Truth Catcher: A Novel of Suspense [Hardcover]

Anna Salter (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2006

"Fascinating. . . . Handles this touchy material with integrity, tugging on our hearts even as she ties our nerves in knots. Salter writes with chilling authority."-Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book Review

"Salter has graced her protagonist with a compelling and likeable voice in the tradition of Patricia Cornwell."-Library Journal

"An impressive achievement."-Dick Adler, Chicago Tribune

Forensic psychologist Breeze Copens has a gift. She not only hears the truth, she also sees it. So she knows when Daryl Collins-a born-again but remorseless con jailed in Seattle for armed robbery-is lying. What she doesn't know is the identity of the -little girl in a blue dress with yellow daisies who appears suddenly in her line of -vision during her interview with Daryl. And Daryl isn't telling.

A heart-stopping thriller, its twists unexpected, its suspense mounting as the steely Breeze attempts to make hard evidence of her intuition, Truth Catcher sets the leggy, red-haired forensic expert on an increasingly treacherous course. It takes her eventually to Dallas, where she falls headfirst into the investigation of an unsolved murder of a four-year-old girl (in a blue dress with yellow daisies) a decade earlier. More dangerously, it puts her in the path of Daryl's half-brother, a creepy drug lord who goes by the name of Trash.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Edgar-finalist Salter, after four books in her Dr. Michael Stone series (Prison Blues, etc.), introduces a heroine with an unusual gift in this solid suspense novel. Breeze Copens, a forensic psychologist specializing in assessing sex offenders, must recommend that Daryl Collins be released from prison because, on paper, he's not a threat. But Breeze is also a synesthete—someone who sees colors and designs when she hears sounds—and may have paranormal powers, so she knows Daryl's dangerous. To prove it, she travels to Dallas, where she meets Daryl's vicious half-brother and partner in crime, Leroy, one of Salter's most sinister villains. Meanwhile, Breeze agrees to care for Lily, the troubled adolescent daughter of her drug-addled childhood friend, Jena. Breeze winds up having to cope with increasing threats from both Leroy and Jena's abusive husband. Despite some clumsy plot devices and weak characterization, the book builds to a satisfying conclusion. The tensions in Breeze's professional life alternate nicely with poetic evocations of the peaceful North Carolina coastal island where she lives. (Feb.)
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From Booklist

Readers can be forgiven for assuming that this novel about a psychic forensic psychologist is designed to capitalize on the success of the television shows Medium and Ghost Whisperer especially since the author has traded in her usual forensic psychologist, Michael Stone, for a female protagonist, Breeze Copens. But Salter is too good a writer to be quite so derivative, and the novel generates considerable suspense, despite the familiarity of its theme. Copens, an endearing enough heroine, has two related mysteries on her plate: determining if a prison inmate who claims to be born again is lying, as well as establishing the identity of the little girl who appeared to her while she was interviewing the inmate. Readers who have no patience with paranormal mysteries won't find anything here to change their minds, but those who aren't bothered by the mixture should give it a thumbs-up. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 281 pages
• Publisher: Pegasus Books (October 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933648252
• ISBN-13: 978-1933648255
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,812,621 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting..., April 2, 2007

By 

Lisa Hopcroft (United States of America) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Truth Catcher: A Novel of Suspense (Hardcover)

Is what I'd have to say about this novel. I've read other Anna Salter books and liked them all, including this one.

Truth Catcher introduces us to forensic psychologist Breeze Copens who steps into a bit of trouble while interviewing prisoner Daryl Collins. During the interview she knows he's lying, she can "see" it in his voice. He's not born again into the Lord, no big surprise there. What is a surprise is the four-year-old girl in a blue dress with yellow daisies that appears at the corner of her eye. The response Breeze gets when she mentions the child to Daryl starts off a chain of events that she's not prepared for.

Added to that is Lily, the teenage daughter of an old friend. After trying to help her friend out of a bad situation she ends up having Lily to look out for, at the worst possible time. Lily is complicated in her own right, not to mention having Daryl and his murderous drug dealing brother Trash gunning for her.

Having read Salter's other books, also with a main character that's a forensic psychologist, I thought I knew what to expect. But Breeze is a very different character from Michael Stone, softer some how. Breeze is a synesthete. She doesn't just hear sounds she sees colors and designs that add layers to her perceptions. She sees when people are lying by the changes in those colors and designs when they are talking. She gave up working with victims because their pain affected her so deeply. Since she feels little sympathy for offenders that's the arena she chose to work in. But somehow with all her training, and all the things she's seen, she still manages to be surprised by the threat these type of people pose, to her personally. She's not as damaged or as cynical as Stone but she's still a smart strong character.

This book opened up a door into new and different world then Michael Stone lives in. With interesting new people, I really liked Betsy for one, but it isn't fully realized. I'd like to see more of these people and hope she continues this series. Because even with the different storylines, this book felt unfinished. I'd like to see these people fleshed out more in another book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars FANTASTIC!, May 5, 2007

By 

JAI "JAI" (Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Truth Catcher: A Novel of Suspense (Hardcover)

I've read all of Anna Salter's previous fiction, as well as some of her non-fiction. Truth Catcher is the best work of fiction she's written thus far. I highly recommend it!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Riveting!, November 29, 2008

By 

Marion "[e-mail]" (Louisiana) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Truth Catcher: A Novel of Suspense (Paperback)

I discovered the talented Ms. Salter just a few weeks ago ("Prison Blues")and wanted to read every book she's written after that first one.

This new book is not a part of the former series.

The mysterious loner who lives on an island on the Outer Banks, Breeze, is a force to be reconned with and after she discovers her best childhood friend is being maliciously abused by her devilishly handsome and manipulative husband, she sets out to help her and her daughter and thus begins the meat of the plot.

Breeze has a special gift and can see auras around people and the colors help her judge the characters she comes in contact with as an independent forensic psychologist. There's a subplot involving two violent murderers that just makes the story even more riveting.

This book was a delicious thriller and I highly recommend it along with all of her earlier books.