Through Violet Eyes [Mass Market Paperback]

Stephen Woodworth (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 31, 2004

In a world where the dead can testify against the living, someone is getting away with murder. Because to every generation are born a select few souls with violet-colored eyes, and the ability to channel the dead. Both rare and precious—and rigidly controlled by a society that craves their services—these Violets perform a number of different duties. The most fortunate increase the world's cultural heritage by channeling the still-creative spirits of famous dead artists and musicians. The least fortunate aid the police and the law courts, catching criminals by interviewing the deceased victims of violent crime.

But now the Violets themselves have become the target of a brutal serial murderer—a murderer who had learned how to mask his or her identity even from the victims. Can the FBI, aided by a Violet so scared of death that she is afraid to live, uncover the criminal in time? Or must more of her race be dispatched to the realm that has haunted them all since childhood?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Shades of Minority Report and The Eyes of Laura Mars color Woodworth's chilling debut novel, which is set in an alternate present-day setting where a small percentage of people are born with violet irises and the ability to channel the dead. Naturally, the government has stepped in and regulated their lives, using them as tools in murder trials; an early scene in which a judge instructs the jury how to "weigh the testimony of the deceased" nicely sets the book's tone. When it becomes clear that a serial killer is targeting the Violets themselves, FBI agent Dan Atwater is paired with Natalie Lindstrom, a Violet, to investigate. Here Woodworth turns the conventional murder mystery on its ear: there are a fixed number of suspects from the beginning, but since the deceased can inhabit the bodies of Violets, none of the players ever exit the story, even when they are killed. Moments after dying, the victims take over Natalie's consciousness, bringing their tale of the Faceless Man who killed them and their suspicion that he may be working with someone on the other side. This twist makes for a tantalizing puzzle rife with red herrings, one made all the more entertaining by brisk pacing and strong internal logic.
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Review

"Chilling ... Shades of Minority Report and The Eyes of Laura Mars ... tantalizing puzzle rife with red herrings, one made all the more entertaining by brisk pacing and strong internal logic."
—Publishers Weekly

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Dell; First Thus edition (August 31, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553803379
• ISBN-13: 978-0553803372
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1 x 6.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #872,182 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Greetings, fans of the psychic and supernatural! I'm Stephen Woodworth, author of the Violet Series of paranormal suspense novels, and whether you are a reader of my previous books or a curious newcomer, I welcome your interest in my writing. I've wanted to tell stories almost from the time I learned to read'to give other people the thrill of excitement and adventure that books have always given me.

The idea for THROUGH VIOLET EYES, the first book in the series, occurred to me after watching far too many true-crime TV shows. Inevitably, whenever these shows depict an unsolved murder case, the host will come on at the end and, in a grim, hard-boiled baritone, say something like "The only people who will ever really know what happened on that fateful night are the killer... and the victims." And I got to wondering: What if a detective could interview a murder's ultimate witness? Indeed, what if this became standard procedure, and victims could even accuse their killers in court? Could someone still get away with murder in such a world? Would the dead be any more reliable than a living witness? Or would they merely add their own prejudices, misconceptions, and hidden agendas to a homicide investigation?

From such speculation were born the Violets, a group of violet-eyed mediums, rare genetic anomalies who are prized by society for their abilities yet shunned as freakish reminders of human mortality.

As I started writing, I began to contemplate the dramatic possibilities offered by a world in which the door between the living and the dead is left open. Here is an alternate reality in which one could buy a freshly painted Picasso or a CD of a symphony that Beethoven composed from beyond the grave. A place where the dead can guide avaricious archaeologists to hunt for hidden treasure. A world in which, for a price, one can make amends with estranged family members who have passed on.

I hope that, through the Violet novels, you will enjoy exploring this world as much as I have.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars IF YOU COULD SEE WHAT I SEE, September 7, 2004

By 

Michael Butts (Berkeley Springs, WV USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Through Violet Eyes (Mass Market Paperback)

THROUGH VIOLET EYES is a stunning first novel by Stephen Woodworth, and it's exciting to know it's the first in a series. Woodworth gives us a totally unique storyline, replete with a reluctant heroine, a likeable if somewhat clumsy FBI hero, and lots of government undercover and nasty villains. The Violets are a select group of people who have the ability to be conduits for souls who have been killed. The dead person actually comes to life again in the Violets, and that is where this story's originality shines through. Someone is out there killing Violets, and the FBI's Dan Atwater is assigned to protect Natalie Lindstrom, a Violet who is the conduit for the murdered Violets.
Woodworth peoples his plot with some eccentric characters, lots of suspects, and eerie sequences which show the risks Natalie and other Violets are taking.
A suspenseful, tightly written novel, looking forward to WITH RED HANDS, the second in this promising series.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fabulous urban fantasy, September 1, 2004

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Through Violet Eyes (Mass Market Paperback)

The Violets are people who can communicate with the dead and let their spirits inhabit their bodies. They are allowed to testify in court with the dead spirit inside them accusing the perpetrator of murder. A SoulScan is an instrument that shows the Violet being possessed by the spirit that the Violet called using a touchstone. Not many Violets are born in each generation so the government of each country puts them under their "protection". In the United States, the North American Afterlife Communication Corps is the umbrella organization of the Violets and those people who don't choose to join them are harassed, their lives are made miserable by a bureaucracy that wants to keep a tight reign on them.

Someone is killing the Violets and the government officials have no clue who is doing it as they leave no evidence behind. FBI agent Dan Atwater is assigned to protect Violet Natalie Lindstrom who attended the same school as the victims. Dan is afraid of what Natalie can do because she can contact a ghost from his past, one he wants to avoid at all costs. Gradually the barriers between them are breached and the unlikely duo fall in love, but there is no guarantee that they will live long enough to celebrate their deep feelings.

THROUGH VIOLET EYES is not a religious thriller because the premise of the Violets is based on scientific fact. This work reads like a fabulous urban fantasy in which spirits inhabit the bodies of the Violets as a last way to hang onto life. The fantasy element is very strong and Stephen Woodworth's work is nothing short of remarkable.

Harriet Klausner

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Riveting Supernatural Suspense!, August 31, 2004

By 

Kirkwood Bell - See all my reviews

This review is from: Through Violet Eyes (Mass Market Paperback)

Stephen Woodworth delivers fast-paced, nail-biting suspense with this outstanding debut, the first of a series of novels about the Violets, the few people in each generation who possess violet eyes and an ability to channel the dead.

Combining murder mystery and a sci-fi concept, with touches of horror and romance thrown in, this book contains familiar elements a la the "X Files"-the FBI, a special government-sponsored "School" for violet-eyed kids, courtroom mayhem and the ever-threatening presence of a serial killer.

There is the added delight of a cast of vibrant characters, particularly the two likable leads-Natalie Lindstrom, a gifted Violet called upon to help investigate a series of murders that has sent many of her violet-eyed colleagues to the Other Side-and Dan Atwater, the hapless FBI agent assigned to protect her.

The familiar elements combine in a completely original way to make a wonderfully breath-taking ride. Reading this novel is like watching a film. The very first scene sweeps you into the suspense and doesn't let you go until the very last word-and really, not even then.

And that's the best part. Besides offering a fast, satisfying read, Woodworth has provided a truly thought-provoking concept that leaves the reader wanting more. After the book is done you'll find yourself wondering what the world really would be like if we had a systemized way of communicating with those who have passed on. And you'll be eagerly anticipating the next book in the Violet series.