The Face of Death

By Cody McFadyen

Book Overview

In Shadow Man, Cody McFadyen took the suspense thriller where other writers have feared to tread. He introduced readers to a heroine every bit as dark and edgy as the serial killers she hunts: Special Agent Smoky Barrett. Now, in his latest novel, McFadyen brings Agent Barrett back to track down a killer who breaks all the rules.

"I want to talk to Smoky Barrett or I'll kill myself."

The girl is sixteen, at the scene of a grisly triple homicide, and has a gun to her head. She claims "The Stranger" killed her adoptive family, that he's been following her all her life, killing everyone she ever loved, and that no one believes her.

No one has. Until now.

Special Agent Smoky Barrett is head of the violent crimes unit in Los Angeles, the part of the FBI reserved for tracking down the worst of the worst. Her team has been handpicked from among the nation's elite law enforcement specialists and they are as obsessed and relentless as the psychos they hunt; they'll have to be to deal with this case.

For another vicious double homicide reveals a killer embarked on a dark crusade of trauma and death: an "artist" who's molding sixteen-year-old Sarah into the perfect victim--and the ultimate weapon. But Smoky Barrett has another, more personal reason for catching The Stranger--an adopted daughter and a new life that are worth protecting at any cost.

This time Smoky is going to have to put it all on the line. Because The Stranger is all too real, all too close, and all too relentless. And when he finally shows his face, if she's not ready to confront her worst fear, Smoky won' t have time to do anything but die.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0553589946
• ISBN13: 9780553589948
• Release Date: July 2008
• Publisher: Bantam
• Length: 624 Pages
• Weight: 0.68 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 4.2" x 7.0"

Customer Reviews

detailed

I love this series. The author (who's male) has such detail for the female lead (Smoky). The intricacies of solving the crime & the camaraderie of the team like a family make this series excellent. I can't wait to read the next book!

shadow man!!!!

Shadow man was the first book I have read by this author and it was awesome!! So awesome that I just bought all of his books for the series. Smoky was an amazing character with guts and strength. Can't wait for my books to arrive! Thanks Cody. ❤

Excellent Emotion-Provoking Work

The Face of Death is the second in the series with FBI crimebuster Smoky Barrett and the team of characters in the first book Shadow Man find their way here too. There are several scenes in this book that had me putting it down and walking away because the images the words on the page stuck in my brain were downright disturbing. If a book has the power to do that, then it is a book worth reading. If you can handle the grittiness of other thrillers like that of Karin Slaughter and Robert W. Walker, then you are going to become a Mcfadyen fan quickly.

Shadow Man not a fluke...

I always wonder if a second novel will live up to the first - if the first was outstanding. In this case, McFadyen shows he is consistent. I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning finishing this one - not a great idea to be reading this book at 3am. Explicit, disturbing - yes! But also great writing! I will be looking forward to his next books.

McFadyen Scores Big Again!

The Face Of Death proves that Cody McFadyen's excellent first thriller, Shadow Man, was no fluke. Once again, McFadyen delivers a big-time plot filled with suspense, characters that are believable and descriptive passages that "come alive" on the page. The Face Of Death will make you want to turn the pages as fast as you can to find out what happens next. With now two excellent back-to-back thrillers (although I found Shadow Man to be just a little more exciting), McFadyen has earned the right to be considered one of the best of today's thriller writers. His books aren't just good, they are memorable. Do yourself a favor and get yourself a copy of The Face Of Death. However, if you haven't read Shadow Man, read this book before The Face Of Death. Enjoy!

WOW....can any author really be this good?

hello....FACE OF DEATH is one of those books that you will NEVER forget for the rest of your life...i truly enjoy cody mcfadyen's writing, it is something special...I found myself truly disturbed all weekend by this book, and enthralled...how can he possibly top it in book 3? i can only imagine...HE is truly headed to the top of the crime thiller authors,and the sky is the limit...and a truly nice guy on top of that...yes i have talked to him....humble as he is....This is an author to watch,, and i dare you to read his books, and not believe that they are happening! if his books don't head to the top of the bestsellers charts, something is wrong...ONE AMAZING TALENT...i truly miss ALL of these characters already...david

Keeps getting better and scarier

If you thought Cody Mcfayden was a fluke with a great first novel, you will be pleased to know the man can write like a seasoned veteran. He continues with Smoky Barrett, the FBI agent who lived through a horror of her own, with a great deal of scarring - not only on her soul, but on her once gorgeous face. That hasn't stopped her from going after evil. She is called to a gruesome murder scene - a teenage girl with a gun to her head is yelling she will only speak to Smoky Barrett. Smoky goes into the house and into the nightmare of Sarah. Sarah is a girl whose family was murdered when she was a child - she was spared by the murderer. He (the murderer) has an agenda for her... Mcfadyen takes us on this murderer's journey - he's called The Stranger - and if you were expecting broad strokes of the action - forget it - the language and actions are so strong, you are squirming - almost needing a shower - but his words are powerful. The same FBI agents and several other characters we came to care about are back in this book. And they do not fail us either. The Face of Death is a masterful book. Reminded me of early Jeffrey Deaver - but what comes next from Mcfadyen will be a sight to behold.