Ragdoll - by Daniel Cole (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Now an AMC Plus series starring Lucy Hale from the Producers of "Killing Eve"

William Fawkes, a controversial detective known as The Wolf, has just been reinstated to his post after he was suspended for assaulting a vindicated suspect. Still under psychological evaluation, Fawkes returns to the force eager for a big case. When his former partner and friend, Detective Emily Baxter, calls him to a crime scene, he's sure this is it: the body is made of the dismembered parts of six victims, sewn together like a puppet--a corpse that becomes known as "The Ragdoll."

Fawkes is tasked with identifying the six victims, but that gets dicey when his reporter ex-wife anonymously receives photographs from the crime scene, along with a list of six names, and the dates on which the Ragdoll Killer plans to murder them.

The final name on the list is Fawkes.

Baxter and her trainee partner, Alex Edmunds, hone in on figuring out what links the victims together before the killer strikes again. But for Fawkes, seeing his name on the list sparks a dark memory, and he fears that the catalyst for these killings has more to do with him--and his past--than anyone realizes.

With a breakneck pace, a twisty plot, and a wicked sense of humor, Ragdoll announces the arrival of the hottest new brand in crime fiction.

From the Back Cover

William "Wolf" Fawkes gets the case of a lifetime. He and his former partner, Detective Emily Baxter, arrive at a crime scene where the body is made of the dismembered parts of six victims, sewn together a corpse that becomes known as "The Ragdoll." Wolf is tasked with identifying the six victims, but that is complicated when his ex-wife, a popular journalist, anonymously receives a list of names, and the dates on which the Ragdoll Killer plans to strike next. The final name on the list is Wolf. With a breakneck pace, a twisty plot, and a wicked sense of humor, Ragdoll is an absolutely unforgettable debut.

Review Quotes

"A gruesome delight! Daniel Cole's thriller Ragdoll, in which gritty detective William "Wolf" Fawkes comes upon a single corpse stitched together out of six bodies, had me flipping pages furiously. It's an impressive debut, dark, propulsive, and surprisingly funny." - Gregg Hurwitz, bestselling author of Orphan X
"Daniel Cole's Ragdoll is a bold first step in what is liable to be a spectacular career. Disturbing, taut and compelling, this book took me down the rabbit hole as only the best of thrillers can. Bravo, Mr. Cole." - John Hart, bestselling author of Redemption Road
"I'd give an arm or a leg to get hold of Ragdoll. . . . An exciting thriller." - Linwood Barclay, bestselling author of the Promise Falls trilogy
"A star is born. Killer plot. Killer pace. Twisted killer and a killer twist. Kill to get a copy." - Simon Toyne, author of Solomon Creed
"Briskly paced. . . . Cole's grim yet humorous first novel offers a fresh take on British detective drama that is bound to attract admirers of Robert Galbraith and Clare Mackintosh." - Library Journal
"A smart, psychologically complex read. Think Luther (BBC) meets Harry Bosch, and toss in some dark, old-country folklore for good measure." - Booklist
"[A] strong first novel. . . . Cole uses the rising tension and the mystery of the killer's true identity to create a page-turning narrative." - Publishers Weekly