The Sculptor [Paperback]

Gregory Funaro (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2011

Killing Is An Art

In life, they were flawed. In death, they are perfect works of art--killed, preserved, and carefully molded into replicas of Michelangelo's most celebrated creations. Only The Sculptor can bring forth their true beauty and teach the world to appreciate his gift.

He Is The Master

FBI Special Agent Sam Markham has a reputation for tracking serial killers, but this artful adversary is meticulous, disciplined, and more ruthless than any he's encountered. The only clue is a note dedicating the latest "statue" to Cathy Hildebrant, an art historian who shares Sam's fear that the killing has just begun.

And She Is The Perfect Subject

In a quiet Rhode Island town, The Sculptor shapes his latest macabre creation, waiting for Cathy to draw nearer so that his message can be understood at last. And the only way to save her is for Sam to unlock a psychopath's twisted mind before his final, terrifying masterpiece is revealed. . .

"Funaro provides clever plotting and plenty of suspense." --John Lutz, New York Times bestselling author

"Fast-paced, exciting. . .Funaro delivers gasp-out-loud terror and relentless suspense. A genuine page-turner!" --Kevin O'Brien, New York Times bestselling author

"It reminded me of why I loved Silence of the Lambs so much." --Gregg Olsen

"A stone cold thrill ride! Unique and unexpected twists make this one a keeper!" --Lisa Jackson, New York Times bestselling author

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A serial killer calling himself the Sculptor, who reshapes his victims into replicas of works by Michelangelo, sends creepy messages to art historian Cathy Hildebrant. When it becomes clear that her book on Michelangelo's work is an inspiration for the murders, FBI special agent Sam Markham asks her help in figuring out when and where the killer will strike next, but the Sculptor easily evades their efforts and, with clumsy inevitability, traps Cathy and promises to make her his next victim. The book reads like a poor man's Red Dragon, sharing some of the structures but, unfortunately, not the grace of its prose. Detailed but sometimes tedious analyses of Michelangelo's art bog down the dialogue and plot. (Jan.)
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Product Details

• Paperback: 385 pages
• Publisher: Pinnacle Mass Paper; Original edition (February 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786022124
• ISBN-13: 978-0786022120
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (117 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #274,650 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

A native of Rhode Island, Gregory Funaro is currently an associate professor in the School of Theatre & Dance at East Carolina University. In addition to writing thrillers, he is an amateur artist, bassist, and history buff. He holds a black belt in karate, and is considered by many to be one of the world's worst poker players. Gregory lives with his family outside of Raleigh, North Carolina, and is a proud member of The Authors Guild, Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, and the Horror Writers Association. Please visit his official web site at www.gregoryfunaro.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best books I have ever read, July 2, 2010

By 

R. Gjemmestad (Moss) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Sculptor (Kindle Edition)

This is simply a fantastic book. I stumbled up on it by chance, and when I first started reading I could not put it away. The style is a mix between "Silence of the lambs" and Dan Brown's "Angels and Deamons" and "The Da vinci Code", and Funaro does a fantastic job of mixing history with the crimes of the sculptor.

The book kept me constantly on my toes with twists and turns, but some people might be turned of by some sections where the author explains both a bit of philosophy and history surrounding the art-works the sculptor uses. For me this was a perfect way to do it, but others might not like it as much.

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A suspenseful debut novel, May 29, 2010

By 

Beth Cholette "doctor_beth" (Upstate NY USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Sculptor (Paperback)

NOTE: I received a complimentary review copy of this book directly from the author.

I admit that I began reading this book with some apprehension, as I have read many first-time novels that just weren't very good. But it didn't take many pages into THE SCULPTOR for me to be presently surprised, as I found it to be unexpectedly well-written. Furthermore, author Gregory Funaro creates a compelling murder mystery from the opening lines, in which the reader actually observes the killer interacting with one of his victims, through the attempts of the FBI to solve the case. The first half of the book is particularly fast-paced, with the twisted, diabolical killer, "The Sculptor," always being at least one step ahead of FBI Special Agent Sam Markham and the Art History professor who finds herself inexplicably wrapped up in the case, Dr. Catherine Hildebrandt.

Where I think Funaro shows particular skill is in the development of The Sculptor character. He does an excellent job of gradually weaving in the murderer's backstory throughout the book, so by the conclusion, the reader has a more complete picture of exactly what led to his killing spree. Less successful, in my mind, is the portrayal of the killer's gratitude to Dr. Hildebrandt. Although Funaro establishes this connection well, the undying gratitude to the woman herself seems a bit strained and out of character. Funaro also goes out of his way at the end of the novel to leave the possibility open for a sequel; this felt like an over-dramatic and unnecessary flourish which actually detracted from the rest of the book.

One final note: I believe that this book could have benefited from some more judicious editing. Again, Funaro does write well, but he has several quirks, such as a penchant to overuse italics. Overall, however, I did enjoy this book, which I found to be a suspenseful, page-turning thriller, and I would recommend it to others who enjoy this genre.

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Decently Done for a Debut, February 26, 2010

By 

Thriller Lover (Las Vegas, Nevada) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Sculptor (Paperback)

If you like serial killer novels, and want to give a new novelist a chance, THE SCULPTOR isn't a bad choice.

Author Gregory Funaro follows the traditional serial killer plotline here. The major twist is that the killer is heavily influenced by the work of Michelangelo --this gives Funaro an excuse to teach the reader a lot about that artist's work and life. That makes THE SCULPTOR more interesting than your typical suspense novel, and I give it three stars for that reason.

THE SCULPTOR isn't perfect. Funaro's characterization needs some work -- most of his characters comes across as flat, and most of their dialogue is stilted. In particular, this book's romantic subplot is totally unbelivable. Also, much of this book consists of dialogue and background information, at the expense of action. The main character isn't in any real danger until the final twenty pages or so, so the suspense level is not as high as I would have liked.

Still, Funaro's writing has potential, and his writing has a satirical edge that I found amusing. So it will be interesting to see how his career develops. It should be noted that this novel has some intensely graphic scenes of violence and sexuality, so more sensitive/conservative readers should probably avoid this one.