The Unseen Face

by Joannes Rhino

After receiving an anonymous letter two weeks earlier, unpleasant ghosts from the past began to reemerge to the surface. Every night for the last couple of weeks, James has been experiencing a reoccurring nightmare about Emilia, and he felt like Emilia was trying to tell him something. Those nightmares were born from the depths of his soul, coming to him silently and unguarded to unlock the ugliness he had not realized inside. Despite this, his soul still whispered a hope that the answer to those dreams promised him the chance of a full recovery from his haunting sleep.

Doctor Jonathan kept assuring him that dreams were a connection to human subconscious; successions of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that occur involuntarily in the mind, during certain stages of sleep. The doctor believed that each picture James had seen in the dream was a form of unspoken emotion about Emilia. Like Jonathan, Richard also agreed that James was suffering from a compassion fatigue syndrome caused by the loss of Emilia who died a few years ago due to an infection of her brain tissue. On the other hand, Jennifer believed that Emilia was trying to communicate with James in the dreams. Then, one day Jennifer asked James to visit Emilia’s tomb. That invitation led them to another visit; to meet Emilia’s parents. And that was where the truth began to unravel.

Starting from Emilia’s mother testimony that her daughter was killed, James encounters confusion after confusion. He goes to Iredell County Jail to meet face to face with the murderer, Adam Jackson. Confusion ensues further when he obtains some facts from the police, including the crime scene report and the testimony from a number of witnesses. Emilia was indeed killed in cold blood. Now every memory James has ever had about Emilia is torn apart and turns out to be a pack of horrible lies. His belief of pursuing self-purification was his only devil to beat. But now James finally realizes that he is not the person he thought he was.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Suspense

250 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 22, 2013

About the author

Born in Indonesia, Joannes Rhino was educated at the local state school until graduation in 1998 and continued to study in Hospitality University. Having no literature experiences whatsoever, he managed to publish his first novel “Etzhara” by the biggest traditional publisher in Indonesia and took him as one of the best young writers under thirty at Khatulistiwa Literary Award in 2009. His second psychological novel “Dream”, however, was the one that made him an overnight success. He then began to receive many invitations to attend book signings, talk shows, radio interviews and other literary activities. His Amazon Best Seller in suspense fiction, “The Unseen Face”, brought him to be an international author. He is now working full-time as an Editor, while at the same time doing freelance projects as a Ghostwriter and Scriptwriter.

Reviews

[Joannes Rhino · Rating 5 out of 5]

I tried my best to write this book. Let me hear your thoughts

[Pattimari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Busy, but never too busy to write a review on a book that I thought was well written and held my attention throughout the entire read. Joannes has done an excellent job of offering the reader a feeling of being connected in the story. I had to rate it a five because he deserves it. Great job Joannes!

Pattimari Sheets Cacciolfi, Therapist, Author, VP to PnPAuthors Promotions where we spotlight author's book; free
pattimari@hotmail.com

[Nadezdha Lesstiue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect ending! I really didn't see it coming at all. Love it!

[Christopher Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Unseen Face is one of those books that manages the most important thing I can ask for from a story – it kept me turning the pages. It's a bit of a departure from some of my usual literary fare, but I certainly don't regret the time I spent reading it.

I'll say straight up that The Unseen Face is quite a bleak story – quite intentionally – and Joannes Rhino writes in a spare style about the world through which the protagonist, James, finds himself moving. This works pretty well to give focus to the real battlegrounds on which the story plays out, namely within the mind of James and in his interactions with those around him. It's a story about mental illness, depression and identity and, while sometimes Rhino's poetic prose gets the better of him and slips out of his grasp a little, he does a good job of portraying the grim revelations of James' troubled mind. To be honest, mental illness is a topic that is often handled clumsily and with a fairly slapdash understanding, but the author clearly has done research or has personal experience and this shows through.

