from Johns’ previous novel, What Remains of Teague House, which was fun!). The narrator characters themselves are all flawed, too, which I appreciate.
There are some clues sprinkled through the story which should be adequate if people are paying attention, I think. As I said, I got it and held on doggedly to the end. The present day murders were fine in terms of satisfaction as to the answer, but I didn’t love the resolution for Douggy. I felt sure it would be a fakeout and then that was it.
I’d recommend this for anyone who enjoys modern day murder stories. This book is decently long, yet I finished it in almost two sittings. It’s just very engrossing!
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Messy to say the least. I wanted so badly to like this because the plot itself is supposed to be sad and emotional, Douggy’s story, but ultimately, there was nothing in me that cared. I’ll very quickly go over the plot.
We’re following many different people who are going about their lives while we’re trying to figure out what actually happened to a little girl called Douggy, sister of Gracen. He’s also one of the people we’re following, he’s all grown up now. Essentially, as a kid Douggy was bitten by a dog resulting in terrible scars to the face. As a result, she was relentlessly bullied by her peers. At eleven, she dies. We’re trying to find out if her death actually was a suicide or a murder, etc. And that’s the gist of it.
Right off the bat, I have to mention it was confusing. We were following way too many people at the same time, it was hard to attach each story, each personality to each person. It took a while getting used to it, personally.
I did appreciate the underlying idea of the story, but I wouldn’t say this is a mystery. It kind of reads like a thriller at times, yes. But I don’t really see this as part of the genre. It’s more like a literary fiction with mystery elements.
The book got emotional sometimes, when talking about Douggy. And I did find myself reacting to it too, only a little. But I don’t think this really makes or breaks a book. Honestly if there’s certain topics discussed like bullying, or suicide, it’s normal to react, and that I did.
It read very quickly as well for a how long this actually was. It still moved a bit slow though. Ultimately, I kind of wanted it to be over. But at the same time important stuff was discussed and I can’t really give it that low of a rating because I’d feel bad. And I don’t actually believe this book was bad, just not really the story for me. We did have a lot of queer characters in it though, it was pretty normalized. And I liked that.
I wouldn’t really know who to recommend this to, or if I recommend it in general. I wouldn’t go into it expecting a thriller or a mystery, so consider that. I’d give this a 3/5⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
We’re following many different people who are going about their lives while we’re trying to figure out what actually happened to a little girl called Douggy, sister of Gracen. He’s also one of the people we’re following, he’s all grown up now. Essentially, as a kid Douggy was bitten by a dog resulting in terrible scars to the face. As a result, she was relentlessly bullied by her peers. At eleven, she dies. We’re trying to find out if her death actually was a suicide or a murder, etc. And that’s the gist of it.
Right off the bat, I have to mention it was confusing. We were following way too many people at the same time, it was hard to attach each story, each personality to each person. It took a while getting used to it, personally.
I did appreciate the underlying idea of the story, but I wouldn’t say this is a mystery. It kind of reads like a thriller at times, yes. But I don’t really see this as part of the genre. It’s more like a literary fiction with mystery elements.
The book got emotional sometimes, when talking about Douggy. And I did find myself reacting to it too, only a little. But I don’t think this really makes or breaks a book. Honestly if there’s certain topics discussed like bullying, or suicide, it’s normal to react, and that I did.
It read very quickly as well for a how long this actually was. It still moved a bit slow though. Ultimately, I kind of wanted it to be over. But at the same time important stuff was discussed and I can’t really give it that low of a rating because I’d feel bad. And I don’t actually believe this book was bad, just not really the story for me. We did have a lot of queer characters in it though, it was pretty normalized. And I liked that.
I wouldn’t really know who to recommend this to, or if I recommend it in general. I wouldn’t go into it expecting a thriller or a mystery, so consider that. I’d give this a 3/5⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Four and Half Stars...
Does the world almost really end a hundred times a day?
One of my favorite lines from what has proven to be a heck of a yarn.
