Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

C.T. Ferguson #12

Don't Say Her Name: A C.T. Ferguson Crime Novel

Rate this book
To save his future, C.T. Ferguson must confront his past.



A young woman wants C.T. to find her long-missing father. Unraveling his disappearance isn’t easy. Despite the difficulty—and the efforts of a few enforcers trying to stop him—he eventually locates the man most of the way across the country.



Meanwhile, an old adversary plots revenge.



C.T. is blindsided by the latest threat but knows he must meet it head-on. Realizing his loved ones are targets, he wants them far away from the hostilities . . . but he’s soon concerned not everyone got out of town in time.



Did C.T.’s warning come in time to save the woman he loves?



Don’t Say Her Name is the riveting twelfth crime fiction novel in the C.T. Ferguson series.

264 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 26, 2022

30 people are currently reading
14 people want to read

About the author

Tom Fowler

35 books104 followers
Tom Fowler was born and raised in Baltimore and still resides in Maryland. He is an unabashed homer for Baltimore sports teams. His full-time job is in the field of computer security.

At about age seven, polite young Tom wrote a "murder mystery" in which no one died. The story gave him the writing bug, however, and he's been putting pen to paper and fingers to keys ever since.

When not working or writing, Tom enjoys spending time with his family and friends, reading, sports, movies, and writing brief bios in the third person.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
127 (74%)
4 stars
42 (24%)
3 stars
1 (<1%)
2 stars
1 (<1%)
1 star
0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
Profile Image for Connie Charron.
193 reviews1 follower
August 11, 2022
I don't know what took so long but at least he got it right in the end. I love the characters in this series. While both sides come from money C.T. & Gloria aren't pretentious in the least, in my honest opinion. Both now have jobs they love, even if they are self-employed. They show their skill sets aren't in the useless category, even though many would think they're not actually skills. While looking into a 12 year old missing persons case referred to him by his parents' foundation (so Mommy & Daddy are footing the bill) C.T. & his new protégé, T.J., & his forever hungry friend, Joey, get down to work searching for the needle in the proverbial haystack. It also means a trip to Las Vegas to try and resolve this 12 year old mystery. All of this is going on while it seems that someone is either trying to kill everyone C.T. holds dear or they're just trying to exact revenge for a perceived wrong. When C.T. discovers that a murderer he helped put away for life has somehow managed to manipulate the system and is now free as a bird after only serving 4 years of his life sentence.

I also was happy to see the mingling of both series when John Tyler becomes involved in the case of who's going after C.T.'s family and friends. Tyler is referred to him by Rollins, since Rollins himself isn't available on short notice this time. No spoilers here, you'll have to read it yourself to discover what happens in both situations.
44 reviews
July 26, 2022
As usual, Tom Fowler's expertise in drawing you deeply into his story and his characters would rate 5 stars, except I find the foul language usage just too much for that. It was great to have another C.T. Ferguson book to read and review, though it was sad to see the language in this one worse than previous ones (I'm one of his ARC readers, so get a free early look, no strings attached). I like the way that Fowler doesn't ignore the fact that having been shot changes a person's outlook. For C.T. this time, he gets faced with even more life changing challenges, as his enemies threatens not only him but those he loves. Figuring out who his enemy even is covers a good bit of the book.
Profile Image for Ami.
2,414 reviews14 followers
July 29, 2022
Don’t Say Her Name is actually two separate cases for C. T. While the first is interesting and a bit intense it’s the second that is fraught with danger for many of the characters. There is, as always, with C. T. his trademark wit and his propensity to a good fist-fight or two. There’s also a scene I was delighted to read. I can’t give any hints but, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Disclaimer: I received this ebook from the author and this is my honest and freely given opinion.
1,465 reviews29 followers
September 17, 2024
Don't Say Her Name, C.T. Ferguson #12 - This is one of my favorite characters and series. There is plenty of interesting characters, an interesting writing style and interesting story lines. It is best to start with the first book since there is a continuous building of new onto the old, BUT it is not necessary. Fortunately, Fowler does not rehash the past in great detail in his books, he keeps the present book interesting. There is action, romance and humor. Language is mostly clean; a very minimum on the vulgar, which is character-related. The romance is clean without the stupid arguments and ridiculous mind sets that other authors add for drama, but mischievous and adult dialog between the two lovers. There is the mysterious disappearance of a client's father but C.T. has to figure out the who of why he and his family are targets. Another in one sitting read. 5*