Although a book that's mostly about one man's mental breakdown, I found it very readable throughout; the pacing is good and didn't leave me feeling like I was slogging through any slow points. I didn't find the reveal of the ending to be a great surprise, but I didn't mind that much either – the pleasure in reading The Unseen Face is in the journey you take alongside James.

My one concern with the book is that it does feel like it could do with at least another pass from an editor. There are occasional spelling or grammar mistakes that could easily be cleared out, and as an editor myself I found that I was sometimes reaching for the red pen to mark out Rhino's more florid poetic excesses for pruning or reigning in.

Overall, however, I enjoyed the story and it kept my attention the whole way through. It's an exploration of emotion, depression and grief with some very dark undercurrents, leavened with a reminder of hope.

[Vaughan Humphries · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Unseen Face is a psychological thriller from an up and coming author, certainly one to keep an eye out for in the future. It starts in media res, making use of classic literary vehicles and there is some truly brilliant writing in places that make the most mundane moments seem so much more vibrant and engaging.

We follow the protagonist James Maddox to the depths of his living hell and back again. Despite having the apparent trappings of success working at the bank and the support of his closest friend Richard and his beautiful girlfriend Jennifer, Maddox suffers from an agonising personal conflict and recurring nightmare of the violent death of the love of his life Emilia, which he struggles to share with anyone. The murky depths of his mind slowly clears with the patience and guidance of his psychiatrist Dr. Jonathan. Unfortunately, the truth is hard to handle and the overlying question as the story progresses is can Maddox handle the truth?

Mental illness is a subject that although not taboo, is something that is very rarely covered in the literary world and it is evident from the execution of the narrative that Rhino has spent a great deal of time and thought into this book.

[Nick Abbate · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS ONE IS 5 OUT OF 5 STARS

Go buy this book now, and sink your teeth into “The Unseen Face”. You will NEVER be the same again.


“The Unseen face” is gripping non-stop roller coaster ride of heart throbbing screams, and a bit of emotional baggage. Rhino, puts a wicked spin on reality and an unpredictable way of shining circumstances to make you think twice about certain things you have experienced in your own life. With that said this is an enjoyable book for the ages. One to be remembered, and one to be read more than twice.

Nick Abbate, American Author & Success Coach, Glendale Arizona

[Julie Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was sent this book for review and found it an interesting read.

I have always been fascinated with the mind and how it works and why people do the things they do and this story explores the very nature of illusion and delusion in an unusual way.

It concerns memory and dreams and how the mind can trick in the most brutal of ways.

A good read for those who like to delve into the ways of human behaviour.

[Krishnaraj HK · Rating 4 out of 5]

My heartiest congratulations to the author - Joannes Rhino.

If he was sitting right next to me, I'd go "Wow. You've got some serious skills." .Let me try and guide you the same way the author does:

The protagonist; James Maddox has everything going right for him. While he is only twenty two, working in the financial sector and considerably well off for his age, there is a certain shadow that's haunting him. That's the memory of Emilia; the love of his life. It is the trauma of Emilia's death, and James' endurance in his attempt to stay sane that becomes the cynosure of this interesting story.

James' condition can be best reflected through the following lines:

-I loved her for the pain I felt, and I did pity them. That was the only witchcraft I have ever used.-

Even though the story is a constant inquiry into James' trauma, there is always this sense of humor that eases the air. One such instance that cracked me up:

-Richard lit up a cigarette and got distracted when a waitress set the plates down on the table next to us. I stared hungrily at the pancakes that she served, stacked with strawberries on top and whip cream in the shape of a smile. Richard stared hungrily at her with a wide, creepy smile.

I glared at Richard. “Dude, really?”-

The brief chemistry or 'bromance' - as we call it, between James and his best friend - Richard is quite hilarious and something to watch out for.

Now, hold it right there.

Everything you know about James Maddox is about to change.

And that's why you HAVE to pick up this book.

[Roy De la pena · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the complicated books I've ever read. But quite entertaining.

