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The Impaler (Sam Markham #2)

by Gregory Funaro (Goodreads Author)

3.49 of 5 stars 3.49 · rating details · 204 ratings · 69 reviews

A Killer Without A Conscience. The crimes are barbaric. The victims are found in desolate rural areas, naked and impaled on long wooden stakes. There are no clues. No DNA evidence. Just a message, etched over and over again on one broken body: "I have returned." Without Control. FBI Agent Sam Markham's last investigation ended with a serial killer's death and Sam's promoti...more

Paperback, 471 pages

Published February 1st 2011 by Kensington (first published January 14th 2011)

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Apr 28, 2011 Gregory rated it 5 of 5 stars · (Review from the author)

The year is 2006, three years prior to Sam Markham’s battle with The Sculptor, and the recently promoted supervisory special agent is looking forward to his new assignment in the Behavioral Analysis Unit at Quantico. However, before Markham can even unpack, he is called to Raleigh, North Carolina, to investigate the gruesome murders of three men. Each has been found in a rural area outside the city, stripped naked, and impaled in the ground on a long wooden stake. It is a sight not seen in the W...more

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Feb 08, 2011 Martha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, 2011, mystery

2/8/11 I liked this book very much. The mystery was good & the characters were well-developed. Some expected things happened (I don't do spoilers in reviews) in the story, but they fit well. The ending was quite suspenseful and there were even a couple surprises in the epilogue. Overall, I enjoyed it although it contained a bit more gore than I care for. From the title, I was not surprised at the gore and cannot complain. LOL I have added this author's other book to my tbr pile.

1/30/11 Goin...more

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Dec 09, 2010 Billjr13 rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

Just won this in a Goodreads giveaway! I read Funaro's first book The Sculptor and really liked it. Just got this book in and it was signed by the author too!
The Impaler is the second book from Gregory Funaro and it features FBI agent and profiler Sam Markham. It is a truly fast paced but very convoluted novel and there are lots of twists and turns that keep you reading. I enjoyed the book but I have to tell you it is gory. The killer tortures and literally impales his victims (Like Vlad the Imp...more

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Apr 11, 2012 Grey Liliy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: detective, horror, serial-killer

This book is probably hanging out in 3.5 star land like The Sculptor, but since I liked this one quite a bit more I'll round up for a change. :)

Overall, I feel this was a much stronger book than Sam Markham's "first" adventure (the joys of telling stories out of order, right?). The entire premise was tighter, and the killer was much more well rounded.

Starting with our protagonist: nixing the love story helped Markham's character more than I thought it would. We got to know him as a person a lit...more This book is probably hanging out in 3.5 star land like The Sculptor, but since I liked this one quite a bit more I'll round up for a change. :)

Overall, I feel this was a much stronger book than Sam Markham's "first" adventure (the joys of telling stories out of order, right?). The entire premise was tighter, and the killer was much more well rounded.

Starting with our protagonist: nixing the love story helped Markham's character more than I thought it would. We got to know him as a person a little more before throwing him into romance. Seeing him interact with the local authorities, and his past in both the cemetery & his (view spoiler), were more telling about his personality and issues. Plus, he managed to pull off a few cute scenes: Markham is good with kids & I loved the scenes with him and the little girl.

Overall though, Markham is your pretty standard good guy agent. Nothing really stands out about him to separate him from the rest of FBI agents out there just yet--but there's hope for future novels.

The real meat of The Impaler by far though, is its antagonist--The General, aka Edmund Lambert. A good chunk of the novel (it felt like 2/3rds, but it could have been less), is dedicated not only to his killings, but also to his personal life--including everything that entails from his childhood to present day stage helper/equipment designer. I almost would to go so far as to say Edmund is the novel lead, pulling Markham along for the ride.

Which is by no means a bad thing.

Edmund is wonderfully, and horribly sympathetic. He's committing atrocious acts, but there's no defining malcontent in any of his actions. After enough back story on his part, you spend most of your time forgetting he's the 'bad guy' and just end up feeling sorry for him. The novel does an amazing job of getting into his head, and his motivations behind everything--the guy is seriously disturbed, and you get the feeling that most, if not all of it, really isn't his fault. It's sort of grey--he should be held accountable for his actions, but you want him to catch a break at the same time. Edmund's struggles with what he's doing, his own fears and thoughts--and the underlying abuse that drove it all is compelling. Even his love story on the side, helps push things more in his favor than Markham's.