You get multi-POV, you get family trauma, murders plural, a damaged small-town sheriff's-office detective (well, everyone's damaged in some way), and you get twists I never saw coming. Bonus, it's set in my home state, in a logging town aspiring to be a city. Kids walk to school, former residents can't help by be drawn back home to it, and everyone knows everyone else's business, which will be discussed in the diner, including that of one who escaped to become a bit of a modern social-media celebrity and podcaster working through his childhood pain and personal issues in public for views, clicks, likes, and ad dollars. Who knew it would also be the reason people would die?
[Full disclosure, I'm listed in the acknowledgements. I had a lot less influence on this novel than Stacy's earlier work, What Remains of Teague House (not that my contribution there was huge or anything), because I didn't have the opportunity to critique the entire manuscript, only four or five chapters. I had to read a reviewer's copy for myself to form an honest opinion. She lost that half star (but, you know, Goodreads only allows whole stars), because she chose to ignore some of my (limited) critique feedback. Call it the ego tax.]
At the end, it's satisfying in the way only really good writing can be. Can't wait to read the next, and the one after that, and so on, whether I get a chance to review and comment on early drafts or not.
Does the world almost really end a hundred times a day?
One of my favorite lines from what has proven to be a heck of a yarn.
You get multi-POV, you get family trauma, murders plural, a damaged small-town sheriff's-office detective (well, everyone's damaged in some way), and you get twists I never saw coming. Bonus, it's set in my home state, in a logging town aspiring to be a city. Kids walk to school, former residents can't help by be drawn back home to it, and everyone knows everyone else's business, which will be discussed in the diner, including that of one who escaped to become a bit of a modern social-media celebrity and podcaster working through his childhood pain and personal issues in public for views, clicks, likes, and ad dollars. Who knew it would also be the reason people would die?
[Full disclosure, I'm listed in the acknowledgements. I had a lot less influence on this novel than Stacy's earlier work, What Remains of Teague House (not that my contribution there was huge or anything), because I didn't have the opportunity to critique the entire manuscript, only four or five chapters. I had to read a reviewer's copy for myself to form an honest opinion. She lost that half star (but, you know, Goodreads only allows whole stars), because she chose to ignore some of my (limited) critique feedback. Call it the ego tax.]
At the end, it's satisfying in the way only really good writing can be. Can't wait to read the next, and the one after that, and so on, whether I get a chance to review and comment on early drafts or not.
April 15, 2026
Gracen has a successful YouTube channel for stay-at-home dads, but something from his past has been weighing on him. He decides to start a podcast about the tragic death of his sister, Douggy, who died when she was eleven years old. Although her death was ruled an accident, Gracen begins to wonder if she may have taken her own life. Douggy had been in an accident when she was younger that left her scarred, and the other children at school were not very accepting of her.
When Douggy's childhood best friend, Quinn, hears about the podcast, they decide to return to their hometown of Meander. She also has personal matters that need attention there. Upon arriving in Meander and conducting their own investigation into Douggie's death, Quinn discovers that their roommate has been murdered. As they delves deeper, another murder occurs in the small town. It's too much for one small community, and perhaps there is a larger mystery at play.
🍄🟫•🍄🟫•🍄🟫•🍄🟫•🍄🟫•🍄🟫•🍄🟫•🍄🟫•🍄🟫•🍄🟫•
𝔽𝕠𝕣 𝔽𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝕠𝕗:
✩ Small towns
✩ Family trauma
✩ Character driven story
✩ Revealing hidden secrets
This story was long and character-driven, featuring multiple side plots that all connect at the end to form a complex web of secrets.
With its short chapters, multiple points of view, and ever-unfolding secrets, this book was incredibly hard to put down, despite its length. It was emotional and kept me guessing from beginning to end. The entire book felt like reading an investigation that captivated me so deeply I couldn’t stop. Each brief chapter revealed another secret from the past, illustrating how everyone has their own skeletons in the closet and how closely the choices we make can affect others.
When Douggy's childhood best friend, Quinn, hears about the podcast, they decide to return to their hometown of Meander. She also has personal matters that need attention there. Upon arriving in Meander and conducting their own investigation into Douggie's death, Quinn discovers that their roommate has been murdered. As they delves deeper, another murder occurs in the small town. It's too much for one small community, and perhaps there is a larger mystery at play.
