Face Blind

by Raymond Benson

From Raymond Benson, author of the acclaimed James Bond continuation novels between 1996-2002 and other works of suspense, comes a new and edgy noir thriller.

Imagine a world where you don't recognize the human face. That's Hannah's condition--"prosopagnosia," or "face blindness"--when the brain center that recognizes faces is inoperable. The onset of the condition occurred when she was attacked by an unknown assailant in the inner lobby of her New York City apartment building. And now she thinks he's back, and not just in her dreams.

When she also attracts the attention of a psychopathic predator and becomes the unwitting target of a Mafia drug ring, the scene is set for a thrill ride of mistaken identity, cat-and-mouse pursuit, and murder.

FACE BLIND is a twisting, turning tale of suspense in which every character has a dark side. The novel will keep the reader surprised and intrigued until the final violent catharsis.

Genres: Fiction

228 pages, Paperback

First published November 5, 2003

About the author

Raymond Benson is the author of approximately 40 titles. Among his works are the critically-acclaimed and New York Times best-selling serial THE BLACK STILETTO, and he was also the third--and first American--continuation author of the official James Bond 007 novels. His latest novels are HOTEL DESTINY--A GHOST NOIR, BLUES IN THE DARK, IN THE HUSH OF THE NIGHT and THE SECRETS ON CHICORY LANE.

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 2 out of 5]

As the title of the book suggests, this is a story about someone (Hannah), who has acquired face blindness (meaning: she had an accident that rendered her face blind). It is... ok, I guess. The story starts years after she acquired the condition. She is incredibly lost considering how much time she has had to adapt to her condition. Yes, when you are face blind, you don't recognise people's faces... but there is so much more to recognising people. Haven't you ever recognised someone on the phone, just by listening to their voice? Or someone who is standing far away? Or whose back is the only thing you can see?

Clearly, if you are born with prosopagnosia (face blindness), it is easier to cope, as you've had more time to develop the necessary skills to do so. But after five years... come on! It is sooo unlikely that you would still be as helpless as Hannah was described to be.

If you don't think too much about it, the story was ok, entertaining.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting about the truth of face blindness. Never heard of it before and it made for a good murder mystery.

[Annabelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

The main character Hannah, has been almost raped in the entry of her apartment. The trauma creates a condition of being face blinded. She cannot recognize faces. The writing has a good clip, and there are two intersecting plots of a mafia princess who sleeps with Hannah’s cousin, a famous author, and talks him into getting drug dealers. She ends up killing a bunch of people, and gets overlapped with Hannah being pursued by a con artist. The plotting is creative, where justice happens through happenstance. But it is a bit too cutsey, like the author is winking, “look what I can do?”

[Teri Christman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ehhh. I was intrigued by the premise. The main character has prosopagnosia and lives in fear that the attacker that caused the condition will return and she will not recognize him. Unfortunately it is so unbelievable and poorly written it fell flat. I give it 3 stars for the premise and the fact that it was a fast read.

[Donald Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it. Good author and quick little reads