Who Knew the Ridpath Girl
- Judith D Collins
- Apr 8
- 6 min read
By: Stacy Johns
Narrator: Carlotta Brentan
ISBN: 9781464230967
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Pulication Date: 04/14/2026
Format: Other
My Rating: 4 Stars (ARC)
A gripping mystery perfect for fans of Amy Tintera following one man's investigation into the death of his sister years earlier, forcing him to confront old faces, a strong-willed detective, and a string of new murders in his remote small town.
Welcome to Meander, where truths are best left buried.
Gracen Ridpath has a secret. As the host of a successful YouTube channel for stay-at-home-dads, Gracen is known for his handy tips and trademark self-deprecating humor. But off camera, he struggles with the aftereffects of a tragedy that shaped him and everyone else in his hometown of Meander: the death of his eleven-year-old sister, Douggy.
When Gracen mentions his sister's long-ago death for the first time on his channel, he taps a vein of interest he hadn't known existed. Soon enough, he finds himself discussing a theory he's kept quiet for years: that Douggy chose to die. And he's finally figured out why . . . and who is to blame.
At first, Gracen is grateful for the jump in views, until his shift in content brings Quinn, Douggy's childhood best friend, back to Meander looking for answers. And when people start dying around them and detectives start asking questions, Gracen and Quinn find themselves at the center of an investigation that will prove to have consequences deadlier than they ever could've imagined.
My Review
In the stagnant town of Meander, Oregon, a decades-old tragedy refuses to stay buried in Stacy John's latest thriller, WHO KNEW THE RIDPATH GIRL Eleven-year-old Douggy Ridpath’s death was always called an accident—until her brother, Gracen, launched a voyeuristic true-crime podcast that set the town ablaze with suspicion.
As the oppressive weight of the past resurfaces, a new string of chilling murders begins to mirror Douggy’s final moments, forcing the fractured residents to face their own complicit silence. Trapped between a melancholy history and a deadly present, Detective Kirsten Boon must navigate a slow-burning web of intertwined secrets to find a redemptive truth before the town's ominous cycle of violence claims its next victim.
Key Characters...
~The Influencer/Gracen Ridpath:
A guilt-ridden influencer seeking closure and someone to blame for his sister's death.
~The Childhood Friend/Quinn DeCelles:
A returning resident with a complex history involving abandonment and a secret agenda.
~The Investigator/Detective Kirsten Boon:
A strong-willed but shaken investigator trying to prevent a new tragedy
~The Victim:
Douggy Ridpath, though deceased, is the presence that drives everyone’s actions. Her childhood was marked by a devastating injury, bullying, and a dysfunctional home life
Highlights...
2006: Ten years ago, 11-year-old Douggy Ridpath died after eating poisonous mushrooms.
Gracen starts investigating, suggesting on his podcast that his sister's death was not a simple accident, but perhaps a planned suicide or murder. Quinn DeCelles, Douggy’s childhood best friend, returns to town with her own secret motivations to investigate the death. As the podcast gains traction, residents of Meander start dying, drawing in detective Kirsten Boon.
Detective Kirsten Boon, who is already struggling with self-doubt after a previous case resulted in an innocent man's death, is tasked with investigating the new murders and untangling the truth behind Douggy's death.
The engrossing mystery focuses on deep-seated family dysfunction, guilt, and the danger of unearthing buried truths in a small town.
My thoughts...
An atmospheric, moody, and chilling psychological thriller that explores grief, trauma, and the deceptive nature of memories while utilizing a podcast element similar to true crime media to drive the narrative.
The vibe is chilly, claustrophobic, and modern-noir. A blending of a binge-worthy true crime podcast and a "small town with a dark secret" thriller.
Set in Meander, Oregon— damp woods, grey skies, and that heavy, "everyone is watching" feeling typical of isolated towns. It’s high-tension but introspective, and told through multiple perspectives. The claustrophobic setting is "oppressive" and "complicit," acting as a character that actively tries to keep its "buried truths" hidden.