🍄🟫•🍄🟫•🍄🟫•🍄🟫•🍄🟫•🍄🟫•🍄🟫•🍄🟫•🍄🟫•🍄🟫•
𝔽𝕠𝕣 𝔽𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝕠𝕗:
✩ Small towns
✩ Family trauma
✩ Character driven story
✩ Revealing hidden secrets
This story was long and character-driven, featuring multiple side plots that all connect at the end to form a complex web of secrets.
With its short chapters, multiple points of view, and ever-unfolding secrets, this book was incredibly hard to put down, despite its length. It was emotional and kept me guessing from beginning to end. The entire book felt like reading an investigation that captivated me so deeply I couldn’t stop. Each brief chapter revealed another secret from the past, illustrating how everyone has their own skeletons in the closet and how closely the choices we make can affect others.
April 23, 2026
🐕"The awful things people do, out of pettiness, or loneliness, or pain."🐕
📘Who Knew the Ridpath Girl
👩🏻Stacy Johns
🗣@poisonedpenpress
📅April 14th, 2026
🍄SYNOPSIS🍄
Welcome to Meander, where truths are best left buried.
Gracen Ridpath has a secret. As the host of a successful YouTube channel for stay-at-home-dads, Gracen is known for his handy tips and trademark self-deprecating humor. But off camera, he struggles with the aftereffects of a tragedy that shaped him and everyone else in his hometown of the death of his eleven-year-old sister, Douggy.
When Gracen mentions his sister's long-ago death for the first time on his channel, he taps a vein of interest he hadn't known existed. Soon enough, he finds himself discussing a theory he's kept quiet for that Douggy chose to die. And he's finally figured out why . . . and who is to blame.
At first, Gracen is grateful for the jump in views, until his shift in content brings Quinn, Douggy's childhood best friend, back to Meander looking for answers. And when people start dying around them and detectives start asking questions, Gracen and Quinn find themselves at the center of an investigation that will prove to have consequences deadlier than they ever could've imagined.
🧠My Thoughts🧠
I enjoyed it. It's not an in your face thriller like I was hoping but an easygoing mystery was something I didn't know I needed. I will say that GOD DAMN EVERYONE KILLED DOUGGY. That poor kid didn't stand a chance.
⛧A huge thank you to @netgalley and @poisonedpenpress for the advance ebook copy. All thoughts are my own.
💬ⓆⓄⓉⒹ:
#netgalley #whoknewtheridpathgirl #stacyjohns #poisonedpenpress #bookreview
📘Who Knew the Ridpath Girl
👩🏻Stacy Johns
🗣@poisonedpenpress
📅April 14th, 2026
🍄SYNOPSIS🍄
Welcome to Meander, where truths are best left buried.
Gracen Ridpath has a secret. As the host of a successful YouTube channel for stay-at-home-dads, Gracen is known for his handy tips and trademark self-deprecating humor. But off camera, he struggles with the aftereffects of a tragedy that shaped him and everyone else in his hometown of the death of his eleven-year-old sister, Douggy.
When Gracen mentions his sister's long-ago death for the first time on his channel, he taps a vein of interest he hadn't known existed. Soon enough, he finds himself discussing a theory he's kept quiet for that Douggy chose to die. And he's finally figured out why . . . and who is to blame.
At first, Gracen is grateful for the jump in views, until his shift in content brings Quinn, Douggy's childhood best friend, back to Meander looking for answers. And when people start dying around them and detectives start asking questions, Gracen and Quinn find themselves at the center of an investigation that will prove to have consequences deadlier than they ever could've imagined.
🧠My Thoughts🧠
I enjoyed it. It's not an in your face thriller like I was hoping but an easygoing mystery was something I didn't know I needed. I will say that GOD DAMN EVERYONE KILLED DOUGGY. That poor kid didn't stand a chance.
⛧A huge thank you to @netgalley and @poisonedpenpress for the advance ebook copy. All thoughts are my own.