Regardless, it all comes crashing together at the end with the showdown between Markham and The General, wrapped up nicely with an epilogue that fills in the gaps from Edmund's memories.

But, I guess what it all comes down to is I enjoyed this book quite a bit & I'm excited for the next Markham book--which is what matters, right? :)(less)

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May 08, 2011 Landon rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: won-on-goodreads

The average rating right now on Goodreads for this book is about 3.5, and I think that's about right, so I just rounded up to four.
In Gregory Funaro's thriller The Impaler FBI agents Sam Markham and Andy Schaap are looking for a serial killer. One who appears to be copying the methods of the historical Vlad the Impaler, the inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula, impaling his victims on wooden stakes. As the investigation continues, Sam and Andy learn that not everything is as it seems. Funaro pu...more

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Dec 02, 2010 Benjamin Thomas rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: thriller, advanced-reading-copy, indie-authors

The Impaler is the second book by Gregory Funaro and is a prequel of sorts to The Sculptor, which I was privileged to read and review earlier this year. I say, "prequel" merely because it takes place about three years prior to the events of The Sculptor and features FBI agent Sam Markham. But otherwise this is very much a stand-alone book and the reader does not need to read one to appreciate the other.

Wow, what a novel! I've read thrillers of all sorts for over 10 years and have learned to spot...more The Impaler is the second book by Gregory Funaro and is a prequel of sorts to The Sculptor, which I was privileged to read and review earlier this year. I say, "prequel" merely because it takes place about three years prior to the events of The Sculptor and features FBI agent Sam Markham. But otherwise this is very much a stand-alone book and the reader does not need to read one to appreciate the other.

Wow, what a novel! I've read thrillers of all sorts for over 10 years and have learned to spot the winners from the also-rans. Gregory Funaro writes winners and this one is truly a gem in this crowded field. The plot concerns the above mentioned FBI agent and his journey to catch a serial killer. Sounds like a million other plots out there but that is just about all that is "normal" about this novel. It's not your typical thriller plot of "killer commits crime; sleuth spends two thirds of novel finding clues; sleuth closes in on killer; sleuth catches/kills killer after nearly blowing it." Instead this is a very intricate plot with multiple layers to the main characters and is not at all predictable.

And it's an absolute page turner. I finished the last 200 pages in one sitting because I just had to keep going.

I think what truly sets this novel apart is the depth of characterization the author brings to the bad guy. In his first novel, The Sculptor, Mr. Funaro does an incredible job with developing the bad guy character but in this one, he truly goes above and beyond. We get to experience the Impaler's very life from childhood to present day from his point of view and, indeed, he almost becomes a protagonist himself. And this is one baaad dude. For a reader to feel like they understand him and his motivations, despite his nature, (like I did) is a great feat for a writer to pull off.

I will say that this novel is not for the faint of heart. There are lots of bloody, violent scenes, horrifying even in their detail but it is absolutely necessary to portray the events realistically. The pacing of the book is awesome; a lot happens but the furious pace is interspersed with excellent back-story building and scene setting. Much as I thought his first novel was fantastic for a new author, this one proves Gregory Funaro deserves to stand with the great writers of the genre.(less)

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Feb 06, 2011 Alice Brown rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: like-author

This is definitly a good thriller. The book is much deeper than that though. I enjoyed it from the beginning to the end. I loved the style. You get an inside view of almost all of the characters even the killer. I would like to read more books by this author.

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Mar 09, 2011 Vera rated it 3 of 5 stars

Terrific Read!! Really enjoyed it, first time I've read anything by this author. I will definitely check out other books by him. Good mystery, had me hooked almost from the beginning.

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Sep 20, 2011 Beth rated it 3 of 5 stars

very very creepy and scary!