[Cameron Atkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joannes Rhino has definitely written a high-quality piece of literature. The Unseen Face brings to life the internal conflicts that humans experience every day. When these conflicts escalate, they often have disastrous consequences for others. More important, they make the life of the person experiencing them a living hell. Literary critics often point to Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment as best portrayal of the life someone experiencing this type of conflict leads; however, it is clear that, in his novel The Unseen Face, Joannes Rhino has surpassed the standard set by Dostoevsky. Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment addressed a straightforward, internal conflict where the character knew all the events that took place. Rhino’s The Unseen Face provides the reader with a more accurate portrayal of reality in that the main character does not know all the events that create his living hell.
Mr. Rhino writes in simple, but effective prose, which adds to the appeal of the book because it is the way we speak and think every day. As he describes the hell of James Maddox, the words begin to leap from the pages, and the reader feels like he is standing beside James and sharing in his distress. As the mystery heightens and the conflict intensifies, the reader is caught up in the flowing lines that Mr. Rhino has written. My overall assessment of The Unseen Face was that it was so well written that it surpassed a classic piece of literature in its quality.

[Bruce Perrin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good Plot Potential, but Flawed in Its Telling

The Unseen Face has the plot of a taut, psychological thriller. James Maddox is slowly self-destructing, as his nights are plagued by a recurring, horrifying nightmare. Only his two friends, Richard and Jennifer, seem to stand between him and complete withdrawal, depression, and perhaps, insanity. The author builds the tension immediately in chapter one by presenting a scene that logically falls near the end of the story. Use of the technique is fortunate, however, as the following chapters, which represent a prolonged flashback, move somewhat slowly. As they unfold, we see James as immature, self-centered, and self-destructive. He is not easy to like, but then, the main character of a psychological thriller will seldom be ‘the life of the party.’ Unfortunately, much of James’ histrionics extend to Jennifer and Richard, so that many of the dialogs in these chapters deteriorate into shouting matches. The ending involves a plot twist, with the story now moving at a better pace. But the final outcome seems predictable at this point, in all but the details.

In general, the plot falls short of its full potential due to a host of flaws in its telling. The dark mood of the initial scenes is reinforced by a series of violent rainstorms, and James seems to be always caught in them...on his bike. An hour riding a bike in New York City in pouring rain in December sounds like the recipe for pneumonia, but this is just one of many suggestions that the author may not be completely familiar with the setting he selected for his tale. As another example, James mentioned being disciplined in high school by getting his hands slapped with a “rattan.” That sounds like grounds for a lawsuit, rather than typical discipline in a NYC high school in the 2010-2012 timeframe. At another point, James mentioned being as forgotten as Neil Armstrong was after his historic walk on the moon, but Armstrong was in fact a very private person and even fought a couple of legal battles to maintain some distance between himself and an admiring public.

Many of the difficulties James faced and solutions he found seemed too convenient. Although now 27, he was still living in his boyhood home, and yet, had so little continuity in his friends and family that no one seemed to know what had happened to him just five years earlier. Additionally, the possibility he was investigating was so heinous that it would have been in the media; I am not sure why he never checked. I found the scenes with the psychiatrist somewhat troubling as well. His counsel had a ‘fortune cookie’ feel to it – too quick, too pat, too generic. He wanted to take objects in James’ dream and give them what might be considered a literary interpretation. An antique chandelier meant that James was looking into the past. Presumably, if it was an ultra-modern lighting fixture, the dream was about looking into the future. The misperceptions of the American legal system, however, were probably the most serious.

Overall, the storyline had great potential that was only partially realized. I came away wondering why the author had chosen NYC as the setting, when the situation James faced and his response could have be found anywhere in the world. For me, it reinforced the old adage, an author should write about what he/she knows.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[ReadAlongWithSue ★⋆. ࿐࿔catching up · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the author Joannes Rhino approached me on Goodreads to ask if I would be interested in reading The Unseen Face, I first of all read the blurb to find out what it was about.



