The Face of Death
by Cody McFadyen
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Book Summary Information
Author: Cody McFadyenEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2008-07-29
ISBN: 0553589946
Number of pages: 624
Publisher: Bantam
Book Reviews of The Face of Death
Book Review: Not for the faint of heart...or stomach
Summary: 5 Stars
Mass Market Paperback: 624 pages
Publisher: Bantam -July 29, 2008
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0553589946
ISBN-13: 978-0553589948
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Book Synopsis:
A sixteen-year old girl holds a gun to her head at the scene of a grisly triple homicide. She claims "The Stranger" killed her adoptive family, that hes's been following her all her life, killing everyone she ever loved, and that no one believes her. But Special Agent Smoky Barrett does. Her team has been hand-picked from amont the nation's elite law enforcement specialists and they are as obsessed and relentless as the psychos they hunt; they'll have to be to deal with this case.
For another vicious double homicide reveals a killer embarked on a dark crusade of trauma and death: an "artist" who's molding Sarah into the perfect victim - and the ultimate weapon. To catch him, Smoky is going to have to put her own fragile, once-shattered life on the line. For The Stranger is all too real, all too close, and all too determined. And when he finally shows his face, Smoky had better be ready to face her worst fear.
Let me first preface this by saying - this book may not be for everyone. I am a huge fan of shows like The First 48, and growing up in Wisconsin, we have had our fair share of nasty killers, most notably Jeffrey Dahmer. Mr. McFadyen does something few authors have been able to do for me - he has actually made me cry during a portion of this book. I will not go into details, but it involves the events of Sarah's 6th birthday - heart wrenching, to say the very least.
As strange as this may sound, this review is hard for me to write. Not because I don't have a lot to say but because I don't want to spoil this book for anyone. This book is being placed in my top 10 books of 2008 for sure, and without going back to check my list I would say it was in the top 2 or 3. Even though it is almost 600 pages long, once I started reading I had a VERY hard time putting it down. His prose, in my mind, is comparable to one of the greatest writers of our time - Stephen King. Like King, the description of not only the events, but of the characters, leaves no room for doubt - you feel as if you are standing there witnessing things firsthand, and like these characters are people that you really know. This is something that is a rare find in an author, and should be truly commended, whether you like the subject matter of the book or not.
I think the hardest part for me was that initially no one believes Sarah. This poor 6 year old witnesses something beyond my wildest imagination, and when trying to tell the police about it she is dismissed as confused. My heart was literally breaking for this poor innocent child. Once you read this, you will realize not only why she isn't believed (the killer does a good job of covering his tracks and making things look other than what they are), and then you will realize how deep corruption can go. He also demonstrates how far the human mind can go without actually breaking - Sarah's journey is fraught with such evil, and yet she somehow keeps at least a shred of sanity.
Don't get me wrong, this book isn't ALL about murder (although to be honest the vast majority is fairly gruesome). The relationship between Smoky and her team is fabulous - even James who is "the odd man out". As Smoky herself says "He can peer into the mind of a killer and not blink. He can gaze at evil full in the face and then pick up a magnifying glass to get a closer look." This is the same ability Smoky has, which makes her the best in the business. And, she needs someone with that same ability to bounce ideas off of - no matter how difficult he is to work with. Bonnie, Elaina, Alan, and Callie are all very developed and you grow to really get a feel for the relationship between all of them. And despite all of the horror they have all been through...literally...this has helped them to form a bond of friendship and love that is beautiful.
On that note, I would like to talk about something in the book that I feel was my favorite part. No, no, it really has nothing to do with the murders at all. It has to do with Matt (Smoky's dead husband) and Smoky's legacy to their daughter Alexa (I must read Cody's first book to find out what happened here...I must, I must, I must!!!). They weren't wealthy, but wanted to make sure they could leave her something if anything ever happened to them, something that maybe wasn't worth a lot of money, but truly spoke of who they were as people. And what might that be, you ask? They create a library for her, and add to it whenever they can. I have been doing the same thing for my daughters - granted, it started before they were born because I am such a bibliophile, but I think it is such a great idea. What better gift to give anyone, than a library full of books?! Love it, love it, love it!
Truly a must read for anyone - queasy stomachs beware!
About the author:
Cody Mcfadyen was born in Texas in 1968. He designed websites before selling his first novel, Shadow Man, in 2005. He has since had a second book - The Face of Death - published. Both were international best sellers. He lives in Southern California with his two black labs, often referred to as `The Black Forces of Destruction.' He drinks coffee (copiously), plays guitar (badly), and reads (voraciously). He abhors adverbs in writing, except when used in short bios like this one.
Summary of The Face of Death
In Shadow Man, Cody McFadyen took the suspense thriller where other writers have feared to tread. He introduced readers to a heroine every bit as dark and edgy as the serial killers she hunts: Special Agent Smoky Barrett. Now, in his latest novel, McFadyen brings Agent Barrett back to track down a killer who breaks all the rules. Get ready for a shattering confrontation with the very essence of human evil.?I want to talk to Smoky Barrett or I?ll kill myself.?
The girl is sixteen, at the scene of a grisly triple homicide, and has a gun to her head. She claims ?The Stranger? killed her adoptive family, that he?s been following her all her life, killing everyone she ever loved, and that no one believes her.
No one has. Until now.
Special Agent Smoky Barrett is head of the violent crimes unit in Los Angeles, the part of the FBI reserved for tracking down the worst of the worst. Her team has been handpicked from among the nation?s elite law enforcement specialists and they are as obsessed and relentless as the psychos they hunt; they?ll have to be to deal with this case.
For another vicious double homicide reveals a killer embarked on a dark crusade of trauma and death: an ?artist? who?s molding sixteen-year-old Sarah into the perfect victim?and the ultimate weapon. But Smoky Barrett has another, more personal reason for catching The Stranger?an adopted daughter and a new life that are worth protecting at any cost.
This time Smoky is going to have to put it all on the line. Because The Stranger is all too real, all too close, and all too relentless. And when he finally shows his face, if she?s not ready to confront her worst fear, Smoky won?t have time to do anything but die.
From the Hardcover edition.
A June 2007 Significant Seven Editors' Pick: Don't let the title fool you. Cody McFadyen's The Face of Death is not just another scary-as-hell serial killer novel (although it is that in spades). Drawing a chilling portrait of a child stalked by a serial killer seeking revenge, McFadyen's second novel is surprisingly moving, standing out in an already packed genre by focusing on victim Sarah Langstrom and her struggle to survive. McFadyen knocked our socks off with his first book Shadow Man, but this arguably better sequel gives readers more time with Special Agent Smoky Barrett (Harris fans should imagine a stronger, more deeply scarred Clarice Starling). Barrett is a remarkable character--a ferocious survivor and reluctant heroine who only realizes her true potential in the face of unspeakable tragedy. Shocking, gruesome, and terrifying as it may be, the big kicker of this second novel is that it may also move you to tears. Easily one of my favorite thrillers of the year so far, The Face of Death is a perfect book for fans of Deaver, Koontz and King. But don't let me convince you, have a gander at the first chapter and decide for yourself. --Daphne Durham
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