Stated First Edition. A near fine copy in a VG+ dust jacket. Soiling to the edges of the book's upper page block. Rubs to the dust jacket's spine tips and corners. Review copy with publisher's folded letter laid in. Light wear to the letter's edges.
PRAY FOR RICKY FOSTER is an enjoyable suspense novel set in the New York City of the mid-1980s. The abduction of a two-year-old and the murder of his nanny, Lorna Meyer, in Central Park sets off a series of events that lead investigators -- the police and a newspaper reporter -- into the tangle of what appears to be an unsolvable crime. Although the reader, intentionally by the author, knows the killer long before the investigators do. A few coincidences help the investigation along, and undermine the tale's believability, but the strong setting, likable characters, and the author's ability to ratchet suspense with the characters' powerful emotions, make them bearable.
PRAY FOR RICKY FOSTER is a solid debut. It is the first of only two mysteries written by Ms. Johnston, which is a shame because she shows the promise here of being a very good mystery writer.