The book description piqued my interest with I Am Not Who You Think I Am by Eric Rickstad. Blackstone Publishing and Net Galley were kind enough to provide me with a copy to read and share my thoughts on.

The first eight years of Wayland Maynard's life are so dull they were wonderful, until the mid 1970s, when just eight years old, he witnesses his father kill himself and finds a note that reads "I am not who you think I am." Fast forward eight years, and Wayland has questions. With the help of his crush and his only friend, he begins to investigate and try to discover the truth.

This book is a matryoshka doll of mysteries and revelations. With each little tidbit of information gained, more mysteries reveal themselves. In the same way these mysteries are being revealed, we are witnessing the (understandable) mental deterioration of Wayland and his relationships as he obsesses over the note left by his father. When we finally reach the truth, although both expected and unexpected, it's actually a very simple, albeit unsavory truth. The poor baby matryoshka doll wasn't painted as prettily as those who held her.

With atmospheric writing, Eric Rickstad completely immerses the reader into this small New England town during 1984. The characters we encounter, including Wayland, are tangible human beings (and one dog), with characteristics both good and bad, and complex reasons for their actions. This is particularly admirable in a mystery, when often times the more minor characters are not given such depth. The pace begins slow as the scenery is set up, but then it picks up, until it's a feverish pitch in an attempt to get to that final truth. Everything a mystery should be, really. Rickstad is tricky, too. There are little hint nuggets tossed the readers' way. Perhaps some of you will note them sooner than did and figure it out before the book ends. I'm happy not having realized they were hints until after I finished, however, as I can now sit here and smile as I think, "Oh, and this/that little detail. I get it now." Tricky, tricky, but I love it. Every last bit of it.

This was the first book authored by Eric Rickstad that I have read. I'll look forward to seeing what else he's got to offer in the future, and perhaps check into his past work as well. Mystery fans, I definitely recommend picking this one up either by preordering it or when it publishes on October 05, 2021.

3.5 stars

This book started off quite slowly, but the pace picked up as the story went on. I've never read anything by this author, but I found the writing solid with smooth transitions, and there was good character development. I really enjoyed the ending twist!

"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." - GoodReads

This is the first novel I have read by Eric Rickstad, but it will not be my last. The writing style was smooth and enjoyable, the transition between chapters flowed nicely into each other. The character development was on point and the twist at the end is nothing short of five stars.

The first quarter of the book was definitely a slow burn but I think it was just part of the build up. Once I hit the mid point I could not put this book down.

I would highly recommend this author to anyone who enjoys a good thriller.

ever a title was apropos for a story, this is it. Every character has another side to their lives that is revealed only as the story unravels.
   A young boy sees his father commit suicide but hides the note that was left because it cast his dad in a questionable light. Move ahead in time and this note now becomes a mystery that needs to be solved. This odd teenager with all the angst that goes with being a teen decides to cajole two friends in his research about the note and its real meaning.  In doing so he uncovers hidden facts of his town, his family and his friends that keep the reader glued to the pages.
   This story is an education for eveyone as to what can happen when personal interpretations about people and situations are misconstrued and the ramifications that result.
   The author, after many twists and revelations, made the final scene come together in an explosion of shock and disbelief.

Bik starts at a steady pace and gradually picks up tempo as we journey with the protagonist on a journey of discovery.

A quick, emotional and thrilling page-turner with some fun twists and turns. The writing and the pace are brilliant.

Long time fan of Rickstad. His writing is lyrical and descriptive, occasionally too much so. This one kept me turning the pages to see what would happen. Lots of twists and turns. A bit of a convoluted ending. Well worth the read, though.

The synopsis for this book caught my attention. “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. … 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.”

We are fortunate that we are able to accompany Wayland on his investigation. As his investigation progresses, more questions than answers arise, and Wayland makes things worse since the more he discovers, the angrier he becomes. There were several times that I gasped out loud at the pain Wayland experiences. The story is engaging with twists and turns throughout, keeping me engaged—wanting to find the ultimate truth.

I especially appreciated the author’s word and turn of phrase choices; the story benefited greatly from his writing style/voice.

A copy of I Am Not Who You Think I Am was provided to me by NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for an honest review.

An excellent addition to the crowded crime genre. A recommended purchase for collections where thrillers are popular.

Wayland is still recovering from the shock of seeing his father kill himself when he was only eight years old. Now sixteen, he begins to wonder about what really happened. He remembers the tall, creepy man who threatened his father days before his suicide. And he thinks about the fact that his father, whom he saw from the back before the man shot himself in the face, seemed oddly shrunken in those last few moments. But mostly, he wonders about the words left on a scrap of paper at the suicide scene “I am not who you think I am”. Part coming of age novel, part thriller, this is an absorbing read

I would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book, it is by an author I haven’t read before but the premise sounded interesting. The first 1/4 is more slow burning but it picks up and I sped through the last 3/4 and I couldn’t put it down. Wayland witnesses the suicide of his father as a child and then as a teen is plagued by the memory of it and what really happened that night. A great read with plot twists I didn’t see coming.