This one was interesting and different. It had a mix of sci-fi and thriller, which added different layers to the story. It was a quick read with dark elements.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"The Six" by Eric Rickstad is an exhilarating rollercoaster of a novel that masterfully blends the procedural grit of an FBI investigation with the tantalizing allure of science fiction. From the first page, Rikstand draws readers into a world where reality and the unthinkable intertwine, creating a narrative as gripping as it is imaginative.

The plot centers on a team of FBI agents, each distinctly crafted and compelling, who are tasked with unraveling a mystery that defies the boundaries of conventional crime-solving. Rikstand's expertise in constructing a procedural thriller is evident; the tension is palpable and unrelenting, making it impossible to put the book down.

What sets "The Six" apart is its seamless integration of sci-fi elements. These components are not merely tacked on for effect; they are woven into the fabric of the story, enhancing the narrative rather than overshadowing it. This skillful blend adds layers to the plot, intriguing twists that surprise and delight.

Rikstand's writing is sharp and cinematic, painting vivid images that transport readers into the heart of the action. The dialogue is realistic and engaging, providing depth to the characters and authenticity to their interactions.

In sum, "The Six" is a must-read for fans of the thriller genre, offering a perfect fusion of procedural intensity and speculative wonder. It's a novel that challenges the imagination while keeping readers on the edge of their seats. Highly recommended!"

Many thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the first in a new series by Eric Rickstad, with the audio perfectly narrated by Ari Fliakos. All opinions expressed in this review are my own – 4.5 stars rounded up!

A serial killer is rampaging across the country, tying families to chairs-arranged in puzzling tableaus-then murdering them, without leaving a trace of evidence. FBI Special Agent Lukas Stark has been hunting the Tableau Killer but is always two steps behind. He has no idea how or why he chooses families and why they are staged. Stark is forced to take on a new partner, Gilles Garnier, who claims to be a remote viewer who sees things remotely as if they were right in front of him. Stark thinks he’s a con and doesn’t trust him, until he’s able to see things that Stark can’t explain. But will they be able to catch this killer before he strikes again?

This was a chilling book, as you would expect since it’s about a serial killer who targets families. But it’s also fascinating to watch Stark and Garnier try to stop the killer. Just how did he get such abilities and at what cost? I mostly listened to the audiobook of this one and the narration made it even more creepy – I was glued. It ended with a cliffhanger, and I can’t wait for the next in this series! If you like dark crime books, you’ll love this one.

I didn’t love this book, it was my first by this author and it just didn’t gel with my reading style. I liked the start, the fast pace was really good and though the pace didn’t change, the story started to drag for me.

I am not sure if it was a mixture of my strong dislike for the characters or the fact that I wasn’t feeling how I was supposed to when it came to the story lines but it was less than enjoyable for me.

The abrupt ending paves the way for another book but I feel like I might give that a miss. I am not great at suspending logic so I don’t think I’m the type of reader for this book.

Eric Rickstad is one of my favorite writers. He always creates stories that completely capture my attention and Remote The Six did exactly that.

Following Detective Stark as he tries to find an unsub whose gruesomely murdering families but leaves no trace behind. 18 months with no leads and he's assigned a partner who has a special ability called viewing . Stark doubts these so called abilities but when Garnier continues to know things he shouldn't he can't deny it for long. With his help they are able to catch up the killer but it ends up hitting closer to home than Stark thought possible.

Imagine someone had the ability to close their eyes and watch you any where you are. Imagine all those times you felt like someone was watching you they really were. That's the insane ability the killer and Garnier have and it's completely unsettling. I loved getting the killers point of view along side Detective Starks and really getting to understand the reasons and motivations behind his horrible crimes. Detective Stark himself is a real, relatable and flawed. He makes some questionable decisions out of fear but decisions that I could totally see myself making in the same position.

Remote The Six by Eric Rickstad is a the start of a thriller series that would reel you in with the characters and writing. I can't wait for the next book in the series because book 1 ends with questions I can't wait to find out the answers to.

