Playing Dead

by R. G. Belsky

Overview

It's been eleven years since David Galvin terrorized New York City with a series of gruesome murders. He picked his victim at random and stalked her silently, taking pleasure in a game of pretend until he captured his prey, played out his sick fantasies, and reached his ultimate passion watching her die. Then it was time to choose his next pretty woman.Now Galvin is dying in prison and he's chosen newspaperman Joe Dougherty to hear the shocking story he never revealed. Galvin's deadly game of make-believe was not his alone, but the brainchild of a group of wealthy college friends -- thrill seekers who killed for fun, kept their sickening secret, and went on to live successful, prominent lives. Galvin got caught. But among the rich and powerful, silence still prevails...and someone is still playing the game!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062852625
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	05/21/2024
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	529,799
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

R.G. Belsky lives in New York City.

Editorial Reviews

In Belsky's new thriller (after Loverboy), serial killer Felix the Cat mysteriously summons disgraced reporter Joe Dougherty to hear his deathbed confession: he played only a part of a larger conspiracy. Felix predictably dies before he can name his co-killers (who are still active and at large), leaving Dougherty a list of their victims--two of whom are Joe's long-dead wife and son. Hired back to the New York Banner after being fired for fabricating an article, Joe's passion for reporting is reawakened as he falls for one of the lead suspects. Joe struggles to recover his reporting chops but soon pieces the mystery's clues together. Due to many unlikely plot turns--the biggest stretcher being that even the most tabloid of newspapers would not keep a reporter on a story that involves the death of his family members--Belsky's thriller never really comes to life. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

R.G. Belsky has created quite a clever plot in Playing Dead. The usual motives for murder - love, power, or money - obviously do not apply....Playing Dead is more than just a thriller. The reader can clearly empathize with Joe in his struggles. The identity of the other Pretenders, while not only exciting, provides a puzzle to be reckoned with. Unless you are upset by massive violence, [the book] would be a perfect choice for your next long plane ride.
— The Mystery Reader.com

Andy Plonka