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Mar 23, 2012 Mitch rated it 3 of 5 stars

A chilling look inside the mind of an insane murderer, this book employed some fairly gruesome scenes and kept me on the edge of my seat. Except for FBI agent Sam Markham, who I already knew would survive, I didn't know how many people the killer would take out, so there were some genuinely surprising deaths and twists. The FBI investigation into the killer was also well done, and to the author's credit they should have and did get some things wrong based on false assumptions from the evidence.

T...more

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Sep 02, 2011 Christy rated it 5 of 5 stars

The impaled bodies of two male victims are discovered in a cemetery with the cryptic message “I have returned” on their torsos. When the impaled body of a criminal defense attorney is subsequently found, the killer is given the nickname The Impaler, named for Vlad the Impaler, upon whom Bram Stroker’s Dracula was based. This is the first case for FBI agent Sam Markham since his promotion to Raleigh, North Carolina. Markham, still grieving his wife’s death, tries not to be distracted by the execu...more

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Mar 29, 2011 Krisanne Stewart rated it 3 of 5 stars

Ummmm....ok...first...I love Katie Wawak. She is a dynomo of a teacher at our school, and she wears amazing shoes. Shoes that I only dream of owning and being able to wear. She also brightens my day with her big smile and the way she says my name...and this book was her book club pick, I read it for her, so keep that all in mind.

Honestly, this book was kind of confusing. I couldn't understand what was going on at times. I didn't understand the Prince and Nergal, and Leo Minor, and how it all tie...more

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Feb 27, 2011 Cheryl rated it 4 of 5 stars

There is a serial killer on the loose. Someone is killing men and leaving them staked through the body into the ground for all to see and a message written on one of the bodies that says “I have returned”.

There is only one man perfect for stopping a serial killer. He is FBI Agent Sam Markham. Sam stopped The Sculptor, in the first book. Though, The Impaler is a different beast of his own. Sam has never seen anything like what he has witnessed with this latest victim. The deeper Sam investigates...more

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Dec 01, 2010 Michael Combs rated it 5 of 5 stars

Funaro’s new novel, which is actually a prequel to last year’s The Sculptor, once again follows FBI agent Sam Markham as he unravels the mystery behind a series of gruesome murders. While most serial killers in fiction strain the reader’s credulity to the limits, the killer in this novel (who “impales” his victims on stakes and leaves them on display, similar to Vlad The Impaler) is so well defined and developed, which Funaro does with a keen psychological eye, that we not only see the macabre b...more

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Mar 17, 2011 Lori rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book could be a "Criminal Minds" episode (it actually features the Quantico BAU) or a movie (it reminded me of "Hannibal"). FBI Agent Sam Markham is tasked to track down a serial killer dubbed "Vlad the Impaler" -- yes, after the historical Vlad Tepes -- who is impaling his (male) victims and leaving the bodies (some decapitated) symbolically placed around Raleigh, South Carolina.
I really liked this book although I have to say it did get somewhat convoluted in places. It's a high-concept c...more

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Jul 05, 2011 Rachel Thompson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Sam Markham must hunt down a serial killer who likes to leave his victims impaled in a pattern only he can make sense of. I picked this book up mainly because I thought, much like the name implies, that the killer was a Vlad the Impaler wannabe, but the story goes much deeper than that, as it turns out the killer is worshipping the obscure god Nergal.

A lot of this book is dedicated to the mind of a killer, which I really enjoyed. It was an in-depth look at how a normal enough boy could grow up t...more

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Dec 23, 2011 Randy Cashner rated it 4 of 5 stars

I am still trying to come to grips with Greg Funaro's, The Impaler. There were times when I loved the book and times when I wasn't too sure of what I thought. If the reader is expecting a non stop action thriller then they might be disappointed because this book goes beyond the typical format. Yes, there is an incredible amount of violence and gore. The level of violence reminded me of the violence found in J.A. Konrath's and Blake Crouch's novels; incredibly detailed and important to the plot d...more

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Dec 01, 2010 Doreen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

Excellent thriller, with good pace and suspense. The characters are believable, but more importantly, the plot is a complex page-turner that had me riveted from start to finish. The only thing that made me pause was Danny Gibbs' death. If Claude hadn't known of his significance, why did he die? I could make up an explanation on my own, but felt this could have been better handled by the author. Also, I'm still unsure of the reason behind Claude checking his kids' teeth in such a manner, but thos...more

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Feb 08, 2011 Marsha rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Adult Fiction lovers

The Impaler is a dark, disturbing and mysterious story about a serial killer who impales his victims. If three and one half stars were available, I would have given it to this book. Sam Markham is an FBI agent who has been put in charge of tracking down the killer. In addition to apprehending the killer, Markham is dealing with the issue of attending the excecution of the man responsible of killing his wife and unborn child eleven years earlier.

