Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
The Rosary Girls  By  cover art

The Rosary Girls

By: Richard Montanari
Narrated by: Scott Brick
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $18.00

Buy for $18.00

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

In his sleek, visceral novels Deviant Way, Kiss of Evil, and The Violet Hour, Richard Montanari slammed into the suspense field like a force of nature. Now, Montanari has written an astounding novel that pits two besieged detectives against a fiercely intelligent serial killer.

Sprawling beneath the statue of William Penn, Philadelphia is a city of downtrodden crack houses and upscale brownstones. Somewhere in this concrete crazy quilt, one Catholic teenage girl is writing in her diary, another is pouring her heart out to a friend, and yet another is praying. And somewhere in this city is a man who wants these young women to make his macabre fantasy become reality. In a passion play of his own, he will take the girls - and a whole city - over the edge.

Kevin Byrne is a veteran cop who already knows that edge: He’s been living on it far too long. His marriage failing, his former partner wasting away in a hospital, and his heart lost to mad fury, Byrne loves to take risks and is breaking every rule in the book. And now, he has been given a rookie partner. Jessica Balzano, the daughter of a famous Philly cop, doesn’t want Byrne’s help. But they will need each other desperately, since they’ve just caught the case of a lifetime: Someone is killing devout young women, bolting their hands together in prayer, and committing an abomination upon their otherwise perfect bodies.

Byrne and Balzano spearhead the hunt for the serial killer, who leads them on a methodically planned journey. Suspects appear before them like bad dreams - and vanish just as quickly. And while Byrne’s sins begin to catch up with him and Balzano tries to solve the blood-splattered puzzle, the body count rises. Meanwhile, the calendar is approaching Easter and the day of the resurrection. When the last rosary is counted, a madman’s methods will be revealed, and the final crime will be the one that hurts the most.

Relentlessly paced and vividly told, The Rosary Girls is a smart, emotionally complex, fiercely gripping thriller from an author who takes chances, breaks new ground, and leaves listeners haunted and moved long after the last moment.

©2005 Richard Montanari (P)2005 Books on Tape, Inc.

Critic reviews

"The Rosary Girls is a well-written, fast-moving thriller with twists and turns galore that will keep you guessing until the end." (Phillip Margolin)
"A relentlessly suspenseful, soul-chilling thriller that hooks you instantly." (Tess Gerritsen)

What listeners say about The Rosary Girls

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    539
  • 4 Stars
    359
  • 3 Stars
    122
  • 2 Stars
    37
  • 1 Stars
    27
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    537
  • 4 Stars
    186
  • 3 Stars
    47
  • 2 Stars
    14
  • 1 Stars
    11
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    410
  • 4 Stars
    275
  • 3 Stars
    74
  • 2 Stars
    20
  • 1 Stars
    13

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

WOW!

Loved this book! I would absolutely recommend it to everyone who loves a thriller mystery.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

enjoyed as much the second time

I live in the Philly area and enjoyed the book very much. It made me laugh out loud one second and had me weeping the next. Scott Brick, as always, did a great job. I can not beleave some of the bad reviews I have read, I enjoyed very much.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing

Got hooked on Doll Maker and now listening to then all. What a creative mind to write with such intensity and detail. One of the best !!!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Not as good as THE DOLL MAKER

I read, The Doll Maker first. I thought that book was superior to this one. Despite its inferiority it was still a good story and kept me engaged the entire time.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Super thrilling & intense.

This is the 1st Richard Montanari novel I've read. I definitely loved it a lot.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent Read

Richard Montanari has a talent for exceptional character developement. His writing flows like poetry. Although the plot is not unique... "Cops look for weirdo", I could not stop listening till the very end because of the extremely well written story. The reader adds to excellent entertainment by brilliantly "acting" the story rather than just reading it. If you like insite into characters as well as good prose, don't miss this one.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

27 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Good mystery

The law enforcement officers seemed realistic and the plot was original.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent

The kind of story and narration that makes you long for more.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • RD
  • 02-18-11

Really, really, Good!

Just finished this audio.... my first Richard Montanari book... and it will not be my last! I was ready to give this a 3 star rating, as just an average thriller.... thought I had the case solved within the 1st quarter or so of the story... then Blam! Huge twist I didn't see coming. Nicely done. Very solid character, plot, and setting development. Of course, Scott Brick did an excellent job with the narration. I am going to see what else Montanari has to offer right now:) Enjoy!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Decent

Good listen, not teriffic or seat gripping, but middle of the road. Won't ask for my credit back anyway. Scott Brick is one of my favorite narrators but I found him a little slow and melodramatic in the reading which made me shut it off a couple of times. Its a good filler if your having trouble finding an amazing book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful