The Nothing Man

“Utterly compelling, completely original, The Nothing Man will be the standout novel for 2020. This is a book you won’t forget as Catherine Ryan Howard brings crime writing to a new level.” —Sam Blake, bestselling author of Little Bones

“Whip-smart, thrilling, and utterly compelling.” —Liz Nugent, bestselling author of Lying in Wait

“Fiendishly clever…Howard uses serial killer tropes in original and surprising ways in this tour de force.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“This is probably one of the best books I ever read…I absolutely loved the book within a book format…The author did a fantastic job, and if you are a fan of Meg Gardiner, which I am, you will love this book.” —Seattle Book Review

“[A] compulsive thriller…Those familiar with Michelle McNamara’s I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, which inspired Howard, may spot similarities between the Nothing Man and the real-life Golden State Killer, but Howard (nominated for an Edgar for The Liar’s Girl) takes her story in other directions. The Nothing Man is an ingenious nesting doll, revealing surprises in alternating chapters from Eve’s book and those from the killer’s point of view as he reads said book. Howard can paint moving depictions of grief and survivor’s guilt while terrifying readers and making them triple-check the locks on their doors. This isn’t nothing; it’s the author’s best work yet.” —Shelf Awareness (starred review)

“It might be cliché to say that a strong storytelling tradition runs in Irish genes, but…Cork native and current Dubliner Catherine Ryan Howard would seem to be indicative of this…This juxtaposition of predator and prey—and the underlying question of just who is which—renders the stakes breathtakingly high. It’s a clever, meta construct—and one the author fully, and frankly, embraces…The Nothing Man is clearly influenced by Michelle McNamara’s I’ll Be Gone In The Dark…but don’t be mistaken: it’s still very much a work of fiction, albeit one that’s grounded in the realities of crime, recidivism, and victimization. The Nothing Man himself may be quite ordinary, but Catherine Ryan Howard’s book-within-a-book is anything but.” —Strand Magazine