In spite of her harrowing experience several months back,
Dr. Evelyn Talbot's life was possibly the most normal
she'd experienced since her near-murder twenty two years
ago at the hand of Jasper Moore, her then-boyfriend. Her
relationship with Alaskan State Trooper Amarok is
thriving, although there are still some wrinkles to iron
out, and Evelyn still has some decisions to ponder. The
sudden disappearance of a young female tourist has the
small Alaskan town up in arms again, but when the woman
is found dead, then another body is discovered, Evelyn is
rattled. This is no coincidence, she knows that Jasper is
intent on finishing what he had started two decades ago:
he won't give up until Evelyn is dead.
The mere title meant everything to those of us who have
been following this amazing series. As for newcomers to
the Dr.
Evelyn Talbot series, although Brenda
Novak summarizes what has happened previously, I'm not
quite sure that a new reader will get the full emotional
impact to thoroughly enjoy FACE OFF as much. Ms. Novak's
skills at writing compelling characters is such, that I
found myself caring about minor characters, and again her
descriptions of Alaska dazzle. I love how Ms. Novak not
only shows us the hows, but also explains the whys of
what is happening. I will never tire of all the
scientific details on psychopaths. And in this case, the
sometimes painfully realistic relationship between Amarok
and Evelyn adds to the subject matter -- psychopathic
killers -- because the human factor balances the grizzly
topic.
Evelyn is still as fascinating as ever, although to some
extent I share her loved ones' concern that her
dedication to Hanover House borders on obsession. Amarok
features more prominently in FACE OFF, and I was very
pleased to see that. He is a wonderful character, he has
the patience of a saint and his love for Evelyn is
humbling. Unlike the previous installments, I found that
FACE OFF was not quite as heart-pounding; it dragged on a
little bit. I felt that a secondary character's issues
could have been handled a bit more concisely; as for
another one, I had more or less the impression of a
looming red herring, and I was partly right. I didn't
feel that the character's actions were all that
necessary. There was more than enough drama -- and
villains -- without adding more, which made me dread of a
somewhat bungled dénouement, and thankfully, it was not
the case. On the other hand, I really enjoyed a minor
character, Bambi, and I hope we have not seen the last of
her; she's interesting and colorful. The ending to FACE
OFF was thrilling and satisfying, but the icing on the
cake is knowing that this is not the last book in this
fantastic series!
From New York Times bestselling author Brenda Novak
comes Face Off, the next installment of Dr. Evelyn
Talbot and her murderous home for psychopaths.
SHE VOWED NEVER TO BE A VICTIM AGAIN. BUT NOW A KILLER
HAS HER IN HIS SIGHT. . .
Tortured and left for dead at sixteen, Evelyn Talbot turned
her personal nightmare into her life’s work—studying the
disturbing psychopathy of some of the world’s most vicious
serial killers. Now a leading psychiatrist at Hanover House
in a small Alaskan town, she tries to believe the past will
never come back to haunt her—until a woman goes missing from
a cabin nearby, and every clue points to the man who once
brutalized her…
As her boyfriend, who is the area’s only police, begins to
investigate—and finds not one but two bodies—Evelyn can’t
forget that her would-be killer, Jasper Moore, was never
caught. But there are no new faces in tiny Hilltop, no one
who seems suspicious or potentially violent. In this twisted
game of cat and mouse, Evelyn is certain of only one
thing—Jasper must be hiding in plain sight. And if she can’t
find him before he comes for her, she won’t be lucky enough
to survive twice…
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