Through Violet Eyes (Mass Market Paperback)

by Stephen Woodworth (Author)
Key Phrases: faceless man, panic button, Stephen Woodworth, Agent Atwater, Lucinda Kamei (more...)

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


From the Paperback edition. --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Dell (August 31, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553803379
• ISBN-13: 978-0553803372
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #248,056 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 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 (Martinsburg, WV USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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.

8 of 8 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 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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

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.