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4th out of 16 books
—
14 voters
Stealing Faces
Twelve years ago Kaylie McMillan fell victim to serial killer John Cray's sick obsession -- and escaped. So did Cray.Twelve years later, the nightmare still haunts Kaylie, putting her sanity in jeopardy -- and her life at stake. Because Cray is still out there.
And tonight, he's going to finish what he started...
And tonight, he's going to finish what he started...
Paperback, 432 pages
Published
October 1st 1999
by Signet
(first published 1999)
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so far so good. I have enjoyed the book. Only about halfway done with it but I can't seem to put my Kindle down for very long before I'm reading it again. LOVED IT
Kaylie McMillan is a young woman who has spent many years eluding those that hunted her. Lately, however, she has become the hunter. Her prey is a man named John Cray. Her reason for hunting him: she suspects he is the one behind a murder recently uncovered in an area outside of Tuscan, Arizona known as the White Mountains. The victim’s name was Sharon Andrews. Her body was discovered after a flash flood pulled it free from the grave it was buried in, the plastic it was wrapped in to keep predat...more
I've been reading and reviewing a fair amount of books this year, all of them quite good, and most of them on Kindle. Of course, I vet them before I accept a review request by reading the first few pages and the synopsis. There's nothing worse than reviewing a book that bores you to tears or that just isn't your cup of tea. So I almost always love the titles I accept.
In the midst of all these excellent books, however, came STEALING FACES. This high suspense thriller literally knocked my socks of...more
In the midst of all these excellent books, however, came STEALING FACES. This high suspense thriller literally knocked my socks of...more
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I struggled on whether I should give this book one or two stars. The opening scene was really good: well written and enticing, if not a little disturbing - it got me excited for the book. And then the rest of the book was disappointing. The writing was poor. I'm pretty sure the author used a lot of big words just to fool people into thinking that he is a good writer. Apparently it worked because a lot of people have rated this book highly. Meanwhile, I'm pretty sure he just had a thesaurus handy...more
I don't recall ever reading Michael Prescott before, but after reading this, I am anxious to read another. I loved this book, and literally could not put it down! I liked how we not only get to see inside the killer's head, but we also get to see inside Kaylie's head, too. 12 years ago she escaped, and is back to take Cray out, once and for all. Having been in hiding and on the run, using multiple aliases over the past 12 years, Kaylie is ready to be set free. It's amazing how many times this wo...more
For those readers who enjoy a good thriller, Stealing Faces by Michael Prescott definitely fills the bill.
Women are going missing. One of the woman is found with her face cut away, and only one person knows what's happening. That person is Kaylie McMillan, a woman on the run for the last twelve years after an unprecedented escape from a mental institution where she was held after the murder of her husband.
Dr. John Cray, the Director of the institution and her therapist during her time there, sud...more
Women are going missing. One of the woman is found with her face cut away, and only one person knows what's happening. That person is Kaylie McMillan, a woman on the run for the last twelve years after an unprecedented escape from a mental institution where she was held after the murder of her husband.
Dr. John Cray, the Director of the institution and her therapist during her time there, sud...more
Aug 25, 2011
Kathy Jackson
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
No one
Recommended to Kathy by:
No one
The book began with the killer hunting down a young woman in the mountains and killing her. This is what he does for fun and sport He finds a young woman is following him but she manages to elude capture a few times and even get captured but gets away before he can start the game with her. The woman is someone from his past and I can't say much more without giving it away.
The good: the killer was very well thought out and presented. I was impressed with the creepiness as he hunted down the helpl...more
The good: the killer was very well thought out and presented. I was impressed with the creepiness as he hunted down the helpl...more
I'm about a third of the way through this and can only think about how lucky the "heroine" has been so far. Well, interesting book that was horrible in parts and interesting in others. It's a story about a psychiatrist who's director of a mental institution who thinks killing women and taking their faces is a great way to spend an evening. He's being "stalked" by a former patient who was in the hospital after shooting her husband. She escaped and we're now 12 years later. There is a clever detec...more
I was in the mood for some fiction, and this one was $0.99 in the Kindle store. It wasn't as bad as most of the cheap Kindle books I've read. It was rather interesting, especially the antagonist who was so logical and unemotional that he had broekn people down into nothing more than chemical reactions, and thus felt no compunctions in killing them. Very interesting to me, as a study of someone crossing over that line.
The protagonist was a little more annoying. I like stories where the good and e...more
The protagonist was a little more annoying. I like stories where the good and e...more
What a spooky, edge-of-your-seat, thrill ride this one was! a real page turner, from cover to cover...
