The Ghosts That Haunt Me
Memories of a Homicide Detective
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4.3 • 4 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
After years working in homicide, retired Toronto detective Steve Ryan reflects on six cases he will never forget.
Retired detective Steve Ryan worked in Toronto’s homicide squad for over a decade. For Ryan, the stories of Toronto’s most infamous crimes were more than just a headline read over morning coffee — they were his everyday life.
After investigating over one hundred homicides, Ryan can never forget the tragedies and the victims, even after his retirement from the police force. In The Ghosts That Haunt Me, he reflects on six of the many cases that greatly impacted him — seven people whose lives were senselessly taken — and that he still thinks about nearly every day. While the stories are hard to tell for Ryan, they were harder to live through. Yet somewhere between the crimes and the heartache is a glimmer of hope that good eventually does prevail and that healing can come after grief.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this engrossing memoir, retired Toronto police detective Steve Ryan, who spent more than 30 years on the force, recounts six homicide cases that deeply moved him. He starts by recalling the case of the kidnapping, murder, and dismembering of a 10-year-old girl, which made him decide to change from the sex crimes unit to the homicide unit. Even though the murderer was caught, the family, the neighborhood, and much of Toronto still grieves. Several of the heartbreaking cases involved children, and some hit particularly close to home. Ryan tells the story of the 14-year-old daughter of two police officers, who was stabbed to death on New Year's Day by an ex-boyfriend, in shocking detail. And the way he finally solved a cold case of a tortured and murdered little girl whose parents stuffed her in a suitcase and set it on fire is truly tragic. In plain, effective prose, Ryan writes honestly of the toll his work took on him and his family, and of the cruelty, horror, and sadness of the victims that ultimately led him to retire. This stark and honest account is sure to move true crime and police drama fans.
Customer Reviews
Difficult subject but excellent storytelling
Love Steve’s writing style and terrific storytelling