Poe and the gothic writers , as well as Nordic writers such as Håkan Nesser and Jo Nesbø . I wanted to craft a similarly evocative experience for my readers that drew on my own personal experiences in Vermont .”
Throughout the Canaan Crime Series , there are multiple scenes in the woods and scenes with old historic buildings , which were directly influenced by Rickstad ’ s memories of the time he spent in Vermont ’ s Northeast Kingdom as a young man . “ I ’ ve always loved being outdoors and fishing in Northeastern Vermont . There ’ s a noticeable shift in the scenery and energy when you get up there . The landscape changes from deciduous maples and big open hardwoods to swampy bogs and dark conifer trees . That type of landscape lends itself perfectly to mystery novels . The weather changes quickly up there , and people can get lost in the woods and never be found .”
Rickstad ’ s most recent novel , I Am Not Who You Think I Am , centers around the story of a young boy who gets caught up in a small-town murder mystery . “ The young boy spends much of the novel trying to figure out what happened to his father ,” says Rickstad . “ He ends up learning that his father ’ s demise is closely-tied to a wealthy and influential family . I wrote the book influenced by my experiences in my hometown of Shelburne . The class dynamics that are present in many small towns in Vermont play an integral part in the story .”
While writing I Am Not Who You Think I Am , Rickstad was able to stimulate his imagination through repeated trips to Mount Glastonbury in Southern Vermont . “ Many plot elements and scenes in I Am
Not Who You Think I Am are inspired by my childhood , but I also feature Gothic plot fixtures such as mansions , secrecy , and strange figures lurking around cabins and swamps . Mount Glastonbury has always been a place of intrigue and mystery in Southern Vermont , and I went up there quite a bit when I was writing I Am Not Who You Think I Am . Shirley Jackson actually lived several miles down the road from Mount Glastonbury , as did Donna Tartt , who wrote The Secret History while she was staying at Bennington College . The novel integrates my personal memories of Vermont with the stylistic influences of my favorite Gothic writers and storytellers in a way that I ’ m very proud of . The New York Times selected it for their Best Thrillers of 2021 list , and it was both an Amazon ® and Apple ® Book of the Month . It has also resonated with readers , as well , which is all I can ask for as an author .”
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