While She Was Sleeping [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Suzanne Forster (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 15, 2003

A USA Today Bestseller

He abducts women from their beds at midnight, gagging and terrorizing them and then dumping them, drugged but alive, days later. None of the victims have been able to identify him, and the Seattle police have no leads -- until now . . .There's been a new abduction, but with a terrifying twist -- the latest victim, a cop working on the case, has been found dead. But the police may now have the break they need -- a witness . . . The sole witness is a homeless woman with a shaky memory. Forensic sketch artist Jennifer Nash has been called in by the Seattle PD. Russ Sadler was the victim's ex-partner. He's now the chief investigator -- and the last person Jennifer wants to work with. Their affair left them both burned, but they can't let their emotion interfere. The killer is a lot closer than anyone realizes, and now he has his eye on Jennifer.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Though the premise of Forster's thriller may sound hokey-a criminal dubbed the Violator enters women's homes clad in motorcycle gear, whisks them away to a trailer, removes all their hair and releases them, drugged but alive-skeptical readers will renew their interest in this creepy mystery when forensic sketch artist Jennifer Nash appears on the scene. Jennifer has perfected a new technique for helping witnesses accurately describe a criminal's face, but several of Seattle's finest, including her old flame, Russ Sadler, are doubtful of her methods. The scenes in which Jennifer works with the first witness, a skittish bird named Myrna Simone, are gripping, especially when it becomes clear that the face she's drawing may belong to someone she knows. Meanwhile, tension between Jennifer and Russ steams up the pages. Engaged to Russ two years earlier, Jennifer fled the relationship, unable to overcome her fear of men. But now, as the two work together to bring down the Violator, they forge an even stronger emotional bond. Forster's prose can be melodramatic at times, particularly when Jennifer is exposing the "burial ground of her past," but overall, this well-balanced romantic intrigue is likely to earn Forster, who's best known for her sensual stories (Sinful, etc.), a wider readership.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

One of today's hottest writers. (New York Times Bestselling author Janet Evanovich) A stylist who translates sexual tension into sizzle and burn. (Los Angeles Daily News) An exhilarating thriller. (Bookbrowser) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 426 pages
• Publisher: Wheeler Publishing; 1 edition (December 15, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1587245582
• ISBN-13: 978-1587245589
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,586,190 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Romantic Suspense, August 13, 2003

By 

Huntress Reviews (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: While She Was Sleeping (Paperback)

Seattle women are being terrorized. In the middle of the night, they awaken to find themselves staring at a stranger who then abducts them, mutilates, rapes, and dumps them. The police are baffled, but the case is going nowhere fast. Then, the madman escalates, killing one of the victims. Now the cops get really serious, bringing in one of their best sketch artists after finding a witness to the murder. Jennifer Nash now has to work with her once upon a time lover, Russ Sadler, the lead detective.

The passion that was once between these two has turned to hostility, but that quickly melts as they can not resist what never truly died. However, what Jennifer is able to learn from the victims makes her terrified. She recognizes the face that emerges under her skilled art. Racing against time, Jennifer and Russ try to keep one step ahead of a maniac in this tangled web.

***** With the heat that is a trademark of this writer, Ms. Forster twists and turns the reader through an intricate maze. The plot may be confused, but the sensuality is unmistable. *****
Reviewed by Amanda Killgore

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Romantic Suspense, October 3, 2003

By 

J.P. (hilo, hawaii) - See all my reviews

This review is from: While She Was Sleeping (Paperback)

It's midnight. She's sleeping. He breaks into their houses. He abducts them, tapes thier mouth and eyes shut, and makes them perform sexual acts on themselves. He puts them in mortorcycle gear and drives them an unknown distance, to a trailer where he shaves every hair particle off thier bodies. They are all red headed, green eyed, flirtateous women. He is the Violator and no one knows who he is. Russ Sadler, the lead detective on the Violator case, and the Seattle Police Department, work strenuously to crack the case. There's only one witness, Myra Simone, a homeless woman and chronic drug taker. She cant seem to remember the face and she isnt satisfied with the Police Sketch. Jennifer Nash, a nationally known sketch artist, is called in to help. Nationally known, yes, But her tactics have made her imfamous with the Seattle Police Department. Especially with Russ Sadler, her ex-fiance, whom she left the night before the wedding. At first it seems impossible for the two to work together, but it seems like Jennifer and Russ still harbor an extreme love for each other. A great book. Both suspensful and romantic at the same time. A sensual mystery... highly recomended

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Pretty Bad, April 7, 2008

By 

A. Roberts "Avid Reader" (Wyoming) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: While She Was Sleeping (Paperback)

This was my first Suzanne Forster book so had no preconceived ideas of her writing. Her writing is a little confusing as on the same page there are breaks in the papragraph and suddenly you are hours or even days later and I would have to try to figure out where we were. The heroine, Jennifer was such an annoying character, I could hardly stand her and really didn't warm up to her. Her reason for being traumatized and couldn't commit to Russ was just so dumb. When it came out I was expecting something really bizarre but her father had an affair??? Now Russ's childhood was traumatic and bizarre and he had a lot more reason to have later problems but he didn't seem to be traumatized. Then our heroine decides to go after the villian herself. Oh get real! I am so tired of this scenario in so many novels I read. I'm all for independent women but so many authors have to take it beyond belief and make the heroine just plain stupid. In real life she would have been killed but since this is fiction, she takes out the bad guy. The whole book is just so unbelieveable and dumb. I finally skimmed to see how the author ended it. I don't know if I will try another of her books after this one. There is just nothing redeemable in it.