Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #644829 in Books
• Published on: 2005-02-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 400 pages

From the Publisher
A STUNNING THRILLER SET TO BECOME ONE OF ARROW'S BIGGEST LAUNCHES OF 2006

'A relentlessly suspenseful, soul-chilling thriller that hooks you instantly' -- Tess Gerritsen

'Readers of this terrifying page-turner are in the hands of a master story-teller. Be prepared to stay up all night' -- James Ellroy

From the Back Cover
God Help Them …

In the most brutal killing crusade Philadelphia has seen in years, a series of young Catholic women are found dead, their bodies mutilated and their hands bolted together. Each clutches a rosary in her lifeless grasp.

Veteran cop Kevin Byrne and his rookie partner Jessica Balzano set out to hunt down the elusive killer, who leads them deeper and deeper into the abyss of a madman's depravity. Suspects appear before them like bad dreams - and vanish just as quickly. While the body count rises, Easter is fast approaching: the day of resurrection and of the last rosary to be counted …

'A relentlessly suspenseful, soul-chilling thriller that hooks you instantly' Tess Gerritsen

'Readers of this terrifying page-turner are in the hands of a master story-teller. Be prepared to stay up all night' James Ellroy

About the Author
Richard Montanarl's essays, profiles and features have appeared in scores of national and regional publications, including THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE, THE PLAIN DEALER, THE DETROIT FREE PRESS and many others. His next novel featuring Jessica Balzano and Kevin Byrne, The Skin Gods, will be published by William Heinemann in September 2006.

Customer Reviews

A real 5-star read
'The Rosary Girls' begins when a young girl has been found murdered with her hands bolted together as well as other sickening mutilations and rosary beads between her fingers. Called to investigate are long-time homicide detective, Kevin Byrne and his new partner, Jessica Balzano. More girls, with the only connection to each other being that they attend catholic schools, are found in similar conditions every day leading up to Easter. With time running out and next to no clues on who and where the killer will strike next, Byrne and Balzano are in a race against time to stop one of Philidelphia's worst serial killers.

This is the first book that I've read by Richard Montanari (and the first of his that was released in the UK) and is definitely not the last as 'The Rosary Girls' is well up there with the likes of Thomas Harris' Silence of the Lambs and James Patterson's Kiss The Girls. I've now ordered the second Byrne and Balzano novel, The Skin Gods, and am really looking forward to giving it a read!

From the opening chapter I was completely gripped by the storyline. Montanari really knows how to write a good thriller - just when I thought I'd worked out who the killer was (on a number of occasions) he turns the story completely around, making me think it was someone completely different! The setting is dark and gritty, showing you the most violent and seedy sides of Philedelphia. The lead characters Byrne and Balzano are very likeable and believable (although some of the crime fiction detective stereotypes are still there) and are ones that I look forward to see how they develop in future novels.

Overall it is a very entertaining read and one of the best that I've read in a long time. If you're after a real whodunnit, with plenty of twists and suspense, as well as some really good characters, look no further than 'The Rosary Girls'. 10/10!

Very good!
I bought this book after reading some of these reviews on Amazon and agree that it is a very good thriller.

The story is based in Philadelphia, a new detective partnership and their attempts to stop a crazed serial killer targeting young Catholic school girls. Veteran cop Kevin Byrne is your typical no nonsense hero and he is joined by Jessica Balzano, a young but determined recruit. The hunt is on for the madman inflicting sickening acts of violence against innocents.

What i liked about The Rosary Girls is that it keep's you guessing right to the end, there's plenty of suspects and no obvious culprit. Indeed i was surprised when the killer was revealed.

The charecters, plot and dialogue were very well written. Some of the crime scenes and description were a bit much for me at times but i understand that it was all part of the story and to be expected in a crime thriller.

Overall very good and i will certainly read the next installment, Skin Gods.

Excellent story - more to this standard needed!
I've not read any of the other books by this author. Thus was a desperation buy and I am very pleased with the purchase - I'm keenly awaiting the sequel called The Skin Dogs.

Without giving too much away this is mutliplot story covering the killings, the new detective partnership and the situation between a reporter and one of the detectives. The storyline builds well and many clues and avenues of thought are teasingly offered to the reader. I liked the way the various characters were described along with their personality and thought processes.

A lot was put together in this book and the work pays off. This is a very full book with a gripping plot. This book makes many others look very flat in comparison. This author is going on my must have list. A riveting read, highly recommended.