At first, the FBI explore the possibility that the...more

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May 12, 2011 Charles rated it 2 of 5 stars

Dark. Edgy. Brutal. At times graphic and raw in its depictions. I thought Chelsea Cain had led the way with brutal characters and writing with her offering of "Heart Sick" and Gretchen Lowell, but I think Gregory Funaro has one-upped her on the brutality scale. Still Ms. Cain did a better case of laying it out on the page and she did it with style and intrigue.

"The Impaler" is a psychotic thriller, but not much of a mystery. You always know who did it, and you know pretty much where it’s going....more

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Oct 19, 2011 Stephanie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fun

If you like the more violent crime-related aspects of the X-Files, this book is a perfect read for you. Sam Markham has the pathos of Mulder (although it's the murder of his wife, not the abduction of a sister that's haunting his dreams) and the tenacity of Gibbs (from NCIS).

But what makes Funaro different from Mo Hayder & the rest of the violent crime paperback writers is his unique background. His involvement and enjoyment of theatre was palpable in Cindy Smith's viewpoint (kudos for crea...more

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May 04, 2012 Lauri Menard added it

i just received this book in the mail..It was signed by the author..I was so excited i never won anything before....This book sounds amazing and suspenseful and cant wait to read it....am hoping to find a way to get his first book....

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Apr 08, 2011 Ann Marie rated it 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book, which is why I gave it three and a half stars...it was not a "could not put down" or a "will read it again"...right from the start it reminded me of "Red Dragon" which I loved...in the middle somewhere it turned towards "Silence of the Lambs" and then it ended back into the class of "Red Dragon"...it is just me...I like action on at the very least every other page...not much for getting an education while I am being entertained...but this really was a good book...I do not wa...more

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May 02, 2011 Amanda Lyons rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Impaler could easily have been just another serial killer novel among many. The plot, its characters and its villain could have been a simple retread of the same old ground under new regalia. After all America knows its favorite human monster very well and his teeth and claws have a gotten a little less fearsome in the last several decades due to overexposure. Novels, true crime tales, and police procedurals on network television have thrown him at us like an old skeleton that we just don’t...more The Impaler could easily have been just another serial killer novel among many. The plot, its characters and its villain could have been a simple retread of the same old ground under new regalia. After all America knows its favorite human monster very well and his teeth and claws have a gotten a little less fearsome in the last several decades due to overexposure. Novels, true crime tales, and police procedurals on network television have thrown him at us like an old skeleton that we just don’t jump away from as often anymore.

It could have been more of the same…but it wasn’t.

While it does feature an FBI Agent in search of a serial killer it’s also a hell of a lot more involved than I’ve expected a novel of its type to be in a long time. Most authors in the genre create interesting killers and wily heroes to capture them and focus purely on the search for and capture of the villain. Rather than follow this formula completely Furaro dares to create a villain who, while clearly sociopathic and murderous, is nearly as worthy of sympathy as the hero. In fact, I’d say that he may be even more a of a victim than he is a murderer.

Here the dark heart of loss, of manipulation and the desire for control over one’s life when no easy foothold exists creates two men who (while different in many ways) share tragic pasts and lack of ability to come to terms with them.

FBI Agent Sam Markham lost his wife to a killer years ago but her ghost still haunts his dreams and every thought in his day. That loss brought him through the FBI training program which gave him a way to exact vengeance against the forces that took his wife from him. However his last case nearly cost him his life and every day seems as if its just another lived in his own personal hell. Now he’s facing a killer who’s far more savage and brutal than most any serial killer the FBI has ever encountered. The Impaler leaves the bodies of men skewered on wooden stakes in public tableaus that are more of a mystery than the North Carolina FBI really knows how to deal with and now its Markham’s job to find the murderer.

