The Ridge

“A creeping, pitch-black window into a suburban America like nothing you’ve ever read....You know something is deeply wrong with this neighborhood, and yet nothing will prepare you for the mind-melting final pages.” ―Blake Crouch, international bestselling author of Dark Matter and the Wayward Pines SeriesWith its manicured lawns, pastel houses, and quiet, tree-lined streets, Willow Ridge seems to be the perfect place for Megan and Tyler Stokes to start a new chapter in their lives together. But soon after settling in, Megan begins to notice cracks in the neighborhood’s bright suburban façade―cracks that reveal a darker secret hidden just beneath the surface.After an angry encounter with a neighbor takes a horrifying turn, Megan’s waking nightmare truly begins―growing ever more chilling and bizarre with each shocking twist. Suddenly forced to question everything around her, Megan finds herself trapped between the specter of madness and the shadow of something far worse. Her only hope is to expose the community’s pretty lies and discover the truth about what is really going on in Willow Ridge―a truth so devastating that her life will never be the same.

Booklist

“It’s no spoiler to say that this blend of horror and thriller sets its hook deeply and doesn’t let readers escape.”

Literary Hub

“Rector does both bizarre and creepy quite well; though domestic suspense might be new for him, he is quite skilled at the thriller game.”

Washington Independent Review of Books

“The true skill of The Ridge lies in the tone Rector sets from the beginning, one of constant tension and growing unease.…The Ridge is definitely worth a read.”

Out of the Gutter

“Reader[s] will not know what is real and who can be trusted, as they navigate the dark corners of Willow Ridge with Rector surprising them at every turn.”

Night Owl Reviews, Top Pick

“Willow Ridge is a weird place, with weirder characters, and an even weirder agenda. Do yourself a favor and read all about it.”

Suspense Magazine

“Rector has brought forth a new type of chill that once again proves small towns are not the peaceful little worlds they claim to be.”

Midwest Book Reviews

“An extraordinary, original, and deftly crafted novel, The Ridge is an inherently fascinating and unfailingly entertaining read from beginning to end.”

Blake Crouch, international bestselling author of Dark Matter and the Wayward Pines Series

“The Ridge is a creeping, pitch-black window into a suburban America like nothing you’ve ever read. The suspense builds with every sentence and you know something is deeply wrong with this neighborhood, and yet nothing will prepare you for the mind-melting final pages.”

Eric Beetner, author of Rumrunners and The Devil Doesn't Want MePraise for the International Thriller Award Winner and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author John Rector:

“The Ridge starts as a suburban noir and ends in The Twilight Zone. Each new revelation pulls you deeper, turns the pages faster. John Rector is one of the most consistently entertaining and unexpected writers I've had the pleasure to read.”

Los Angeles Review of Books

“It’s time to get on board, before Rector stops being ‘the next big thing’ and becomes the phenomenon he deserves to be.”

New York Journal of Books

“John Rector is quickly becoming a master of suspense and drama.”

Spinetingler Magazine

“…one of the very best new writers to enter the scene in a very long time…John Rector is a game changer.”

Books and Writers

“[Rector’s] consistent excellence in storytelling is already proving his calling card.”

Baltimore Reads

“Rector brings some really impressive writing and strong characters into a genre that is often teeming with contrived, cringe-worthy dialogue and flat, unoriginal characters.”

Lincoln Journal Star

“John Rector writes a lean, mean mystery.”

Blake Crouch, international bestselling author of Dark Matter and the Wayward Pines Series

“Rector’s gorgeous, streamlined prose goes down like a fine single malt.”

Max Allan Collins, author of Road to Perdition

“Swift and savage and smart, Rector [writes]…superior pulp in the grand James M. Cain tradition.”

About the Author

John Rector is the bestselling author of the novels The Cold Kiss, The Grove, Already Gone, Out of the Black, and Ruthless. His short fiction has appeared in numerous magazines and has won several awards, including the International Thriller Award for his novella, Lost Things. He lives in Omaha, Nebraska.

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