The C.T. Ferguson Series:
The Reluctant Detective #1 – This is my first read by this author and I like it. This story fits into one of my all-time favorite genres with plenty of humor, action and investigations. The storylines are good and realistic, and I like that the PI is a privileged person instead of a Mickey Spillane stereotype. C.T. also has an interesting past that plays a large part in this introduction. Add in his parents, his older police Detective cousin and a good supporting cast, which all make it difficult to put the book down. The pace is steady without any boring bits. This is one of the better edited books I’ve seen from an Indie author. 4*

The Unknown Devil #2 - Another difficult to put down fast paced pages full of intrigue, suspense and action. Unfortunately, this is my fourth read, instead of my second, but that did not detract from the meshing of previous storylines with the current lines. This book is well thought out in plot and character development along with realistic dialogues, realistic fight scenes and a smart mouthed character full of himself with plenty of good humor. There is infrequent use of vulgar language considering the criminal elements involved. Interesting information about the hacking of cellphones and other electronics. There is a bit too much detailing of insignificant information: clothing; cooking; etc., but still a worthy read. 4*

The Workers of Iniquity #3 - Even with the relaxed pace, this is another hard to put down book. There are multiple storylines happening and if that is not enough to hold your interest, here are a few more added. The characters are interesting and they have good dialogues and work in their roles. C. T. has been a PI for almost a year at this point. The solutions and the way problems are handled are entertaining; some have a good revenge edge and others bring rewards. The crime topics are more than loan sharking. 4*

Already Guilty #4 – I could not put this book down. Well written, fasted paced, and intriguing with great storylines and characters, a real page-turner. Bits reminded me of Lithgow and Denzel’s revenge movie, but the author does well making this his work. There are plenty of good characters, old and new, and the storylines merge well with the story’s plot and the past books. Of course, there is always something or someone to mess up the flow, but that is what makes the series interesting. C.T. is C.T. and you cannot help but respect him and his efforts, and he has a hard row to hoe this time with his special case. I do not know how the previous books flowed since I have only read the first of this series. 5*

Daughters and Sons #5 - I enjoy reading this series. Even though I have not read all of them, I have not missed anything due to the author's talent for storytelling. The past is not thrown at the reader to figure out or reminisce over. C.T. continues to develop as more of his personality appears. He has good supporting characters, which is perfect to go along with the intriguing and interesting storylines. There is enough detail to make the reader a fly on the wall without the Hollywood dramatics or the usual stupidity found in this genre. Realistic with storylines, dialog and actions while immersed with good humor and quite a bit of smart mouth from C.T. 5*

A March From Innocence #6 - This story picks up a couple of weeks after Daughters ended. Well thought out storylines; good action scenes; intelligent dialogues; well developed characters on both sides of the law; and good humor with some romance. Clean but the topic is disgusting. Young children. Older men. Add some interesting ways that C. T. handles things makes this a difficult book to put down. 5*

Inside Cut #7 - Oh, dear. My first C. T. book that did not work for me. It felt incomplete, like not everything was there, no enthusiasm on Mr. Fowler's end. True, I do not care much for college sports so the topic was not my cup of tea. I did like a past method coming to play; never think if something (or someone) is outdated that it cannot work in the present or future. Lack of education and experience are easy to beat.

The storylines dragged a bit for me but the characters were good, like always. I disagree with the outcome on Eddie, the old family friend should have his due. Although, the way the storyline went on involving Bruno in the first place did not work for me. C. T. came through and did his usual good work helping others and correcting the outcome of an uncovered crime. While this story is not on par with the others in this series, it is still an OK read. 3*

Dead Cat Bounce #11 - I missed a few books in this series but it was easy to get back in the groove. While I think some of the previous books were better, which may be due to the missing books gap, this story is still a good read. Interesting. Good storylines and good characters. TJ is a good addition to the mix. It was easy to finish the book without interruptions. 4*

Novellas:
Hong Kong Dangerous, prequel - This is an interesting introduction to C.T. and his cousin Rick. The events in this short, quickly read novella lays the path to C. T. becoming PI. C.T. is in HK hacking and being a nuisance to the Chinese government. He and his cohorts are arrested and C.T. finds himself in prison. Rick is a sergeant in the Bmore police force working hard to become a detective. A few of the other repeat characters are mentioned but not in detail. 4*

