Customer Reviews

Stealing Faces

5 star:		(55)
4 star:		(35)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

I must admit that Michael Prescott has a knack for writing a very entertaining prologue! Readers arrive on the scene smack dab in the middle of single mom Sharon Andrews bloodied and running for her life. Unfortunately for Sharon, she's in the prologue...we know what's going to happen to her. And very quickly, so does she.

From a writing standpoint "Stealing Faces" is crisp and reads quickly. A definite plus in this form of novel. The major players of the story are deftly crafted. Poor Elizabeth Palmer, a.k.a. Ellen Pendleton , a.k.a. Paula Nielson, but in reality Kaylie McMillan has been on the run for the better part of twelve years. She is of the opinion that Dr. John Cray is the unstoppable White Mountain Killer. She's absolutely correct, of course. She's also the murderess of her husband Justin McMillan. What Cray does as the White Mountain Killer is rather obvious from the book's title.

Kaylie and Cray play a lot of physical tag in the first portion of the novel. Each trying to remain one step ahead of the other. They spend the second half of the novel playing mental tag. Kaylie and Cray encounter several other interesting people in the course of the story. Namely, Tucson Detective Roy Shepherd and Kaylie's ex-father-in-law Anson McMillan.

My only ever so MINUSCULE complaint is that they really weren't given any more to do but play hide and seek with one another. To go any further into what precisely goes on would be to give away too many spoilers in this well written novel. It's just that things become a bit formulaic towards the end. Cray makes a mistake or two that seem out of character for someone who throughout the rest of the story takes great pride in his meticulousness.

This still does not take away from the fact that there are some clever twists and turns in this story. A fast read that I think many people will find very enjoyable.

i have only recently found Michael Prescott, & i cannot get enough of his writing. his character development, the twists & turns he provides make for an incredibly believable read. The Shadow Hunter & Stealing Faces are 2 of the best reads i have ever read & if he keeps this style up , guys like James Patterson & Geoffery Deaver will, in my humble opinion, have a serious contender. Cant wait to read Comes The Dark.

Imagine running for twelve years, harboring the deepest darkest secret as to why you shot your husband dead. !

Such is the plight of Kaylie McMillan (Elizabeth Palmer, etc.) in this suspenseful second effort from Michael Prescott.

As in "Comes the Dark," this is a gripping, suspenseful thriller. John Cray is a nasty, irreprehensible villain, smooth and relentlessly evil. Again, Prescott delves into Cray's youth to show us the reason, but again, not the justification, for his actions.

The physical and psychological "hunt" between Kaylie and Cray is tense, and frustrating, as Kaylie appears to be losing the match, and Dr. Cray may finally get his revenge.

A stunning book in many ways, it will keep you riveted. The supporting characters, as in Prescott's first novel, are very interesting, even if the hero (Roy Shepherd) and Kaylie are very similar thematically to the two heroes in "Comes the Dark."

But, this is a minor complaint---just read it and be enthralled!

This book definitely has a great storyline; it did take me almost to the last page to figure the whole thing out. Without giving too much of the story away, you are going to be hooked from page one when you read about Sharon Andrews murder. I was troubled by the fact that Kaylie was trying to catch a serial murder on her own, and kept thinking to myself why is she not going to the police? Well later on in the book you will see why. I was terrified when the killer got a hold of her the second time, and I was impressed by how manipulative the killer or Dr. Cray proofed to be. Lots of twists and turns and a great heart pounding ending. But if you have a weak stomach you might have to skip a few pages...

The cover caught my eye and the story captured by mind. This is really a scary book, but very believable. Kaylie is a sympathetic and pathetic character, running for her life while trying to rid the world of a sadistic killer. No one believes her, she has no money, she lives in seedy motels and her beat up old car--all the while trying to convince herself she's not crazy. She is so terribly alone with her fears and her mission. I couldn't even catch my breath until it was over. I can hardly wait for the next Prescott novel. Wish he would include Kaylie and Detective Shepherd in a sequel...I want to know what happens to them both.

For 99 cents (Kindle version), I was expecting very little, especially because I have been reading books in the genre that are more expensive and well-known. But this one truly was better than nearly all of them. The characters are given true depth, allowing the reader to connect and experience the novel on a level deeper than you typically see in this genre. The book is full of twists and turns, and the suspense is perfectly timed--right when you are beginning to feel at a standstill, another little clue is dropped and you're reeled right back in. I read the whole thing in a day, desperate to reach the answers.

Of course because it is a crime mystery, there is some gore and some disturbing scenes, but that's to be expected in this genre.

I would highly recommend this book. It's smart, well-written, suspenseful and truly holds the reader's attention from beginning to end.

I don't know what book Lisa from California read, but it sure wasn't this one. I thought the motivation of Cray's actions were well explained. I read a LOT of books and this one kept me on edge right up to the end. Prescott knows his stuff. What a thriller. Can't wait for the next one.

Usually, books with grisly pictures on the cover are horribly written bargain rack books that leave you asking how the author got a publishing contract. But, in this case Prescott creates one of the most intelligent, chilling villians I have ever come across. What to me makes a good suspense villian is an arrogant, super intelligent person who believes he is smart enough to get away with whatever he wants to do. In this case, Prescott's villian invokes all of these qualities as expertly as anybody I have read. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed the great book "A Perfect Crime", by Peter Abrahams. This book is similar to "Crime" but even better written, which I think says a lot about the quality of this book.

Since I've purchased my Kindle I've read from 2-3 books per week, until I loaded this book. I have not picked up the Kindle for two weeks as I don't think I can read another page. The villan is loathsome and the heroine (?) is an idiot. I usually try to finish a book no matter how disappointing but I truly wish they had killed each other in the first chapter and just gotten it over with.

What a book! Michael Prescott out did his self on this one! Talk about twists and turns, this book has it! I could not put it down. Kaylie was amazing! She hunted down her prey, turning the table on Cray! Such a wild plot to this story. The ending was awesome. This is a must read thriller!