💬ⓆⓄⓉⒹ:
#netgalley #whoknewtheridpathgirl #stacyjohns #poisonedpenpress #bookreview
April 14, 2026
3.5 stars rounded up.
When Stacy Johns announced their next book, I knew I had to read it as I really enjoyed the last one, What Remains of Teague House.
This is another mystery that reads like a true crime movie. The first chapter starts with a gruesome event to a young girl involving a dog on her way to school with her brother. We find she survives the accident but has died at what appears to be suicide. Her brother in later years has a podcast that is upsetting some of the locals, and this child’s best friend is back in town to find out the truth because they don’t believe she would take her life. Once there, bodies start coming up, and it’s hard to tell who you can trust, and just what is happening. One thing is for sure… there is a lot of childhood trauma, secrets, along with revenge and an unhinged character.
There was a bit of a slow part for me after the first couple of chapters, but at the halfway mark, so much was happening that I couldn’t stop reading. There is more than one twist, and as soon as those hit, so much started to make sense. There is a detective on the case, and she too has her own drama going on at home that gives another depth to her character. Some readers may also enjoy that the childhood best friend is non-binary, which also comes with a name change from their past.
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Thank you, Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley, for this advanced reader copy.
When Stacy Johns announced their next book, I knew I had to read it as I really enjoyed the last one, What Remains of Teague House.
This is another mystery that reads like a true crime movie. The first chapter starts with a gruesome event to a young girl involving a dog on her way to school with her brother. We find she survives the accident but has died at what appears to be suicide. Her brother in later years has a podcast that is upsetting some of the locals, and this child’s best friend is back in town to find out the truth because they don’t believe she would take her life. Once there, bodies start coming up, and it’s hard to tell who you can trust, and just what is happening. One thing is for sure… there is a lot of childhood trauma, secrets, along with revenge and an unhinged character.
There was a bit of a slow part for me after the first couple of chapters, but at the halfway mark, so much was happening that I couldn’t stop reading. There is more than one twist, and as soon as those hit, so much started to make sense. There is a detective on the case, and she too has her own drama going on at home that gives another depth to her character. Some readers may also enjoy that the childhood best friend is non-binary, which also comes with a name change from their past.
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Thank you, Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley, for this advanced reader copy.
April 16, 2026
Gracen Ridpath is famous for multiple reasons. The first is his wildly successful YouTube channel, and the second is that he's the brother of Melissa "Douggy" Ridpath. Douggy's unfortunate death at 11 shook the town of Meander, and now decades later, Gracen is looking back into what led to Douggy potentially taking her own life. Unfortunately, Meander is about to experience a new wave of tragedies. Now that Gracen is talking about the past, neighbors and lifelong friends are dying under mysterious circumstances. Nobody is safe, not even Gracen. As Douggy's childhood friend, Quinn, and Gracen discover more details, the closer the danger becomes.
I wanted to love this one, but it just didn't work for me. Until the last 20% of the book, the new deaths in the town seem unconnected, and everyone's involvement is questionable. Normally, this would be thrilling, but it just felt like bad timing. Too many questions were left unanswered throughout, and the ending didn't tie everything up, which makes me think this story isn't over. Gracen is billed as the main character, but we don't get too much from him in the book. The story has a great premise, but as someone who reads a lot of thrillers, this just didn't grip me the way I had hoped.
Thank you to NetGalley, Stacy Johns, and Poisoned Pen Press for a copy of this book. I received this ARC for free and am leaving a review voluntarily.
I wanted to love this one, but it just didn't work for me. Until the last 20% of the book, the new deaths in the town seem unconnected, and everyone's involvement is questionable. Normally, this would be thrilling, but it just felt like bad timing. Too many questions were left unanswered throughout, and the ending didn't tie everything up, which makes me think this story isn't over. Gracen is billed as the main character, but we don't get too much from him in the book. The story has a great premise, but as someone who reads a lot of thrillers, this just didn't grip me the way I had hoped.
