Part murder mystery, part psychological mind-fuck and part coming of age story with a smidgeon of horror thrown in for good measure, I Am Not Who You Think I Am is one hell of a dark and twisted ride from the diabolical mind of Eric Rickstad.
At eight years old, Wayland Maynard witnessed his father commit suicide with a shotgun and finding a note that says “I am not who you think I am.” Reeling from the trauma and dumbfounded by the meaning behind the note, Wayland keeps that note secret until eight years later when he starts to believe it wasn’t his dad who killed himself that day. Unable to shake the feeling that things aren’t as they seem, Wayland kicks off his own investigation with the help of two friends with the goal to find the truth about what happened to his dad. Along the way, Wayland becomes suspicious of everyone, uncovers secrets that shatter his beliefs and leads to unimaginable discovery that alters his life forever in an irrevocable manner. Sometimes, it’s truly better to let the truth lay dead and buried.
This book is wonderfully messed up and feels like a great psychological thriller flick from the 1980’s, which makes sense since the bulk of this story takes place in the mid-80’s. But it’s more than just the time period and small-town setting. It’s a bunch of little things – a powerful family who basically owns the town, using microfilm to do research at the library, kids having the autonomy to wander around with minimal adult supervision, landline phones, creepy mansions on the hill, and more – that come together to weave a tale that’s simultaneously fresh and familiar.
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.
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