Remote: The Five by Eric Rickstad
Remote: The Five is a pulse-pounding thriller (and second instalment in the Remote series) by New York Times bestselling author Eric Rickstad. This story pits an FBI agent and his team against a formidable serial killer whose unique abilities allow him to see and outwit their every move.
FBI special agent Lukas Stark’s pursuit of the Tableau Killer, “Q,” began in the first book, Remote: The Six. Q is part of a group of six individuals (the Six) trained by a secret government program called Stargazer to see people and places with their minds (remote viewing). Q went rogue and used his remote-viewing ability to commit murders and evade capture. Stark teamed up with another remote viewer, Gillies Garnier, to catch Q and save his family. However, their victory was short-lived as Q soon escaped custody, setting the stage for the sequel, Remote: The Five.
How to Catch a Killer Who Can See Your Every Move
To the public and law enforcement, Q is a ruthless and deranged serial killer. However, Q believes his murders are a noble sacrifice for humanity, one he thinks will one day be honored. Now free from custody, Q is intent on completing his mission, including taking revenge on Stargazer, the secret program responsible for who he is. As part of his plan, he has two members of “the Six” help him carry out his mission, which includes kidnapping a family man to convince him to do their bidding by threatening to harm his family.
This time, Agent Stark and Garnier are joined by Agent Jayla King in their pursuit of the Tableau Killer. But even with an addition to their team, they find themselves lagging behind the killer. If that wasn’t bad enough, Garnier’s remote-viewing ability continues to diminish, drastically, along with his physical health.
Just when Stark and his team thought things couldn’t get any worse, they do. Stark’s former superior, Franklin, is found dead under suspicious circumstances. Stark reports the details of Franklin’s death to Franklin’s supervisor but is stunned to learn that the man is unaware of the Tableau Killer’s background, the existence of Stargazer, or details of the killer’s initial apprehension. This would mean that the FBI never approved Stargazer to send one of their own (Garnier) to help with the case. Now Stark is unsure of whom to believe: Is the supervisor truly uninformed, or is he feigning ignorance to conceal something? Was Franklin betraying them, or was he deceived? And is Garnier to be trusted, or is he a foe?
Captivating Plot, Vivid Imagery and Moving Characters
The novel doesn’t just focus on the hunt for the Tableau Killer. Rickstad also breathed life into the characters. Lukas Stark is a man torn between his professional duties and the pressing needs of his traumatised family. In addition, Stark’s estranged and recently paroled father is back in his life and stirs up deeply rooted wounds that Stark would rather keep covered.
As for Garnier, his declining health isn’t his only concern. He’s haunted by questions about his past. With no memories of childhood or his parents, he wonders why he was given to the program, where his remote-viewing powers originate, and why he and the other five all have the same star-shaped scar on their necks.
I feel obligated to warn you: this novel doesn’t shy away from graphic violence (like disturbingly vivid murder scenes). It’s a harrowing ride not meant for the faint of heart. But I thoroughly enjoyed it. I appreciated how Rickstad used medical and anatomical imagery to ground the thriller in visceral realism. I felt like I was physically there with Stark and his team, experiencing all the gruesome details that showcase the killer’s cruelty. I also felt like Stargazer actually exists in real life. I applaud this talented author for crafting such a believable narrative.
Through a deft balance of character-driven storytelling and captivating plot, and vividly descriptive scenes, Rickstad crafted a darkly fascinating and intelligent crime thriller with a supernatural twist. Fans of The Silent Corner by Dean Koontz will find this book engrossing. The tantalising cliffhanger will leave you craving the next book (which I look forward to) in the series.
About Eric Rickstad:
Eric Rickstad is the New York Times bestselling author of Lilith, I Am Not Who You Think I Am (named a New York Times Best Thriller of the Year), Reap, What Remains of Her and the Canaan Crime Trilogy, which has sold more than half a million copies worldwide. These dark, psychological page-turners with a dash of the Gothic have been heralded as masterful, disturbing, profound and heartbreaking. Eric lives in Vermont with his wife, daughter and son, and writes all his first drafts with a pencil in notebooks, often outside in the Vermont woods.