The Impaler looks for signs in the stars, in his dark basement and his victims. These signs lead him to brutally murder men in the name of the Prince he’s dedicated his life to since returning from the fields of war a few years before. Even before that war and the vision he had there his life was filled with events that led him inexorable onward toward the path of ritual murder. Again and again his path leads to death and loss until he takes up a symbol of his own and builds a new identity. Now he follows his ancient Prince who offers him everything he’s every wanted in return for his dedication, sacrifice and an unwavering belief that with his efforts the Prince will return to reign with The Impaler at his side.

More than any other character the villain of this book offers a look deep into the heart of what tragedy and loss can do over the course of a person’s life. The Impaler makes for one of the most interesting villains I’ve found since I read Thomas Harris’ The Red Dragon more than ten years ago. Funaro manages to take a well trod formula, add something refreshing to it and give it vibrant new life. Which is far more than many authors can say in this genre.

I think the only thing that really detracted from the story was some confusing back and forth movements between newly introduced characters at the beginning of the book that can leave you lost on who’s who until you catch up. Once you catch up to the story though the pace really kicks in and you can’t help but get sucked right along with it.
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Jan 29, 2013 Dolly rated it 3 of 5 stars

I read the sculptor and I got to say, I couldn't put the book down, I can't wait to read this one...

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Dec 09, 2010 Sylvia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: goodreads-first-reads

T-E-R-R-I-F-Y-I-N-G
I’m glad I did win this Goodreads First Reads giveaway (thank you Mr. Funaro and Goodreads).
“The Impaler” by Gregory Funaro gets scary on page 1 and I didn't want to put it down once I started reading it. What makes this novel so special is the sense of doom that you can feel as you read the words “How could you think I’d let you get away?” Gregory Funaro installed fear into me as a reader.
I felt the thumping of my heart as I continued reading the horror of impalement. The sto...more

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Feb 09, 2011 Rick F. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Gregory Funaro is one of the true masters of crime/horror fiction..no question about that. The Impaler only cements his reputation as a writer many notches above others in his chosen genre. The story, the characters,so chillingly drawn and the pacing..perfect in every sense elevate The Impaler from the standard "Horror" book into a work of sheer art. I challenge anyone to read the first few pages and NOT become glued to Mr. Fumaro's impulsively written prose. One might keep the lights on at nigh...more

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Jun 12, 2011 Megagle rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was alright. It is NOT a who-did-it (which upset me because I like to figure it out and thought this was one of those books). It plays a cat and mouse game with the reader, having you anxious to see if the good guy will catch the bad guy or vice versa.

It's a pretty standered book in that it doesn't break the mold in any way. So if your expecting some crazy chuck palahniuk twist... don't. Read it and go with the flow. You'll read some disturbing stuff.

All in all the characters where in...more

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Apr 28, 2011 Katherine Coble rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the second of Funaro's works I've read and while it was thematically and structurally similar to The Sculptor, this was by far the better book. It's obvious that Funaro is destined to write great genre works that take familiar structures to the next level. He seems to have found a formula which marries the traditional Serial Killer thriller with the Classical Puzzle novel a la Da Vinci Code. There were traces ofthat in The Sculptor, but the blend reaches a new marurity in this book. It m...more

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Oct 10, 2011 Estelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

THERE ISNT MUCH TWIST TO THE STORYLINE, IT MORE LIKE A DIRECT STRAIGHT PITCH DARK TUNNEL. SOMEHOW, THE PSYCHO, EDMUND LAMBERT WAS REALLY INTENSE, ESPECIALLY THE PART ABOUT HIS FAMILY. EXTREME CASE OF MENTAL ILLNESS, FROM HALLUCINATION, DELUSIONAL TO CANNIBALISM, NECROPHILIA, ALL TOO GRUESOME AND CREEPY. WHEN HE WAS SHOT BY FBI AGENT SAM MARKHAM, HIS LAST WORDS WERE "COME BACK", I FELT SAD FOR HIM. HE WAS ALSO A VICTIM OF HIS SOCIOPATH GRANDFATHER.

THE BOOK FOCUS MORE ON THE KILLER THAN THE FBI AG...more

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