I started to read it, as I turned the pages, it intrigued me with how the book was going, it was not straight forward reading at times, but I knew that it was going to be something I needed to read more of for things to fall into place more with me, so I carried on.

The first part was a slow burner for me, but it soon heated up in a way that I didn't expect.

The dreams, or should I say, Nightmares that he was experiencing was awful. I think I would get nightmares after reading it. Its graphic enough for me to imagine what he himself was experiencing! I have a pretty weak stomach, but I got through it OK. It wasn't that bad looking back, but I'm not much into horror. Its the imagining the blood and gore. This did not distract from the storyline as it was vital to it. I could see that something was amiss.

This is a psychological thriller at its best.

I learnt quite a few things from this book too. I learnt about how to see dreams from different angles amongst other things, very enlightening.

I wish I could say I didn't guess the ending, but I did. I still enjoyed the book though as there were many facets to it that took you down roads and cul de sacs that kept your mind alert.

The relationship he had with his girlfriend I thought was good, at times I wanted to kick him up the jacksy for not telling her what was happening to him. Even though his best mate told him it was the right thing to do, tell her for gods sake, let her have a choice.

I can honestly say I've not read a book like this before that was written in such a way as this.

I started out wondering and willing myself to like it, and in the end, I loved it. Brilliant piece of work.


The only downside for me was the proofing, the layout was such that it needs some attention and the editing needs to be relooked at as the speech mark are mostly incorrect and other things too. Maybe the author would like to address that problem.
Also at the beginning of each chapter the first letter is above the beginning sentence.....for example:

T
he cat sat on the mat.


This was the layout throughout the book. Although minor things, nothing that wouldn't help the reader keep more focused instead of the distraction at times.


I would like to thank Joannes Rhino for allowing me to read and review his book.

[James Sillwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

James Maddox is 22, living and working in New York. Five years earlier his girlfriend Emilia supposedly died from a brain disease. James has recently been having nightmares involving Emilia. He tells his friend Richard who sets up a meeting for him with a psychiatrist Dr Glockman. He also tells his current girlfriend Jennifer. Together, James and Jennifer, visit Emilia's grave and go to her parents home in an effort to help James discover the reason for his nightmares.
The plot intrigued me, but also confused me. Richard is a high school friend of James and must know the truth about Emilia's death, but he says nothing. And how do Jennifer and Dr.Glockman not know about it?
Richard seems more like an older uncle than a friend of a similar age to James, only appearing to dispense advice. I didn't really get a sense of what he or Jennifer were like, or why Jennifer stays with James. She constantly tries to help him but, in return, he's rude and inconsiderate, at one point calling her "meek and mousy".
The main problem I found with this book, however, is the language. The characters often speak to one another in a stilted manner, i.e. "I will do this", "I am coming", and many of the phrases use are incorrect (A bike is not driven, a dog does not trill it's tail, masts are found on a ship and not poles, and you don't give someone an ugly eye). I was also distracted by phrases such as "a gorgeous tower of hope" and "provoke into banging her terribly". When James and Emilia are at the cemetery, they see Sarcophagi bungalows. There are also spelling and punctuation errors. I understand that the author may not have English as his first language but, if this is the case, he could ask a native English speaker to check through the book.
Despite this, there are times when the writing has a lyrical and poetic quality, particularly at the beginning and end of the book when James goes up onto the rooftop of his work place.
This is quite a dark story and the author makes good use of the weather to create a gloomy and foreboding atmosphere. At times there is a mystical feeling to the story, as when when James encounters a stray dog several times digging in the road. This turns out to be of great significance for James.
Although in need of an edit, this is an atmospheric book which intrigued me and kept me reading until the end. An atmospheric and intriguing story.

