I wasn’t sure what to expect but this blew me away. It was like… diet sci-fi mixed with crime thriller. And that’s a compliment. It still has those otherworldly aspects but in a widely understandable and digestible way. They’re intertwined with a crime thriller, the hunt for a serial killer. The mystery and tension bleeds through this entire book. It’s bleak and intense, but in the best ways. I am completely invested and impatiently awaiting to see where this series is headed. I can see so many different potential storylines. Beware!! This IS the first book of a series so the ending may not feel completely satisfying but it’s for a reason.

I also see so much potential in our character Stark and Garnier. I’m beyond intrigued to learn more about their pasts as well as to see what they do in the future.

Remote: The Six starts off as an intriguing serial killer book. Families are being killed, while arranged in a tableau. Why are these families chosen?
Then the book abruptly switches to science fiction. The FBI agent is told that he has to accept a new partner. Interesting sci fi perspectives on the killer and the victims.
This is book one of a series; yup, you guessed it ... it ends with a text message alluding to the next book Remote: The Five.

I really loved the way this one started. Rickstad has a knack for really gruesome storytelling, with vivid imagery that does not leave you anytime soon. Unfortunately about a third of the way in I started to dislike the characters so strongly that I struggled to continue. I liked the concept, and found the remote viewing angle unusual and interesting. Government conspiracies are, of course, nothing new and that element did not bother me either - but I really struggled to connect with both protagonists, and without some element of character connectivity, I found myself less invested in the ultimate outcome than I thought I would be given the way this one started.

I did not at all like the way Stark treated his family. I found Garnier grating. In a book where everyone seems to have ulterior motives - none of which are good - I even found the characters I was supposed to empathize with unsympathetic and it made a difficult read even more so. This was not my favorite of Rickstad's works and I do not think I will continue with the series. His writing and storytelling are every bit as compelling as always. There's nothing wrong with this one, it's just not for me.

Remote: The Six
Eric Rickstad
04/08/2025
Blackstone Publishing


FBI Special Agent Lukas Stark is after the Tableau Serial Killer. An unsub who is moving around the country killing families in a very specific and disturbing manner, but so far, there seems to be no connection between the victims. Starks’ investigation is not progressing as fast as the killer is racking up body totals, so the agency brings in a man, Gilles Garnier. Gilles and Starks are polar opposites in the in the world of investigation. Starks is by the book and Gilles – well – he has zero background, but all of the clearance and too many secrets. As the story progresses, we get a connection between Gilles and the unsub and pieces of a puzzle that go too far up the chain of command and are too numerous to put into one novel.

Remote viewing is the practice of using the mind to gain information about a person, object or event that cannot be seen. During the Cold War, the CIA and US military took remote viewing seriously using a classified program called Stargate. There are a lot of questions surrounding this program and the experiments that went on, who was involved, the results and outcomes.

Rickstad has brilliantly pulled a piece of obscure military history and brought it to life. This book is not for the faint of heart. It is a nonstop, no punches pulled thrill ride with descriptions that are so graphic it is nothing short of cinematic. This gritty thriller had me hooked from the beginning and I stayed up all night, unable to put it down. It ranks among the very best in the psycho-criminal genre. To truly understand the mind of a sadistic killer is to delve into a dark, terrifying world that few would ever dare to enter.

I think I stopped blinking around the first quarter of this book. I might have forgotten to breathe until gasps involuntarily occurred.

Seriously, Eric Rickstad, your books should come with warning labels.

REMOTE: THE SIX is the first book in a new series, and it’s not for the squeamish. We don’t have graphic gore, but the content is… disturbing. And oh so realistic. And twisted. And dark.

I have to admit that I didn’t always like Lukas Stark, our main character. He did some stuff that made me cringe. But I understood the drive behind the behavior, which is what mattered.

And the plot? Yikes! It’s a fast, furious, intense ride!

I didn’t read the synopsis beforehand, so I had no clue what I was getting into. You are, of course, welcome to read that synopsis, but I’m not giving even a hint of what to expect from this story.

Pub date is April 8. I immediately pre-ordered book 2, which releases in July!

The Remote Six by Eric Rickstad is a dark and gripping thriller that goes far beyond a typical FBI-versus-serial-killer story. The investigation is intense, but what really sets this book apart is its unique storyline. The atmosphere is eerie, the storytelling is immersive, and the twists are truly unpredictable. I’ve never read anything quite like it! Some parts felt a bit drawn out, but the tension and originality kept me hooked. A must-read for thriller fans looking for something fresh and chilling!

Warning: This heart-pounding page-turner is not for the faint-hearted. Read at your own risk.

