Echo Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 Date of Publication: 2007, Bantam Books Number of Pages: 592 Synopsis (from back cover): A sixteen-year-old girl holds a gun to her head at the scene of a grisly triple homicide. 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. But Special Agent Smoky Barrett does. Her team has been hand-picked 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 Sarah into the perfect victim - and the ultimate weapon. To catch him, Smoky is going to have to put her own fragile, once-shattered life on the line. For The Stranger is all too real, all too close, and all too determined. And when he finally shows his face, Smoky had better be ready to face her worst fear. Review: This book was a wonderful, yet horrifying surprise for me. Having never read any other book by McFadyen, I didn't know what to expect from a main character named Smoky. I didn't know if this was going to be just another run-of-the-mill thriller, or something worse. but after reading the first three pages, I was immediately drawn into the story and I found myself intensely caring about Smoky, a woman who lost everything and yet gained a unique strength which carried her through the worst imaginable tragedy. It is this strength that Smoky relies upon as she delves further into sixteen-year-old Sarah's mysterious and unbelievable past. She also relies on her team, a mix of unusual and fun personalities who each bring something different to the investigation. My favorite was the striking redhead, Callie, whose "tell it like it is" mentality brought a breath of humor into the story that it very much needed, given that the bulk of it revolves around incredibly gory and horrific murders. The story centers on the idea of revenge, and also on the idea that something horrible happening to someone can change him or her into an evil person who is wholly bent on punishing those who, in their mind, are the ones responsible. The Stranger is single-mindedly pursuing and punishing people for his own tragic past. Sarah, as an innocent, is being molded in his image: A Ruined Life. His life was ruined, and now, so is Sarah's. The crimes, as they are described through Sarah's bitter diary, are simply horrible. I wept over the book more than once, and found myself holding my breath quite often during scenes of intense emotional torture and pain. That's why this book was a horrifying surprise: I loved it, but it still caused me physical pain. It's almost impossible not to react in this way to the story. It's the ultimate story of tragedy and loss, and of recovery and strength and new beginnings. Rating: 10/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madcow Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 Sounds right up my street, I'll have to keep an eye out for it. Great review Echo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baggiesfan Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 I have this in my TBR list, i read his first one, Shadow Man and really enjoyed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceinwenn Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Echo, this sounds like a great book! Gonna have to look for it! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephanie2008 Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 This does sound good, I have added it to my list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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