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC.

The first book of a series, Remote: The Six, follows Agent Lukas Stark and his "partner" Gilles Garnier. The duo use remote viewing and FBI tactics to hunt down a serial killer.

I enjoyed how fast pace the book was. Whether it was the different locations or just the descriptions of the hunt, it kept me reading.

I will definitely be waiting for the next book. I'm glad that it's supposed to come out later in 2025!

A brutal serial killer is terrorizing families, and the FBI is no closer to catching them. Special Agent Lukas Stark is assigned to the case, but his investigation takes an unexpected turn when he is forced to work with Giles Garnier—a man who claims to be a "remote viewer," able to see people and events happening in real time from a distance.

Stark is skeptical, but as the body count rises, he’s left with no choice but to accept that Garnier’s abilities may be real. Even more disturbing, it becomes clear that the killer might possess the same abilities—and a dark connection to Garnier’s past.

This book checked all the boxes for me—it was dark, intense, disturbing, and unique. The level of graphic detail and psychological depth made it exactly the kind of crime thriller I love. The eerie concept of remote viewing added an original twist, making the investigation feel even more unsettling.

The pacing is relentless, and I couldn’t put it down, especially when reading the second part on a late-night flight to Japan—talk about a perfect setting to heighten the chills! That said, I had a few issues, particularly with how the FBI’s handling of the case felt a bit unrealistic. Given the severity of the killings, it seemed odd that Stark was working alone rather than leading a full team.

A gripping, intense, and chilling crime novel with a supernatural edge. If you’re fascinated by remote viewing and love dark thrillers, this will be right up your alley. While I’m eager for the next book, I’m not entirely convinced I’ll stick with the series long-term. A solid start, but with some logic gaps.

Arc review ✨

I have read previous works by this author and I will say, I am a fan overall even if I didn’t love this one as much. I find the stories written so far to be really gripping and thrilling indeed, which as an avid thriller reader, can be hard to achieve sometimes in “thriller” books surprisingly! So I’ll give credit on that for sure. Only thing I will mention again is I did like the Canaan series a bit more. I found the premise of remote viewing here to be a bit out of reach for me to grip onto. It just didn’t interest me as much but overall this was a good read and it will find its audience.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for an early copy in exchange for a review!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Serial Killer? Murder? FBI agents? Twists? ALL the boxes are checked and this is a fabulous read!

There is a serial killer on the loose and he targets families while leaving behind no evidence. FBI Agent Lukas Stark teams up with Gilles Garnier after failing to catch the killer for over a year and a half. Gilles Garnier has a psychic ability to "remote" view into the lives of people and also view places from afar. Stark is skeptical but has no choice but to work together with Garnier. Will they catch the killer?

This is a well written, fast paced book with flawed but likable characters. There are lots of twists and turns as well. The ending definitely lets the reader know that there will be a second book in the series! All in all, a fantastic start!

The fresh premise, the engaging plot and the darkness that make up this horror/psychological thriller is fantastically intense. It’s morbid and disturbing, but isn’t that what you’re looking for in a psychological thriller?

When Lukas Stark, Special Agent with the FBI, is tasked with hunting down the Tableau Killer, he finds nothing but dead-ends. The Bureau asks him to work with a man named Gilles Garnier, who is unconventional, at best. He calls himself a “remote viewer”, meaning he can see people and things remotely through visions. Agent Stark is leery but grows to trust Gilles, and together they must find this serial killer before more victims are found.

This book is so intense, but in a good way. It will haunt you long after you put it down. For all you horror fans and thriller fans, you need to grab this one. 5/5 stars. Thank you, NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the eARC.

3.5 rounded to 4
I haven't personally haven't seen remote viewing used in many books. That really felt like a unique perspective throughout this story. I struggled a little with the pacing. The action packed moments were great. I felt like I couldn't put the book down but in some of the quieter moments I struggled. It seemed like a lot of information was being given to establish the series and the science - but not done in a way that felt super compelling. Some parts read a little textbooky, It was a little harder to get through those areas. I enjoyed the dynamics between Garnier and Stark throughout. Overall it was a good story - and I wouldn't hesitate to reach for the next book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Eric Rickstad's writing style is so incredibly atmospheric that you will find yourself well immersed in the story until the end. I'm excited for this series!