[Glede Kabongo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A clever psychological thriller with a shocking twist

As a fan of psychological thrillers, this one made me sit up and take notice. The Unseen Face by Johannes Rhino is a cleverly plotted, well written and complex novel that delves into the incredible power of the human mind, its ability to create any narrative of its choosing, and how easily we accept that narrative and cling to it as the truth.

James Maddox is an orphaned twenty-two year old who works at a bank, smokes too much, and is still grieving the loss of the love of his Life, Emilia, who died several years ago. His best friend Richard insists that James seeks help for the horrible nightmares that plague him —nightmares about Emilia’s death (she died of a brain disease) triggered by a letter he receives, that simply says, “I am innocent.”

The nightmares begin to take over and James’ life starts to unravel; his neglected girlfriend Jennifer is angry with him, he makes mistakes at work but soon doesn’t care much about the job, and sleep becomes the bogeyman just waiting to get him the minute he closes his eyes.

Richard decides to take matters into his own hands and calls his brother-in-law a psychiatrist to help James. Reluctantly, James begins to see Dr. Glockman on a regular basis, and he seems to be making progress as the doctor forces him to confront the nightmares and take action. James is able to open up to Jennifer about Emilia, and the nightmares. They even visit Emilia’s parents. And that’s when James’ world hits the point of no return.

James discovers Emilia wasn’t the perfect angel he’s made her out to be and soon, the terrifying truth slams into him like a ton of bricks. The mysterious letter now makes sense.

For all his flaws, James is a character readers can connect to: he’s young, has suffered multiple losses, seems all alone in the world except for his best friend and a girlfriend he struggles to open his heart to. He can sometimes come off as a jerk but he’s a decent guy who does the right thing in the end at great personal cost. A good read for fans of the genre.

[Pavitra (For The Love of Fictional Worlds) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The review was first posted on For The Love of Fictional Worlds.

I received a digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review

Before you read the review (or even the book), you should know that you need a particular mindset to actually be able to immerse in this book - You need to be a little philosophical and lot more pragmatic because when this book grips you, it won't let go until it has wrung out each and every bit of emotion that you have in you.

Or maybe it was just me!

James has been living with a lie - the death of his girlfriend Emilia. Nightmares that have no meaning have been plaguing James regarding Emilia that he feels are a sign from her!

This book is bleak (I think that was the intention of the author!), but it is also hopeful. It deals with mental illness in a way that I haven't read before. The journey the author takes us on, is nothing if not emotionally wringing. Being a reader, I tend to get over -invested in what I am currently reading (even if it's two different books at the same time!) and the view I had of a mind that is depressed and overcome with grief is something that I have a feeling I will never be able to forget!

As for the writing, while I did feel the story a bit lagging at times, the plotline and the story never suffered for it - the story and the characters were enough for me to keep turning pages to find out what would happen next! The ending while predictable is also a point in favour for the story because it isn't the ending, but the journey that James goes through (and the one you tag along for!) is what the book is all about!!

[Constance Bretes · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Unseen Face by Joannes Rhino tells a suspense story of a man with a psychological problem. The reader is immediately inside the mind of the main character, James Maddox where his thoughts and views are actively playing out. He had some high points, and he had some low points. There was some sort of trauma in his life that he doesn’t seem able to deal with.

He had horrible nightmares that started when he got a note in the mail from someone who was in prison. He goes down a spiraling path where he is perplexed, faces fears from the nightmares, and towards the end, he experiences the dread as the nightmares unravels and reveals the secrets within.

His friend Richard tries to help him, and eventually gets a reluctant James to see a psychiatrist to help him unlock the secrets in the dreams. His girlfriend tries to stand by him and help him, but she too is perplexed by his strange behavior and his love for the woman that died.

As James digs deeper into his psyche, he becomes aware of what I thought was an obsessive love disorder for the dead girl when she was alive. He is horrified as he finds out more information about the woman he loves, her betrayal, and what happened to cause her death.

