The Ghosts That Haunt Me

by Steve Ryan

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

The Ghosts that Haunt Me is an unflinching depiction of the impact of murder from the experiences of retired detective, Steve Ryan. Released 13 Sept 2022 by Dundurn Press, it's 232 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. 

This is quite a difficult read. The author is a retired career law enforcement officer with 30 years experience, 10 of which he served as a homicide detective. The memoir is written around his recollections of 6 specific cases, and he does a good job of recreating the grinding desperation, sadness, and sometimes slogging work of policing, including bringing cases to resolution. The standout for me was a deeper understanding of the loss and horrible cost of murder. The writing is unpolished but effective, describing horrific acts and the investigative aftermath plainly and directly. It makes for difficult reading throughout.

He covers 6 cases from Toronto in which he was involved. The first of them was the murder and dismemberment of a young girl, aged 10 at the time of her death. He does a good job of also describing the ancillary services, social, criminal, and medical which are involved in the investigation, solution, and resolution of criminal assault and murder.

Four stars. Recommended for fans of very gritty true-crime stories/podcasts. 

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.