John Cray is a brilliant and ingenious master of deception driven by a single terrifying obsession: to expose the true nature of a woman's soul - by removing the mask that conceals it. His newest victim is a woman of many disguises. But none of them will protect her. For she has willingly stepped into the darkness of Cray's shadow. And tonight, when the line between hunter and prey is crossed, t...more
John Cray is a brilliant and ingenious master of deception driven by a single terrifying obsession: to expose the true nature of a woman's soul - by removing the mask that conceals it. His newest victim is a woman of many disguises. But none of them will protect her. For she has willingly stepped into the darkness of Cray's shadow. And tonight, when the line between hunter and prey is crossed, t...more
Good enough read, rather long and drawn out however. I found myself losing interest at various points, but the author did manage to reel me back in. Cray of course was an interesting pyscopathic, but annoyingly over the top. Of course in the end, his own arrogance was his undoing. Kaylie, I liked but she started off pretty weak, and of course througout the course of the book had more than a few "dumb" moments. Detective Shepherd was pretty cool, typical of most cops in that they don't believe an...more
This was an incredibly by-the-numbers thriller. And sadly, I don't think the author meant for it to be. It seemed to be trying so hard to burst out of the mold, but it was formulaic and boring as anything you'd find in this genre. Worse yet, the killer was a long-winded blowhard who wasn't in the least intimidating. The female lead seemed intent on making every rookie mistake she could. And the final hero of our story was the same old cop with the same old sordid past you'd see in any cop drama....more
This was a pretty decent thriller. The psychological aspect of it was good... as a psych major, I enjoyed it. I felt that if the author had gone into the back-story a little more, it would have been better. Some parts seemed to drag a little. The characters were good... I especially liked Kaylie. I felt that her character was the most complex. John Cray was sinister but a little blah. And the detective was another character I enjoyed. The last chapter had me on the edge of my seat but up til the...more
A predator who only feels alive when hunting women, who believes that there is no ghost in the machine, and people are just animals, is being stalked by a woman from his past... the one that got away - literally.
Unfortunately, John Cray is a cliche wrapped in another cliche, prone to dramatic preachy monologues that were so unoriginal it was all I could do to not groan aloud. The lack of attention to developing the villain as a character made the book feel plastic and 2D - a hammer horror - and...more
Unfortunately, John Cray is a cliche wrapped in another cliche, prone to dramatic preachy monologues that were so unoriginal it was all I could do to not groan aloud. The lack of attention to developing the villain as a character made the book feel plastic and 2D - a hammer horror - and...more
I find it very hard to turn down a .99 cent Kindle book. Sometimes, a book isn't worth the price but others are worth a lot more. This was my first Michael Prescott novel and it was worth a lot more. It is a very suspenseful book that grabs the reader from the first page and keeps their suspense for the duration of the novel.
It wasn't until the last few pages that the novel becomes formulated and plots lines become predictable. Stealing Faces is an enjoyable read, with many unpredictable develop...more
It wasn't until the last few pages that the novel becomes formulated and plots lines become predictable. Stealing Faces is an enjoyable read, with many unpredictable develop...more
From the very beginning I was hooked. I have always loved suspense novels and this one was not a disappointment.
It starts with a serial killer that hunts his prey in the dessert and then when he gets them he steals their faces. The story throws you a curve because the serial killer is being stalked by a women. You find yourself drawn into the story of who, what where and why. There are several times that I was thrown because the writer takes you on a different road them some other suspense novel...more
It starts with a serial killer that hunts his prey in the dessert and then when he gets them he steals their faces. The story throws you a curve because the serial killer is being stalked by a women. You find yourself drawn into the story of who, what where and why. There are several times that I was thrown because the writer takes you on a different road them some other suspense novel...more
First off, I need to say one thing in regards to a review of this book that I read on here. The individual had stated that the author used big words and probably had a thesaurus the entire time in writing this book. I disagree or my vocabulary is much better than I give myself credit for. There weren't any huge words that I did not know - except for the prescription drugs.
Ok - now.... I really enjoyed the premise of the story and also the style of writing. There was something that just sucked me...more
Ok - now.... I really enjoyed the premise of the story and also the style of writing. There was something that just sucked me...more
**Possible spoilers** Ok, when I first ran across this book on my Nook and read the summary of it, it intrigued me enough to read the free sample. But I never made it thru the whole sample because I just decided I had to buy the book and see why Cray was being followed by this woman and who she was! Well I am glad for my impatience, this book was so good, it drove me crazy and up the wall with questions!!! Dammit, it almost had me pissed off because the author knew exactly how to drag out the ne...more
Easy read picked from "Recommended for You" list on Kindle Store. Kind of disturbing the way the author dove into the killer's psyche. Had me wondering more than once, "Is this how this guy thinks in real life?" Creepy.
Kept me entertained (I wanted to find out what happens next) although the writing was less polished than some. The characters were real enough, and I found myself rooting for the protagonist.
Rating says it all: It was OK. Wouldn't recommend and wouldn't read again.
