Review: What Remains of Her by Eric Rickstad

Kerry Hammond found another new-to-her author and is here to tell us what she thought.

What Remains of Her by Eric Rickstad was published on July 24, in Trade Paperback, by William Morrow. Rickstad is a New York Times bestselling author of four other novels of suspense; three of which make up the Canaan Crime Novels series.

The book revolves around the disappearance of Rebecca Baum and her young daughter Sally, a case that went cold 25 years ago and left Jonah Baum—husband and father—to try and pick up the pieces of his life. There was speculation that Rebecca took her daughter and disappeared, but there was also small town gossip that Jonah had something to do with their disappearance. Now, 25 years to the day after they disappeared, a broken and reclusive Jonah finds a young girl in the woods. He is struck by her resemblance to his lost daughter and in his mind, muddled by years of grief, he tries to protect and save the girl; something he wasn’t able to do for his own daughter and wife. As the police continue to search for the missing child, Lucinda, a deputy sheriff who is tied to the original case, begins to piece together what happened all of those years ago.

The story drew me in right away and I was mesmerized by the world Rickstad created. The setting was perfect for the story that was being told: a remote part of Vermont, in the wintertime. There was a feeling of isolation that permeated the town and everyone in it. The cold and snow both hindered and helped. It hindered those who wanted to search for clues and helped those who were trying to hide.

There were plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing and a satisfying ending to wrap things up. I will definitely be checking out the author’s other books.

This book was provided to Mystery Playground by the publisher. The review is fair and independent.