I’d previously read and enjoyed a couple of novels by this author: I’m Not Who You Think I Am, which I enjoyed, and Lilith which I absolutely loved. The latter, in particular, surprised me enough to encourage me to look out for Rickstad’s future titles. I approached this one, his latest, in the assumption that it would be a crime fiction novel, but most likely with a different slant on events to many other writers in this genre. It delivered – big time!

FBI Special Agent Lucas Stark is hunting a brutal serial killer, one that ritually kills whole families. Clues are thin on the ground, and of a potential perpetrator, there is no sign. Stark is living remotely from his family and denying himself sleep as he hops between cheap motels across the country in a desperate effort to find something that might give him a chance of hunting down this animal. Then his boss brings him some help – not that Stark particularly wants it – in the form of Gilles Garnier, a trained ‘remote viewer’ who has been in a government program since childhood. This guy is not FBI trained or even FBI employed, and Stark has no belief that he’s going to prove to be of any help whatsoever. In fact, he’s sure that he’ll simply act as an irritation and might even push the investigation into more dark, unhelpful corners.

As additional cases come to light, we learn more about the nature of these killings. It’s horrific, hard to imagine, hard even to read. This isn’t simple crime fiction. It’s now moved into the realms of horror and maybe even science fiction. The relationship between Stark and Garnier remains tense and seemingly ever on the verge of boiling over into something worse. And to add to the tension there’s a sub-plot here concerning a dark episode in Stark’s past: an evil deed carried out by his father, for which he was imprisoned. Except it now seems that he might be on the verge of release.

There are elements to this story that had I realised they were to be introduced I’d have avoided the book completely. Yet, it’s so well done here that despite myself I found that I was riveted to the page, eager to understand where the story was going to take us next, and to find out who was carrying out these executions and why. It really is one of the most compelling mysteries I’ve read in a long time. I'll certainly now be seeking out more tales from Mr Rickstad's back catalogue.

I picked this one up as a possible comp for my current manuscript and I am so glad I did! It was so good! I genuinely hope this book gets tons of reviews because it absolutely deserves it! I’ve never read anything from this author, but I’m definitely adding him to my author list. The characters were fantastic, the pacing was incredible, and the story was an absolute page turner. I could not put it down. I especially liked how the author managed to make something impossible (remote viewing) seem like it was something that could actually happen without making it seem cheesy. It’s a really hard line to not cross, as I know from personal experience. A truly wonderful read and I will absolutely be reading the next in the series!

Huge thanks to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!

FBI Special Agent Lucas Stark has been transversing the country for 18 months on the hunt for a diabolical serial killer who ties entire families to chairs in a staged setting. The case has taken a toll on his health and his family life and he longs for closure. When the bureau assigns a special consultant to aid him he is resistant. Gilles Garnier is a trained "remote viewer", a psychic who can travel out of himsbody and observe activity in a far away location. Garnier is one of six subjects who have been trained and observed by the government since childhood. Lucas is distructful and doubts the benefits but soon forms a relationship with Giles. I was intrigued by the unusual concept for this dark and gritty crime thriller and was not disappointed. In the past I had read a few articles concerning remote viewing and wanted to learn more so looked forward to this read. I found it interesting and informative. Also a fan of serial killer narratives with solid plotting and a fast pace this checked all the boxes. Lucas and Giles are complex flawed protagonists and their interactions as they struggled to work together and accept each others quirks added human interest. This is the proposed beginning of a series and will definitely read others. Perhaps we will meet a different one of the Six , the group of remote viewers in the Mentor program with each entry? If you are looking for a different concept in a crime novel add this to your to be read list. Well written with strong character development and a compelling series of crimes. Does contain graphic passages.