Kept me entertained (I wanted to find out what happens next) although the writing was less polished than some. The characters were real enough, and I found myself rooting for the protagonist.
Rating says it all: It was OK. Wouldn't recommend and wouldn't read again.
If you like stories where the weak and helpless overcome hopeless odds and win out through persistence, daring and just good luck, then this book is for you. Some details are gruesome and certainly not for young children, the tale is likely what would be expected to describe long term serial killers with a little custom depravity. If you enjoy periods of tense, edge of the chair suspense and lots of action, pull up a chair and enjoy a few hours of chills and terror.
Interesting story! A serial killer removes the faces of his victims after the kill. While looking for his next victim realizes he himself is being stalked. His stalker (Kaylie McMillan)knows where the killer goes and where he's been but when the killer realizes he's being followed, Kaylie needs to stay away from him so she won't be his next victim. I had a hard time putting this one down! My first by Michael Prescott, but have added a couple more to my Kindle to read in the future.
First of all, this book is so gruesome at the start, I nearly put it down. But then once you get past the really awful stuff, the action keeps you reading. It is a good read. I will say that at the end, you can click for "deleted scenes" and neither my husband nor myself wanted to do so. It is good -- strong female lead, but she is a tad too strong to be believable,
The bad guy is really bad. No problem who to root for. Just a good read.
Sep 14, 2011
Joyce McKune
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
crime-fiction,
suspense
I'm reading the eBook on my Nook. Story has me hooked. I don't know how she got away from him 12 years ago, but she (goes by several names) is running from the law and chasing a killer who abducts women, drops them in a remote location and gives them 15 minutes headstart then hunts them down. Shoots to maim, but not kill then with a knife, removes their face as a trophy and buries the body. So far, only one has been found.
So, i only really got this book because it was a "deal" for 99 cents on the Kindle. And, yes, it felt like a bargain bin book...
Although I don' typically read this genre, I thought that a thriller/mystery would be a nice change of pace. This book is basically a guide to the worst, most unrealistic type police work ever chronicled in literature.
Some good/creepy scenes but overall, a huge disappointment.
Although I don' typically read this genre, I thought that a thriller/mystery would be a nice change of pace. This book is basically a guide to the worst, most unrealistic type police work ever chronicled in literature.
Some good/creepy scenes but overall, a huge disappointment.
I got Blind Pursuit as a Free Friday book download and was intrigued. It was a great read from beginning to end. With Stealing Faces, it took a lot longer to draw me in. There was a lot of back-ground build up which I wasn't sure was necessary until I neared the end. If you were like me and not sure, hang in there. Prescott is a good writer and a thrill to read. Good book for any fellow thriller lover!
Definitely a quick read. The author did a great job of keeping up the suspense. I felt that his use of vocabulary was a little indulgent, especially using obscure words more than once. There were a few spots with so many references to past works, it felt like he was saying, "Hey look at me, I know a bunch of fancy stuff!". I didn't hate it didn't put it down, so it had entertainment value, no doubt.
A very quick read, this novel delves into a story of a serial killer who abducts women, takes them to a wilderness area, releases them and then hunts them down. Once he catches them again, he peels off their face as a trophy while they are still alive. Fortunately, this is only described once or twice, and the plot concentrates on a woman who had escaped the killer and on her attempts to hunt HIM. An interesting tale, and one that keeps you turning the pages!
Kindle
This is my first Prescott book. I enjoyed this book and am ready to read another Prescott mystery.
The characters felt like real people and the story line was believable. I liked that the action took place in Arizona because I liked the descriptions of the landscape. This was fast paced, action packed and emotional.Didn't want to stop reading. Great Read.
This is my first Prescott book. I enjoyed this book and am ready to read another Prescott mystery.
The characters felt like real people and the story line was believable. I liked that the action took place in Arizona because I liked the descriptions of the landscape. This was fast paced, action packed and emotional.Didn't want to stop reading. Great Read.
When I first started reading, I thought that maybe I had read it before. A serial killer who rips off people's faces? Was that in a different book? Or had I just read this book before? I don't know. As I kept on reading, the book started to seem new to me. I didn't remember reading all of the stuff in the middle before. The ending was slightly familiar.
I enjoyed reading this book. I shared in the main character's frustration that nobody believed that Dr. Cray was evil. And that poor Kaylie could...more
I enjoyed reading this book. I shared in the main character's frustration that nobody believed that Dr. Cray was evil. And that poor Kaylie could...more
This book started a little bit slow but suddenly I was completely engrossed in it. Very easy to associate with the characters. As soon as you're invested in this you start cheering for Kaylie at every turn she makes. Dr. Cray is the bad guy but only she knows it. Its hard for her to convince others because everyone thinks she's crazy. She has to stop Dr. Cray on her own and how she does it is great. Truly enjoyed this book. Michael Prescott always surprises me & I love it!
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