The gore, the sadistic puzzles, and the relentless chase take the reader on an adrenaline-packed journey. The methodical academic references to Ted Bundy, and other notorious baddies provided educational insights into what makes these ruthless people tick. I often found myself absorbed in the prose, and the plot was full of twists and turns, keeping me on the edge of my fearfulness all the time. The protagonist Stark is human and rational, which made me vicariously wonder what his next strategy would be.

Remote: The Six is a gritty thriller that kept me up all night, reading nonstop. It is right up there with the best in the psycho-criminality genre — read The Zodiac and The Silence of the Lambs. It is indeed true that to get into the mind of a sadistic killer is to enter a dark, spooky tunnel with foreboding background music. That's exactly how this thriller unraveled.

I wish the author good luck and success with the book. Thank you, NetGalley, for allowing me to preview the ARC. I can't wait for it to be released to read other readers' reviews and opinions about it.

3 stars.

The first in a proposed series, FBI agent Lukas Starknis chasing a serial killer who targets entire families. After multiple such killings his superior introduces him to someone he will be forced to work with, Gilles Garnier.

Garnier is a remote viewer, which means sometimes he can tune in to what another person is seeing in real time, allegedly. Stark doesn’t believe in it, but later comes around to the fact that Garnier has abilities…but so does the killer and the two share a remarkable past. Can the killer be stopped?

Well, of course, because this is a book, and it was a fairly decent crime novel with some issues (Stark is after a serial killer who, in terms of serial killers is killing constantly- why doesn’t he already have a partner plus a whole team working with him? They really put just one person on the case?) I don’t know that I’m going to read more in the series. Are you interested in remote viewing? You’ll probably like it a lot.

Eric Rickstad does a great job in writing this opening chapter to the Remote series, it had that element that I was looking for and had that element that I wanted. The characters worked with the overall story and was everything that was promised in a thriller novel.

3.5 stars
The writing was solid as always with Rickstad, however this wasn’t one of my favorites. The storyline was good and the pacing great as always, it was just the remote viewing aspect that kinda didn’t work for me personally.
Overall a good book though.

Pretty good start to another series from Rickstad about the search for a serial killer who is targeting families for an unknown reason. Our lead FBI agent Stark is paired with a mystery man with possible connections to the killer, and who can "remote track", to hunt him down. Nothing particularly original here but it's well done and keeps you interested. The ending obviously sets up the next chapter with Stark and his new partner Garnier searching for more killers. Not the best I've read from Rickstad but good enough to keep me reading the series. Thanks to Netgally for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a longtime fan of Rickstad's work. You can always expect deep characterization, beautiful sentence-level writing, and strong plotting. This new series start is no different. A serial killer has been on a rampage, moving about the country killing entire, seemingly unconnected, families. He arranges them in a tableau, facing each other in chairs, which has earned him the nickname The Tableau Killer. The writing describing the killings is especially gory, which lends to my hardboiled tastes. Investigating the murders is Lukas Stark, a Special Agent with the FBI. Also lending a hand is a man, Gilles Garnier, thrust on Stark by the bureau. For various reasons, Stark doesn't trust or appreciate Garnier's help, but their evolving relationship is one of the high points in this assured novel. There are elements of sci-fi here, not my typical genre, but Rickstad incorporates those elements in a believable manner. Another solid entry in his oeuvre.

Eric Rickstad is an author I frequently recommend. I Am Not Who You Think I Am and What Remains of Her are absolutely brilliant mysteries. Remote: The Six is a different style than those two. It's more sci-fi with characters capable of remote viewing. Unfortunately, this one wasn't my favorite. The murders are gruesome and heartbreaking and the hunt for the serial killer is interesting, but I didn't like the characters. Stark's behavior annoyed me, and I hated the way he treated his family. I felt bad for Garnier, but he was always sick and in pain and whining about it. I mean, I would too, but it doesn't make for a fun read. The climax of the book was exciting, and I enjoyed the reveals afterwards. It does end abruptly but it sets up the next book nicely. I'm not sure if I will continue the series or not. I would like to know what happens next, but the characters would have to be less obnoxious next time.

Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC.

I adored Lilith so knew I would love this one as well! FBI's Lukas Stark is working the Tableau Killer case as entire families have been discovered, tied up in chairs facing each other so they are aware they will each be killed. Now Stark is partnered with Gilles Garnier as he can "see" things "remotely" and can predict where the killer will strike again. It all goes back to The Mentors and a program involving Q, a genius at manipulating others for his own pleasure. It's creepy-good and of course leaves the door open for a sequel! Yikes!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

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 for eighteen months but is always two steps behind in a maze of dead ends. He has no understanding of why the killer stages the scenes so meticulously or chooses entire families. Burning out, Stark is forced to take on a new partner, Gilles Garnier! Wow! What a freaky read! Very interesting storyline! It also had great suspense, gruesome murders, mystery, kidnapping, government secrets, and some wild twists! I highly recommend reading this book as it was well worth reading! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!