A cunning serial killer is targeting families, leaving no evidence behind. FBI Agent Lukas Stark teams up with Gilles Garnier, who claims to have the ability to "remote" view people's lives and places from afar. Though skeptical, Stark works with Garnier due to a lack of progress after a year and a half.
This book kept me hooked. I wanted to know more about the families' experiences. The writing was excellent, the story gripping, and the murders were chilling and thought-provoking.

The plot is intriguing, involving the FBI, secret programs, serial killers, and unique abilities. The ending kept me guessing, and while some details were unresolved, it sets up for the sequel. If you enjoy crime/psychological thrillers, this is must-read.

FBI Agent Lukas Stark has spent eighteen months hunting the elusive Tableau Killer, who leaves no clues while wiping out entire families. When he’s assigned a partner he doesn’t trust, he has no choice but to work with them—only to realize there’s far more to the case than he ever imagined.

While the story is compelling and highly readable, it wasn’t for me. I didn’t connect with or like any of the characters. Why is an FBI agent working alone on such a high-profile case? Why hasn’t he been home in eighteen months? His actions as a father and husband are deplorable at best.

The remote viewing aspect was explained well and added an interesting layer to the story.

If you enjoy mysteries and don’t need to connect with the characters, you might like this one. The writing is solid, and the plot is gripping, but the murders are brutal—you may want to check the trigger warnings before reading.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬. 𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬; 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧.

The start of a promising new series, REMOTE: THE SIX reads like one of the darker episodes of Criminal Minds infused with vibes of Stephen King's 𝑭𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒓. A serial killer is moving stealthily across the country, tying families to chairs and arranging them in bizarre tableaus, and then murdering them without leaving a single piece of evidence behind.

FBI Special Agent Lukas Stark has been unsuccessfully hunting this killer for eighteen months. He is forced to take on an unusual new partner, Gilles Garnier. What makes Gilles unusual is his claim that he can remotely view people and events as if they were right in front of him. Stark immediately dismisses him as a fraud until Gilles proves his talent.

I really liked how dark and unusual this book was, and this first installment promises to be a thrilling series. When evidence of the killer's identity is uncovered, there is so much to explore, including a huge conspiracy that will leave you dumbfounded. Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and the author for an early copy of this book that is expected to publish April 8, 2025.

I have never read anything by Rickstad before, so it was baptism by fire with this one. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me the honor of reading this arc. Overall, i found the story compelling, but the characters were very difficult to like. None of them really grabbed my attention. the parts of the book with the two protagonists arguing over the validity of remote viewing felt like it dragged on way longer than it should have. and the climax of the events was pretty telegraphed by the end of the book, I knew where the Tableau Killer was going to strike.

But overall, i did enjoy this book. this is clearly a start to an intriguing series that i will be interested to see how it develops.

Usually, the reason a killer murders in such a unique way isn't that hard to work out, but this killer has evaded Stark for 18 months with multiple families slain and no clues to who or why. Then he gets paired with a new partner, someone who is not FBI but the decision to include him comes from way above the chain of command. Garnier is part of a shadowy government program that can remote view people and tasked with helping Stark (seriously, 1 FBI guy on an escalating family annihilator/serial killer case?).

I guessed who Garnier was pretty early in the book, but then noticed that I was only 30% into the book and they already knew who the killer was, so it was going to be a long road finding him.

At this point, the killings get more gruesome in the descriptions as they 'see' what happens rather than just the crime scenes. The Tableau Killer also starts to taunt them as he also makes mistakes that get Garnier and Stark closer to him, but still always a step behind.

This mixes your normal thriller/crime novel with a bit of sci-fi with historical events as it seems based on Stargate but on a deeper level. It is pretty dark and the characters very flawed with back-stories explaining them but still not making them very likeable.

This is intended to be a series, with Remote: The Five due out in July. The end of the book sets up the sequel. You just hope that for once, Stark will put his family first, especially after coming to realise so much about his childhood and how it shaped him but time will tell.