When I got towards the ending, I had sort of solved the mystery in my mind, but nevertheless, the ending was dramatic as he remembers every horrifying detail of her death.

I give the book a 5 star rating as it was definitely a page turner and kept my interest all through the book.

[K. Kumar · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Unseen Face by Joannes Rhino is an interesting story that follows the life of James as he struggles to overcome the loss of his girlfriend and move on with his life. What is particularly noteworthy about this story is that one of the main focus points of the plot, Emilia, does not really appear in the story, but is talked about and dreamed about. So, in a way the reader is provided an image of Emilia even though her presence is revealed mainly through dreams. I could sympathize with James, as we have all gone through loss in life and the author does a good job of capturing some of the pain that we all go through when we lose someone close to us. Later, the story evolves into a thriller and mystery and I found myself interested in the outcome.

I rate this book 3.5 stars. I thought the premise was interesting, but there were a couple points that detracted from my attention. I thought the book was dragged down a little by all the narration. There were a lot of points where the author tells the reader the story instead of showing the reader, and at points I lost interest.

The Unseen Face is not a book I would typically read, but at the same time I think readers of this genre will enjoy it. It is a short book and clearly the author has a passion for storytelling.

[Mehreen Ahmed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mehreen Ahmed's review

Through the many poignant monologues from the protagonist, questions about the human plight, fate, destiny have been explored in The Unseen Face. The writer Joannes Rhino's success lie not in telling an all too familiar story of tragedy, but in endeavoring to find the ultimate purpose of it all; life which has not come with an option button. Given half a choice, the lot probably wouldn't even sign up. 'More sinned against than sinning,' as Shakespeare might have said is the ultimate human condition for many. A state of existence whether it be mental or physical was not something people opted for. The character's loss and despair is evident in the conversation with his friend from the outset. The story moves deeper into the perimeter of psychosis, as his mental suffering intensifies where each excruciating moment is loaded with dreams, nervousness and addiction to weed at large. A truly moving tale of a man's affliction who finds caught up in the crossroads of life where he has lost direction. In the final analyses, all that remains is his brooding thoughts.

[Ica Iova · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love psychological thrillers, and this one kept me at the edge of my seat. The Unseen Face by Johannes Rhino is ingeniously plotted and well written novel that probes the unbelievable power of the human mind.

James Maddox is an orphaned twenty-two year old who works at a bank, smokes, and is still grieving the loss of the love of his Life, Emilia, who died several years ago. His best friend Richard insists that James seeks help for the horrible nightmares triggered by a letter he receives, that simply says, “I am innocent.”

After his psychiatrist forces him to face his past, James discovers Emilia wasn’t the perfect angel he’s made her out to be and soon, the terrifying truth hits him like an avalanche. The mysterious letter starts to make sense.

Overall I felt every bit of the protagonist's raw emotion as I followed his journey and it left me all but begging for more. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves thrillers.

[M.c. Hekim · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is quite a challenging task to write a book with a surprise ending. Throughout the story, the author needs to give many puzzle pieces to the reader and connects them at the end of the story. The "aha" moment of connecting the pieces creates the excitement in the reader's mind. Without sufficint pieces, the "aha" moment does not occur. With too many pieces, the reader sees the surprise coming, and the journey becomes boring.

For The Unseen Face, I saw the it coming miles away. I can't speak for everyone of course, but I guessed it pretty easily. It took away my excitement. On addition, the chapters, especially the dialogues, lingered longer than they should, adding to my boredom. I think the book should have been about 25% shorter.

As I said, it's quite a challenging task to get it right and Joannes Rhino fell a little bit short. Still, the effort to make it work is quite admirable. The idea was pretty sweet, but the execution lacked in my opinion.