3.5 Red City Blues - This is an interesting read perfect for quick getaway. The timeline is a year after he starts his PI business. A basic well told story with none of the usual detailed cooking or running scenes. 4*
The C.T. Ferguson Series end.
Profile Image for Robert Browning.
226 reviews2 followers
July 26, 2022
What a blinder of a story in which PI CT comes to the aid of Tara Street who’s father went missing 12 years ago and presumed dead but not believed by Tara who wants to know for sure. With his secretary TJ the search goes slowly as the book starts to gain pace and the search goes to Las Vegas but meanwhile strange happenings start with a green mustang and near misses with CT, his parents and TJ’s cousin make him think twice about if it is related to his case or not. CT soon realizes it isn’t and soon finds out that it is related to Vinny Serrano a pal from the past who CT was instrumental in putting away for years but now suddenly out early and looking for revenge. Both story lines move on quickly and in-between there is even some romance and a friend’s friend a man called Tyler who comes to help.
This is a fast and riveting action roller coaster that just absorbs and grabs your attention, until the very end. A well written and worthwhile action thriller with everything going for it!
Not to be missed especially if you have read the previous books in this series although this one can be read as a one off! I highly recommended you give this a look.
659 reviews4 followers
July 26, 2022
Tom Fowler gives his readers another first class mystery for his PI, CT Ferguson, to unravel. A young woman wants to know if her long-time missing father really is dead. And if he isn’t why has he abandoned his family? CT does whatever he has to to get to the truth. Tom Fowler ramps up the pressure on his PI when CT’s own family are seemingly targeted by an unknown assailant. I’ve loved each of CT Ferguson’s adventures and had, probably unfairly, very high expectations for Don’t Say Her Name. Tom fowler has more than enough talent and skill to meet those expectations and delivers yet another first class novel. As with all the previous books in this series we get doses of action, mystery, clever insight and the occasional skirting of the edges of the law by our favourite Private Investigator. This story pushes the tension a little further though when those nearest CT are also targeted. I loved this book and hope Tom Fowler gives us many more tales in this excellent series.
219 reviews2 followers
July 28, 2022
I believe this is the best one yet in this series. This one taxes CT to his limits when everyone he loves in the world is suddenly in serious danger. All this is happening while he is across the country working another case locating a missing father with his friend and compatriot, Joey, assisting him. When they get back to town, even Joey is threatened. As an aside, the author has snuck in some humor when CJ is trying to ask Gloria to marry him. The previous stories were really good, but CT only needed to call on his very competent skills to get the bad guy and resolve the issues. This one should have no spoilers in the review. The build-up to the identity of the criminal is a process that needs to be followed to the big reveal. Wow, I have to admit I never guessed it. I really recommend this excellent story. Enjoyed having John Tyler as part of the action again. Love his practical approach to things. He is one of my favorites since he takes care of business.
184 reviews3 followers
Read
July 30, 2022
A referral from his parents after a period of tension between them and CT, leads to a new case. Tara Street is looking for her father who just upped and disappeared without trace some 12 years past. CT takes the case on but as the story progresses a number of incidents occur that cause concern to CT for the safety of those he loves. Eventually he manages to establish that these incidents have nothing to do with the Tara case but all to do with the early release of a miscreant he was involved with in one of his early cases.
The missing father is located but the troubles appear to be ongoing after CT’s parents have their tyres slashed, CT is almost run down and, he is approached with a video indicating that the love of his life, Gloria, has been brutally murdered.
An entertaining story with CT struggling to propose to Gloria but all ends well after CT’s history from that earlier case is resolved.
Moses
1,752 reviews13 followers
July 26, 2022
I received an ARC and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

In this story, there are two separate events. In the 1st part of the book, C.T. is hired by a woman to find her father. Her father disappeared and covered his tracks well. C.T. eventually was able to locate the woman's dad.

In the 2nd episode, C.T. is revisited by an old nemisis. C.T. has been told that all of his love ones will be killed. C.T. notifies all the people in his family as well as his girlfriend that they need to leave and hide. C.T. receives a video on his phone that shows this individual killing his girlfriend. C.T. eventually catches up and takes care of this man.