Thank you to NetGalley, Stacy Johns, and Poisoned Pen Press for a copy of this book. I received this ARC for free and am leaving a review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received an ARC of this book from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback. Honestly, if this had not been an ARC, I would not have finished it. I found most of it to be pretty boring, with not much happening. Only the last 25% or so picked up, and at that point, I did want to find out what happened. However, the ultimate villain reveal was not very believable - it was very much, "Seriously???" when the person/ motive was revealed. I also thought the book as a whole was going to be more of an investigation into what actually happened to Douggy and not all new events.
The character of Quinn is non-binary, which is great - nice to see all types represented. But someone who uses the pronoun "they" ends up being incredibly confusing in written form. So many times, I was thinking the author was referring to a group of people - I would get a bit lost - then would finally realize she meant only Quinn. I am not sure if there is a better way to handle this, but I really found it too confusing.
It felt like we were missing backstory about Kirsten. Her previous case & marital issues - these were written as if we had read a previous book where these things transpired.
I did enjoy Gracen's relationship with his daughter. And Ms. Jones did a good job of setting the scene of the small town.
The character of Quinn is non-binary, which is great - nice to see all types represented. But someone who uses the pronoun "they" ends up being incredibly confusing in written form. So many times, I was thinking the author was referring to a group of people - I would get a bit lost - then would finally realize she meant only Quinn. I am not sure if there is a better way to handle this, but I really found it too confusing.
It felt like we were missing backstory about Kirsten. Her previous case & marital issues - these were written as if we had read a previous book where these things transpired.
I did enjoy Gracen's relationship with his daughter. And Ms. Jones did a good job of setting the scene of the small town.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A decade ago a girl nicknamed Douggy (fair warning, the names in this book challenge your gender preconceptions!) after the local Douglas firs, as she 'wanted to be a tree when she grew up' died, and this book takes place as her brother, Gracen, who has become a famous content creator, tries to lay her ghost to rest by making a podcast about it, claiming that actually, at 11yo, Douggy had committed suicide after years of bullying for disfigurement after a dog attack (for which Gracen feels responsible). Douggy's best friend at the time, Kathy, now non-binary as Quinn, has also lately come back to the small town of Meander to try and convince their estranged mum to write a letter in defence of their brother Kade, imprisoned for running down their abusive grandmother.
But then Quinn's roommate - who used to babysit Douggy - is found dead, and police officer Kirsten, struggling with marital difficulties over the amount of time she spends at work, has her hands full with trying to dig down into what's going on, and if or how it relates to Gracen's podcast.
The scene is set for a complicated interweaving of troubled but engaging characters and plot, gripping and well paced, before reaching a denouement almost worthy of Christie herself, in the manner of her 'nobody did it - wait! - everybody did it - wait! - 𝘸𝘩𝘰 did it, exactly?!' A very enjoyable read.
But then Quinn's roommate - who used to babysit Douggy - is found dead, and police officer Kirsten, struggling with marital difficulties over the amount of time she spends at work, has her hands full with trying to dig down into what's going on, and if or how it relates to Gracen's podcast.
The scene is set for a complicated interweaving of troubled but engaging characters and plot, gripping and well paced, before reaching a denouement almost worthy of Christie herself, in the manner of her 'nobody did it - wait! - everybody did it - wait! - 𝘸𝘩𝘰 did it, exactly?!' A very enjoyable read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I love a good thriller with a podcast/YouTube element and while this one didn’t lean heavily into that trope, it was still a fun addition to the mystery in the start. I was definitely intrigued going in with the alternation timelines and multiple POV's.
What stood out the most to me was Quinn. This was my first thriller featuring a non binary character with they/them pronouns and while it took me a moment to adjust with that writing style since we did not know going in at first of their pronouns. After that it quickly became natural as I got to know them and I really appreciated that representation in a thriller.
Another highlight was the way Stacy Johns explored mental health. It felt thoughtful and intentional, using fiction as a way to educate while still serving the story.
That said, this was definitely a slow burn. The pacing lagged for me with most of the action and major reveals packed into the final 20%. Because of that the ending felt a bit rushed compared to the buildup and I think it would have benefited from being more evenly spaced throughout.