[Trang Tran · Rating 5 out of 5]

A 5 STARS WELL DESERVED! I will be honest here, I just love this book. You want to know how to write a successful killer twist? Then, read this book and take notes. You will be going on hell of a ride ! Joannes Rhino succeeded in illustrating a lost, confused young adult and made it all feel natural. Not forced, without trying too hard. Just the right amount. I am a huge fan of dark psychological thrillers and plot twisting is one of my favorite elements in a story. This book’s ending blew me away. The author did the trick by cutting out the obvious, the climax reached in such an unforeseen way that in the end everything made sense. The fact that we get to discover it at the same time as the narrator makes it even better.

You can see the full review here on my blog : https://bookidote.wordpress.com/2015/...

Trang-Book Blogger
http://bookidote.wordpress.com

[J.B. Markes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was gifted a copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

This is a rather slow-burning psychological thriller written in the first-person with a twist ending you will see a mile away if you pay the slightest attention. The writing is flowery at times, and repetitive, but overall it’s an easy read and a good way to spend an afternoon.

There is a tremendous amount of inner monologue that could have been trimmed with no loss to the actual story, which does finally pick up about midway through the work and never lets up until the credits roll. The dialogue can be trying at times, but the characters are well-defined and the plot wraps up nicely when all is said and done.

The message of the book is quite refreshing, but I can imagine many people disagreeing with it. It’s a bold work, worth the read. I would clock it at 3.5 stars, but a diehard fan of the genre might be more forgiving.

[Belart Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story of healing.

The Unseen Face is many things but you're going to have a tough time trying to pigeonhole it into one genre. It is quite simply a story, a tragic tale, one filled with relatable characters, detailed imagery, and vast poetic prose. It feels like a dream through a place that is familiar and dark and our guide tours us around this place with a tortured voice. You'll figure out what's going on easily enough but this doesn't distract from the novel's intent. This is a story of healing. We were merely along for the ride to see if James can ever stop being his own worst enemy. If he can let go of the past and embrace his new life or if he'll succumb to his life's great tragedy.

[Debbie "DJ" · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm giving this book 4 stars because it had me turning pages late into the night. It is a story of a man who lost the love of his life. He becomes obsessed with her loss and she begins to visit him each night in his dreams. As the story progresses I had figured out the plot a little more than half way through. Even though I knew what was to come, it did not seem to matter. I needed to know why and how. What I didn't like was how the story focused on his feelings alone no matter who he may hurt along the way. It also would have been nice for the author to find a proofreader before publishing. All on all it will keep your heart racing right along with the pages.

[Deborah Blanchard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a magnificent psychological thriller that grabbed me from page one. It is well written and might give you "nightmares", no pun intended. If you love a great thriller that will keep you up at night, read this book. The characters are well developed and the story had great flow. I received this book in exchange for an honest review. I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future. Right up there with Stephen King!

[Daniel Chong · Rating 5 out of 5]

A dark and intense thriller:
This is unlike any other novels I have read recently. I usually read fantasy sci-fi or suspenseful novels but on the occasion, I do break out of my comfort zone and go for something entirely different. The Unseen Face by Joannes Rhino is a dark literature. It deals with the uncomfortable subject of mental illness and what can happen to all of us when pushed to the brink. The Unseen Face is dark, suspenseful and intense. A five stars from me.

[C.D. Gorri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I swapped books with this author for a review and I am very glad I did. What a thrilling story! It is very well written. I enjoyed the pace of the novel and the descriptions. They were very vivid and well done. It was an entertaining read and I never saw the ending coming! I would recommend this to those of you who like supernatural/thriller type stories. It is definitely worth the read!

[Sue Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Witty. Mellifluous. Joyous. These are the words that spring to mind when I pick up this novel, and I find myself grinning before I’ve even cracked open the cover. Complicated, nice flow, perfect ending. What's not to like about this piece? It's a perfect 10 for me.

[Miley Styles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprisingly good book. Writing flows nicely. Filled with a mystery that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Would definitely suggest this one.

[Kyla1267 · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me a little bit to get sucked in but when I did I couldn't put it down. this book is very well written, deep and moving.