To discover what the reason for the woman's father disappearing, who the individual was and why he wanted C.T. to suffer plus learn the fate of his girlfriend, then you need to read this book.
21 reviews3 followers
July 26, 2022
CT Ferguson is back, and it feels like all is right in the world. NOT! As usual, there are bad guys who’ve preyed on his parents, girlfriend (now wife!), and CT himself. And he’s been hired to find a long-lost father at the same time who doesn’t want anything to do with it.
All of CT’s regulars make appearances, but more like cameos. His parents, Gloria, Rollins, and Rich briefly appear. Rollins refers him to another vigilante since he’s busy(John Tyler). Spoiler! They work well together, but honestly it could just as easily have been Rollins or any of CT’ old Army buddies.
Still, fast paced story that made me feel good and look forward to my next ARC. I’ve enjoyed them all. This seemed a bit too predictable to me. And not enough character building between CT and Tyler. That’s what I really wanted.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
178 reviews2 followers
July 26, 2022
Two intertwined stories are the foundations of Don't Say Her Name's plot: the first one, a quasi-standard sleuthing job, and the second, a very personal and dangerous entanglement. The combination allows the author to introduce a large cast of characters, taking the time to explore their personalities and build on their differences. CT's and John Tyler's juxtaposition is the best example of this artful combination. Furthermore, Mr. Fowler explores CT's most intimate personality traits for the joy of his faithful readers.
Witty dialogues make the story enjoyable at all times. The book remains mostly an action novel, fast-paced and full of twists and turns. Overall, it is a fascinating mix of mystery and drama, enriched by the get-together of a slate of well-developed, captivating characters.
227 reviews3 followers
July 15, 2022
Another thoroughly enjoyable novel by Tom Fowler. It is full of the action I have come to expect from the author. The main characters are, as always, well defined and interesting and the writing does not lag as the story unfolds. C.T. Ferguson and others in this tale are written with an easy going dialogue that keeps the storyline an easy read. I feel reiterating a storyline takes away from the pleasure of future readers. I can say the character of John Tyler, from another series of Mr. Foster's (The Mechanic, White Lines, Lost Highway, and Four on the Floor) plays a minor yet pivot able role in this novel. I highly recommend it. I received an ARC and this is my honest review of this book.
Profile Image for Judy Johnson.
839 reviews2 followers
July 30, 2022
As usual with ANY of Tom Fowler's books, a well-written and well-told story that is engaging and gripping right up to the last word of the book! This story that provides the twists and turns, surprises, and characters we've come to know from other series, expertly written into this hard-to-put-down thriller that you'll be glad you took a chance on. It does fine as a stand-alone, but if this is your first exposure to Tom Fowler, you'll want to go back and read the other great books that he's written, each as riveting as the ones you read before. So, since I don't put any spoilers in my reviews, just know that when you pick this up you'll be glad you did and you will have found a new favorite author to follow!
7,767 reviews50 followers
July 7, 2022
His folks sent Tara pro bono to help find her father. Twelve years ago he walk out and never returned. A funeral but was there a body. A mother who didn’t understand her daughter. wanting closure, he walked out, period.
He is a PI he’s curious, and his folks sent her, things between them are still strained, so thought better to at least look into it. With a sense of humor the plot unfolds.
What seems like one thing soon became something else, more dangerous, and the tension mounts. A winner once again for the author
.Given ARC for my voluntary review and my honest opinion
Releases. July 26. 2022
Profile Image for Icy_Space_Cobwebs .
5,649 reviews330 followers
July 24, 2022
Unique Baltimore Private Investigator C. T. Ferguson, Quintessential Feckless Hero [or The Fool card in Tarot] never fails to delight. His generous heart, stern independence, quick intuition, and gentle conceit make him a crime fiction star, one who like Lew Archer, goes to the last possible mile to find the truth and do what's best for each client--no matter the danger. Danger comes early in this installment, but like The Fool, C.T. keeps on keeping on. Wonderful suspense leavened gently with humor and C.T.'s personal struggle (health, his wealthy but sometimes overbearing parents, and the wily throes of a potential marriage proposal) provide an exciting and compelling story.
687 reviews5 followers
July 26, 2022
C.T Ferguson is a complex character who has grown before our eyes. He is a private eye and always seems to get the case for the underdog. He is good at getting them justice. This time someone is coming after his friends and family. He needs to figure out who this is and stop them before someone really gets hurt. There are laughs and wise cracks throughout the book.The cast of characters are wildly different from each other providing many points of view. The writing is descriptive and I feel like I am right there throughout the story. It is always hard to put one of these books down until you get to the end.
244 reviews19 followers
August 21, 2022
C.J.'s parents have sent him a client to help her find her father that has been missing for twelve years. Tara is a young woman who's father left them when she was a young girl. Since then her mother has had emotional problems and can no longer work. C.J.'s investigation has led him to Las Vegas where he has located Tara father. A side story is also happening when C.J. almost gets run over by a green mustang. He doesn't think to much about until he discovers that his parents tires have been slashed, his cousin Rich's house has been shot at, and he and his secretary T.J. were shot at while leaving work. Who is doing this?
329 reviews4 followers
July 31, 2022
Tom Fowler can write suspense, humour, tragedy, intrigue and balance them with two intertwining stories into one.
A young lady's mystery that's twelve years old with one of his own that seems to be a haunt from a not to distant case.
I liked how everyone Coningsby (C. T.) knows gets dragged into this and immediately C.T. regrets having so many people to protect. How does he cover all of the baes at once. Rollins isn't available. A familiar face from the author appears, John Tyler. Now this book is cooking with gas!

