I Am Not Who You Think I Am

by Eric Rickstad

Overview

A New York Times Best Thriller of 2021

An Amazon Best Book of the Month

An Apple Best Book of the Month

“A tale not just of profound misunderstanding but dynastic wealth and dysfunction, of how money and power can warp a community…[A] shocker of a finale.” —New York Times

''Wicked and smart. Everything you want in a great thriller.'' —Adrian McKinty, New York Times bestselling author of The Chain

One secret.
Eight cryptic words.
Lifetimes of ruin.

From New York Times and Internationally bestselling author

Wayland Maynard is just eight years old when he sees his father kill himself, finds a note that reads I am not who you think I am, and is left reeling with grief and shock. Who was his father if not the loving man Wayland knew? Terrified, Wayland keeps the note a secret, but his reasons for being afraid are just beginning.

Eight years later, Wayland makes a shocking discovery and becomes certain the note is the key to unlocking a past his mother and others in his town want to keep buried.

With the help of two friends, Wayland searches for the truth. Together they uncover strange messages scribbled in his father’s old books, a sinister history behind the town’s most powerful family, and a bizarre tragedy possibly linked to Wayland’s birth. Each revelation raises more questions and deepens Wayland’s suspicions of everyone around him. Soon, he’ll regret he ever found the note, trusted his friends, or believed in such a thing as the truth.

I Am Not Who You Think I Am is an ingenious, addictive, and shattering tale of grief, obsession, and fate as eight words lead to lifetimes of ruin.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781094000336
Publisher:	Blackstone Publishing
Publication date:	10/05/2021
Pages:	240
Sales rank:	433,990
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Eric Rickstad is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of the Canaan Crime series novels, The Silent Girls, The Names of Dead Girls, and Lie in Wait. He lives in Vermont with his wife, son, and daughter.

Editorial Reviews

★ 08/23/2021

This exceptional thriller from bestseller Rickstad (Reap) opens with a letter from the Shireburne, Vt., police chief to the town’s citizens regarding a manuscript by Wayland Maynard, a former resident who was believed to have died in a fire in Shireburne in 1984. Maynard’s account begins in 1976, when, at age eight, he came home to witness his father, Roland, the local barber, shoot himself in the head with a shotgun. Maynard, who was splattered with his parent’s blood, finds a note nearby with the cryptic message “I Am Not Who You Think I Am,” but conceals it from everyone else. His mother’s response to the suicide—to rid the home of anything connected with Roland—further traumatizes Maynard. As a 16-year-old, Maynard begins to question what he believes about his father’s death, but his investigation just leads him into more confusion and violence. The reveal about the meaning of the note comes as a genuine gut-punch. Knowing that the story line is building toward the fatal conflagration keeps the tension high. Rickstad has raised his game to a new level. Agent: Shane Salerno, Story Factory. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

10/01/2021

In Rickstad's (What Remains of Her) 1984-set thriller, 16-year-old Wayland Maynard is still traumatized by his father's suicide, which he witnessed as an eight-year-old. He lives on the fringes of the small Vermont village of Shireburne with his mother and sister, and the family barely scrapes by. Wayland is keeping a secret: eight years ago, he found a note near his father's body, bearing the cryptic message "I am not who you think I am." Wayland is convinced that the man who died that afternoon was not his father. Now he launches his own investigation, digging into the twisted past of the Vanders family, scions of Shireburne society who owned the dilapidated mansion in the woods outside of town. Someone out there will stop at nothing to keep Wayland from learning the history of his father's birth and death. VERDICT Rickstad ratchets up the suspense, filling Wayland's investigations with misdirection, shadowy characters, and gothic elements. There's a sense of dread throughout the book, but the final plot twist is a jaw-dropper. Recommended for readers who like their thrillers dark and twisted.—Nanette Donohue, Champaign P.L., IL

Library Journal

“One hell of a dark and twisted ride from the diabolical mind of Eric Rickstad…A fast-paced page-turner that’s hard to put down, I Am Not Who You Think I Am will keep you riveted and guessing throughout. Erik Rickstad delivers the goods in this book that’s sure to provide eerie and brain-busting entertainment to readers looking for a disturbing psychological thriller to sink their teeth into.”

Best Thriller Books

“An exceptional read by an exceptional writer.”

internationally bestselling author of 56 Days Catherine Ryan Howard

“What an incredible, sad story. This is the kind of story that lingers long after you’ve finished reading. It’s dark and twisted, with no redemption for the characters. And yet, it is probably a more realistic ending than the ones we normally read about…If you enjoy dark, gritty thrillers, then I recommend you read this book.”

Portland Book Review

“I loved it. A riveting tale of lies and betrayal. Clear your calendar before you crack the cover—you WON’T be able to put this one down!”

New York Times bestselling author of A Caller̵ J. D. Barker

“Wicked and smart. Everything you want in a great thriller. A smart, very well-written book with whiplash-inducing twists and turns that I never saw coming. I Am Not Who You Think I Am kept me reading late into the night.”

New York Times bestselling author of The Chain Adrian McKinty

“Rickstad weaves layer upon layer of psychological mystery—all wrapped up in vivid, elegant prose.”

Brian Freeman

“I Am Not Who You Think I Am is a grim tour-de-force, full of sleight-of-hand twists. Rickstad feints in one direction, then cuts you while you aren’t looking. Dark and unflinching. You’re not getting out of this one unscathed.”

New York Times bestselling author of Road of Bones Christopher Golden

“Eric Rickstad’s is a name to remember.”

Criminal Element

“Eric Rickstad is the rare writer who can wrap a dark, gritty story in smooth, poetic prose.”

New York Times bestselling author of The Ex Alafair Burke

“A lean and mean thriller with a distinct gothic tinge…Rickstad has crafted a tale twisty enough to foil even mystery fans…The story's irresistible hook and complex unfolding are likely to keep readers engaged to the last page.”

Seven Days

“I Am Not Who You Think I Am is a stunning achievement, equal parts searing family tragedy, gripping character study, and page-turning thriller…The ghost of gothic thrillers lurks around every sharp bend of the meticulously crafted, pitch-black plot.”

Big Thrill

“A real page-turner, this one. Brilliantly written with a wicked mystery at its heart, this is a cracker from Eric Rickstad.”

internationally bestselling author of The Devil Steve Cavanagh

“Eric Rickstad’s I Am Not Who You Think I Am left me spellbound and shattered. It’s a shocking, heartbreaking novel, equal parts tender and vicious. I never saw the punches coming and when they landed I was left stunned and breathless. I loved every page. It should not be missed!”

New York Times bestselling author of Chasing the B Richard Chizmar

“The reader will entertain many incorrect theories before arriving at the shocker of a finale…Rickstad has an elaborate, old-fashioned style of narration. He sends us hurtling down one path before yanking the reins and pulling us in another direction. Soon we are in a tale not just of profound misunderstanding but also of dynastic wealth and dysfunction, of how money and power can warp a community.”

New York Times

“A riveting tale of consequences, family, and fate—darkly poetic and deeply felt…Do not miss this.”

USA Today bestselling author of Her Perfect Life Hank Phillippi Ryan