Overall, a solid read with great storylines. I just wish the pacing had matched the strength of its ideas and there was more Youtube/podcast elements.
What stood out the most to me was Quinn. This was my first thriller featuring a non binary character with they/them pronouns and while it took me a moment to adjust with that writing style since we did not know going in at first of their pronouns. After that it quickly became natural as I got to know them and I really appreciated that representation in a thriller.
Another highlight was the way Stacy Johns explored mental health. It felt thoughtful and intentional, using fiction as a way to educate while still serving the story.
That said, this was definitely a slow burn. The pacing lagged for me with most of the action and major reveals packed into the final 20%. Because of that the ending felt a bit rushed compared to the buildup and I think it would have benefited from being more evenly spaced throughout.
Overall, a solid read with great storylines. I just wish the pacing had matched the strength of its ideas and there was more Youtube/podcast elements.
March 30, 2026
3.5
An interesting sort of mystery solving story that revolves around three povs. At first it was hard to grasp what was happening and where it was going. But once I started reading more it began to click. There was a death that occurred a long while ago that involved a kid Douggy. Some people ruled it at suicided while others think it was murder. People that were from that town later on return. Specifically two people. One which is Gracen the brother of Douggy that had died and the other who is Quinn a friend to her. Move forward to the present, there’s another mysterious death that happens and one of the other povs has to investigate what happened. As more strange events occur and the investigation continues so does the line of suspects grow. Gracen has made a podcast talking about his sister’s death. So many secrets get uncovered. Everyone wants to know what truly happened to his sister. Which is one reason why he started the podcast. And well Quinn was the friend who believed it to be more than what was being told. Quinn also tries to unravel what happened in the past. When a small town has a death it’s a little suspicious but 2 within a short period of time??? There’s definitely someone hiding something. It’s interesting to learn about the towns secrets, it can get a little dark and messed up. Overall, it was fast paced mystery, and will have you trying to figure out what really happened.
Would I recommend ?
Yes
An interesting sort of mystery solving story that revolves around three povs. At first it was hard to grasp what was happening and where it was going. But once I started reading more it began to click. There was a death that occurred a long while ago that involved a kid Douggy. Some people ruled it at suicided while others think it was murder. People that were from that town later on return. Specifically two people. One which is Gracen the brother of Douggy that had died and the other who is Quinn a friend to her. Move forward to the present, there’s another mysterious death that happens and one of the other povs has to investigate what happened. As more strange events occur and the investigation continues so does the line of suspects grow. Gracen has made a podcast talking about his sister’s death. So many secrets get uncovered. Everyone wants to know what truly happened to his sister. Which is one reason why he started the podcast. And well Quinn was the friend who believed it to be more than what was being told. Quinn also tries to unravel what happened in the past. When a small town has a death it’s a little suspicious but 2 within a short period of time??? There’s definitely someone hiding something. It’s interesting to learn about the towns secrets, it can get a little dark and messed up. Overall, it was fast paced mystery, and will have you trying to figure out what really happened.
Would I recommend ?
Yes
April 14, 2026
This was my first read by this author and I enjoyed the storyline. There was a dual storyline- Gracen, a man struggling to come to terms with the death of his 11 years old sister years ago and Quinn- who was his sister’s best friend and is also struggling to deal with trauma of growing up in an abusive house after being abandoned by their mother. The book is told both in present day as well as when his sister died years before. Quinn, who is nonbinary, comes back to Meander to find their mother to deal with the abandonment as well as to also get help for their brother. While in town, their roommate is murdered and Quinn thinks it may have to do with Gracen’s sisters death all those years ago.
Gracen has started a podcast to try and work through his sisters tragic death and find out the real reason she died at age 11. He has married and has a toddler daughter yet he still can’t get over the tragic loss of his sister and family.
Both storylines are good and there is also a third storyline of the lead female detective who is investigating the murder of Quinn’s roommate.
If you like a good mystery, this book may be for you!
Thank you to Sourcebooks, NetGallet and Stacy Johns for an advance copy of this book for review.
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