Profile Image for S McK.
293 reviews8 followers
December 1, 2022
Double the thrills!

I love this series, the storylines and characters, especially the banter they all have with C.T. I read this in one go - it was light when I started, I looked up at the end and it was dark; it flowed so well, hooked me in and I couldn't stop reading!

C.T. is tasked with finding an absent father but some weird occurrences and near misses, cause him some concern. He starts to look into his old adversaries, then it turns deadly, with all his loved ones in danger, he has to find the culprit before it is too late.

Keep them coming Tom!
77 reviews2 followers
July 27, 2022
This is my favorite C.T. Ferguson adventure with two well written plots. Besides the twists and turns in the stories I especially enjoy the interaction of the well developed regular characters.
Bringing in John Tyler from another Tom Fowler series into the second mystery really made it a page turner for me.
I’m becoming a Tom Fowler fan and so glad I discovered this author. Looking forward to more.
565 reviews1 follower
June 25, 2025
Starting off with finding a supposed dead father is one thing. But when close calls involving CT then his parents and good friends happen, things start to roll along rather rapidly. Find the dad and then find out who is after him and why.
A name from the past is responsible and so CT and a friend of Rollins, who we do know, have to solve the problem.
Another cracking read from this stable. You just have to keep reading to find out the conclusion!
2,587 reviews45 followers
July 5, 2022
This story starts out one way and takes a big turn with twists. Then things get personal, very personal and the drama and danger are gripping and intense at times but still maintains some humor along the way.The secondary characters are interesting , likable, and round out the story and are a welcome addition to the dynamics and make it more than just a mystery.
Profile Image for Ron.
229 reviews8 followers
July 15, 2022
Another great C.T. Ferguson novel - number 12 in the series. Tom Fowler once again writes a tense thriller that has CT investigating a missing husband and father. There is also someone trying to kill CT and the people he loves. The twists and turns in the story lead to a wonderful ending. Well worthy of five stars.
Profile Image for Carolyn Valdez.
502 reviews12 followers
July 26, 2022
This is another great story by my favorite author. Reading about CT, Gloria, CT‘s parents, and all the other wonderful characters is such a thrill for me. if you enjoy mystery, suspense, and plenty of laughs you will love this series.


I received a complimentary copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.


114 reviews3 followers
July 26, 2022
This was a pretty good story about C.T. Ferguson. Had bits of humor and action. I liked it. But don’t read any of his John Tyler series stories before reading this. John does make an appearance in this book. I MUCH PREFER John Tyler Books! But this CT Ferguson book was pretty good! Give it a try!
80 reviews2 followers
July 29, 2022
Tom Fowler just wrote another terrific story! I really liked how the characters developed.
C.T. is once again a very smart detective. You never know how he is going to
solve the problems. The story is so intriguing that I had to read it in one sitting.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good detective story.
323 reviews
July 5, 2023
FINALLY!! Just married!

Through a lot of dangers and murderous vengeful cons, C.T. and Gloria tight the knot!
And my other favourite personage John Tyler made an astounding appearance.
I don't know which next book of each series I want sooner!
Sigh! I'll have to wait...
Monica Beltrami. Montevideo, Uruguay.
Profile Image for Jim E..
334 reviews6 followers
July 30, 2025
I enjoyed this book, but not as much as most of the others in the series. It seemed to me that the author did not have enough material to fill the book with the “lost father” plot and needed to add a secondary plot about the early release of Vinny. The phrase “ You’re fired “ was over done as well, but I do like the addition of TJ to the continuing story.
Profile Image for Laurie Robertson.
887 reviews21 followers
July 12, 2022
Really enjoyed the novel. It was two stories in one. Both realistic.
Strong characters and some surprise twists kept me engaged throughout.
If you like PI novels you'll love this one. It can be read as a standalone.
860 reviews22 followers
July 17, 2022
Another great C.T. Ferguson novel. A bonus of 2 stories in one as CT is engaged to find a missing father while someone is targeting all those he holds dear.
A page turner again with Tom Fowler's writting. An entertaining read
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.