In his sleek, visceral novels Deviant Way, Kiss of Evil, and The Violet Hour, Richard Montanari slammed into the suspense field like a force of nature. Now Montanari has written an astounding novel that pits two besieged detectives against a fiercely intelligent serial killer. Sprawling beneath the statue of William Penn, Philadelphia is a city of downtrodden crack houses and upscale brownstones. Somewhere in this concrete crazy quilt, one teenage Catholic girl is writing in her diary, another is pouring her heart out to a friend, and yet another is praying. And somewhere in this city is a man who wants these young women to make his macabre fantasy become reality. In a passion play of his own, he will take the girls–and a whole city–over the edge. Kevin Byrne is a veteran cop who already knows that edge: He’s been living on it far too long. His marriage failing, his former partner wasting away in a hospital, and his heart lost to mad fury, Byrne loves to take risks and is breaking every rule in the book. And now he has been given a rookie partner. Jessica Balzano, the daughter of a famous Philly cop, doesn’t want Byrne’s help. But they will need each other desperately, since they’ve just caught the case of a lifetime: Someone is killing devout young women, bolting their hands together in prayer, and committing an abomination upon their otherwise perfect bodies. Byrne and Balzano spearhead the hunt for the serial killer, who leads them on a methodically planned journey. Suspects appear before them like bad dreams–and vanish just as quickly. And while Byrne’s sins begin to catch up with him, and Balzano tries to solve the blood-splattered puzzle, the body count rises. Meanwhile, the calendar is approaching Easter and the day of the resurrection. When the last rosary is counted, a madman’s methods will be revealed, and the final crime will be the one that hurts the most. Relentlessly paced and vividly told, The Rosary Girls is a smart, emotionally complex, fiercely gripping thriller from an author who takes chances, breaks new ground, and leaves readers haunted and moved long after the last page is turned.
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"A gripping story, very well paced. There were quite a few different suspects who the killer could have been. I wasn't expecting it to be who it turned out to be nor was I expecting what happened to him at the end of the book. I can recommend this book, it's a cracking read. I shall definitely be reading more of Mr Montanari's books."
— Thasc (4 out of 5 stars)
" Very enjoyable! Good plot, moved along nicely! My only criticism would be that the ending was a little predictable, but, after saying that, I was still surprised at who the villain turned out to be. Will definitely be reading more of this Richard Montanari:) "
— Sue, 2/4/2014" Audio -- just bad "
— Irene, 2/3/2014" I don't usually like crime stories, but this one was really enjoyable. Not as slow as some other thrillers/crime stories. "
— Charissa, 1/31/2014" Great book. This book got me hooked on this author. "
— Mischelle, 1/18/2014" Great book; another author whose whole bibliography I plan to enjoy! "
— Joanna, 1/15/2014" This book surprised me totally! For a rare change I had no idea who the killer was at the end of penultimate chapter. I liked the partnership between Jessica and Kevin. I must read the second book! "
— Tracey, 1/8/2014" Very good read. Could not put this book down. Read it in a couple of days. Will look for other titles by this author. "
— Barb, 1/6/2014" Spectacularly gory but ineptly delivered mystery novel. Imagine if Saw were a book. That either got your motor running or turned you off. So check it out or not. Depends on your taste. "
— Myke, 12/29/2013" Too many attempts at flowery writing to keep my interest. "
— Kris, 12/5/2013" Good Book. First I have read by this author - enjoyed - thank goodness description of crimes were not overly graphic. I don't care for that and feel it is not necessary. Feel the same way about sex actually lol "
— Joyce, 12/3/2013" A real who-dunit. Suspects are woven in and out as the plot unravels. Being a Catholic would help unlock the mystery behind the villian's mode. "
— Hapzydeco, 9/19/2013Richard Montanari is a novelist, screenwriter, and essayist. His work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Detroit Free Press, Cleveland Plain Dealer, and scores of other national and regional publications. He is the OLMA-winning author of the internationally acclaimed thrillers Deviant Way and The Violet Hour that have now been published in more than twenty countries.
Richard Ferrone recorded over 150 audiobooks including thrillers, romances, science fiction, and inspirational novels. He won the prestigious Audie Award and was a finalist for four Audie Awards, including for Best Solo Male Narrator. He was named an AudioFile "Voice of the Last Century" and a "Rising and Shining Star." He earned many AudioFile Earphones Awards, including being named the 2011 Best Voice in Mystery and Suspense as well as the 2009 Best Voice in Science Fiction and Fantasy. A science fiction fan, he narrated Kim Stanley Robinson’s Mars trilogy. He also narrated works by James Patterson, Walter Mosley, John Sandford, Eric Van Lustbader, and Stuart Woods.