New York Times bestselling author John Saul is a master at writing novels that chill the bones, curdle the blood, and tap into our darkest fears. He creates characters so real that youβll feel as if theyβre friends or family, and throws them into situations so terrifying that you wonβt be able to look away until you turn the final page. Now, in Faces of Fear, Saul proves that thereβs a fine line between perfection and madness.
Fifteen-year-old Alison Shaw may not be beautiful, but she doesnβt really care: Sheβd much rather read a good book than primp in front of a mirror anyway. But Alisonβs gorgeous mother, Risa, knows that beauty can be a key to success and wishes only the best for her daughter, especially when Risa marries a widowed plastic surgeon and moves Alison from Santa Monica to Bel Air. Beauty may be only skin deep, but to the denizens of Bel Air it means the world. Everywhere mother and daughter look, they are surrounded by beautiful people, many of whom have benefited from the skills of Alisonβs new stepfather, the charismatic Peter Dunn. Peter is certain he can turn Alison into a vision of loveliness, and Risaβdrawn in by his cool confidenceβis delighted. Reluctantly, Alison agrees to undergo the first procedure, and her transformation begins.
But soon Alison discovers a picture of Peterβs first wife. To Alisonβs horror, she notices a resemblance between the image in the photo and the work her stepfather is doing on her. Though Risa refuses to acknowledge the strange similarity, Alison becomes increasingly frightened. Digging further into her stepfatherβs murky past, Alison uncovers dark secretsβand even darker motivesβand realizes that her worst fears are fast becoming her reality.
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