WHO KNEW THE RIDPATH GIRL explores the consequences of uncovering the past and how a community reacts when a seemingly settled tragedy is questioned. The tension lies in the collision of unresolved past trauma, public investigation, and present-day danger.
The author effectively uses several thematic and narrative elements to explore how the past refuses to stay buried in a small town. Exploring the consequences of turning private tragedies into public entertainment.
Vibe...
~Oppressive, Chilling, Melancholy, Stagnant, Ominous
Themes...
~The Burden of Guilt
~The Ethics of Modern True Crime:
~Small-Town Secrets
~Family Dysfunction & Abandonment
Narrative & Stylistic Elements
~Multiple Perspectives
~Atmospheric Pacing
~Chilling & Unsettling
~Dual Timelines/Echoes
The story is told through the viewpoints of Gracen, Quinn, and Detective Boon, allowing the reader to see the investigation from civilian, emotional, and professional angles. The plot relies heavily on the "then and now" structure, where modern murders mirror the details of Douggy’s death in 2006.
Ultimately, the characters are all "fighting for something"— a normal childhood for a daughter, a marriage, or justice—as they attempt to find a way to let go of their pasts.
Character-driven, a slow-burning, intertwined mystery. The relationship between Detective Boon and Gracen Ridpath is one of the most tense elements of the book, as they represent two very different ways of seeking "justice." By the end, their relationship serves to highlight the difference between vengeance (Gracen’s goal) and legal truth (Boon’s goal).
An interesting character, Detective Kirsten Boon’s investigation is less of a standard police procedural and more of a personal battle against her own history of failure. She is terrified of making another mistake, which creates tension between her need for the truth and her fear of ruining another life. Her character arc demonstrates how the book's themes of guilt and redemption intersect with the law and small-town judgment.
Every main character is running from their past with the weight of guilt and regret:
~Gracen feels responsible for not protecting his sister.
~Detective Boon is haunted by a professional mistake that cost an innocent man his freedom.
~Quinn carries the "survivor’s guilt" of being the one who lived and moved on while Douggy stayed trapped in Meander.
The novel highlights how children are often the most vulnerable to the failures of adults. It examines bullying, neglect, and the long-term psychological "scars" that follow a person into adulthood if their childhood trauma is never addressed.
The ultimate takeaway is that silence is a form of complicity. While a single person may commit a crime, an entire community—and even a family—can be responsible for a tragedy if they choose to look away from suffering to maintain their own comfort.
Justice isn't just about catching a killer; it’s about acknowledging the collective failures that allowed a victim to fall through the cracks in the first place.
My first book by the author, and I look forward to reading more!
Recs...
If you enjoyed the "true crime podcast" mixed with "small-town secrets" in "Who Knew the Ridpath Girl," I would recommend these titles with similar vibes:
~Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera
~None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell
~All Good People Here by Ashley Flowers
~The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
Special thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for graciously sharing an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: April 14, 2026
My Rating: 4 Stars
Praise
"WHO KNEW THE RIDPATH GIRL is as tender as it is tense and finishes with a twist Johns wields like a weapon. My obsession grew with every page. I couldn’t finish fast enough!"
015☺Marlee Bush, author of Whispers of Dead Girls
"Stacy Johns delivers an atmospheric, chilling mystery, populated with complex, guilt-ridden characters, that explores how easily false perception can morph into a deadly reality."
― Daniel G. Miller, bestselling author of The Orphanage by the Lake
"Engrossing and original with a twist I did not see coming! Clear your schedule before you crack this one open."
― Mia Sheridan, New York Times bestselling author
About the Author
Stacy Johns writes fiction that delves into the shadows of lived experience and the delusions and illusions that twist our dreams, our memories, and our relationships. She grew up in small-town New England and transplanted to Oregon for a Sociology degree, later adding a Masters in Information Science. A long-time librarian and resident of the coast, she now resides and plots her mysteries in the Willamette Valley. WEBSITE
