The biggest appeal of this suspense novel is the true and utter beauty of the Italian landscape. Mary Warren is the character who is immersed in this beauty, yet that feeling of splendour soon turns into a nightmarish event. Mary is a newlywed - and the definition of that particular word is supposed to be a person who is happy, on top of the world, and looking forward to an incredible future - yet, that is not exactly the way Mary Warren felt. Being in Florence for three months - which was basically a honeymoon for her and her husband Ty - there was much more going on in Mary Warren¿s head than simply romance. Yes, she did love her husband, but when their honeymoon took place they had already been together for quite some time, so the ¿rose-colored glasses¿ of a new bride were already long gone. Her husband was a teacher, a Quaker to be exact, that was in an exchange program with others who taught in religious schools. So, in essence, religion was really the topic of conversation most of the time. Mary¿s ¿job¿ was one of creativity, an art student who loved seeing Florence and studying the beauty that was all around. This particular day is as hot and sticky as Texas in July, as she and Ty walk with their tour group. Unfortunately, she chose to break away from the others for a bit, to be on her own and wander the stunning location of the Boboli Gardens. This is a truly tranquil setting that makes the whole day, trip, and Mary¿s attitude, look up. What Mary does not expect is to meet up with Satan in the middle of Paradise, but the masked killer is there¿just waiting for his next victim. It feels like only minutes before her husband is brutally murdered, and Mary is attacked. In the headlines this man was called, The Honeymoon Killer - a man who, a year after Mary¿s attack, has been killed. Mary, of course, has not gotten over what occurred in Florence. Trying to live her life in Philadelphia is almost impossible, because her scars on the outside are a constant reminder of the pain and agony that she went through. Oddly enough, she accepts an invitation from her friend - a journalist - to return to Italy. Perhaps if she returned to the scene she could somehow release the past and move on with her future. However, it soon feels to Mary as if she is the ultimate draw when it comes to pure evil stalking the streets, considering the fact that when she returns yet another killer emerges who wishes to spread pain to the women of Florence. On top of all that, this new menace is using the same MO as the old one who consumes Mary¿s nightmares, and with a little research, she soon wonders if this is really a copycat, or her own attacker come back from the dead. In essence, this book offers a very suspenseful plot that should have mystery and suspense readers hanging on every word. What happens, however, is that the book is extremely slow-paced for a plot that should be racing at top speed. There are many descriptive passages that elongate the story and unfortunately lose a reader¿s interest, making some want to simply jump to the dialogue to see how it all ends. Quill Says: There are elements of surprise, and the ¿who-done-it¿ appeal is there, but it takes far too long to get there.
(3.5 stars) Mary is returning to Florence after taking time away to set her life in order after a brutal attack on her and the murder of her husband as he tried to protect her. His seemingly selfless act is tempered by the fact that Mary was having an affair with a journalist there, and is now returning to be with Piero. While her husband had journeyed to Italy to be part of a gathering of religious people, Mary went as an art student and is now returning to continue her studies after the death of her assailant prior to trial. Her roommate and fellow students know nothing of her past, but Mary finds that it is coming back to haunt her. She is visited by the priest to whom she confessed her infidelity, also a member of the religious gathering, and is disturbed when she finds out about a suspicious death, mimicking what was seen in her case. Is this a copycat? Or is the real killer still on the loose? Mary finds herself drawn in to investigating on her own, and later with her roommate, who has put some of the pieces together herself. While the story initially leads you towards some conclusions, there are some surprising twists and turns along the way. While not the most sympathetic protagonist at first, Mary is an intriguing character caught up in an interesting mystery/thriller.
What do You think about The Faces Of Angels (2006)?
Lucretia Grindle's The Villa Triste made my top ten last year, I've recently really enjoyed The Nightspinners, and this one - the middle novel of the three - was equally excellent. I'm not really much of a thriller/murder reader but this was in a different class. One of the main characters was really Florence itself - you really live and breathe it, walk the streets, stand on the balconies, feel the fear in the dark alleys. And there's a pervading atmosphere of fear and danger all through this book - there's times I really needed to take a really deep breath! The mystery is really well constructed - fantastic clue dropping, twists and turns, and just as you feel you've cracked it along with Mary it slips from your fingers again. I thought it was absolutely superb, and can't wait for her next book due out in August. Write faster Lucretia!
—Anne
I picked this up on the off-chance through the Kindle deal of the day - so glad I did!This is a cracking good read with the suspense kept right the way to the very end. What's more, despite the fact that normally I find writing in the present tense very off-putting, this is so enthralling that you don't notice. At the outset, Mary, the person telling the tale, is attacked in Florence and her husband is killed. What follows is the story of what happens when she returns to Florence over a year later and fears she is seeing a copycat killer. The psychological tension is superbly handled, so that the reader feels Mary's panic and also her doubts as to whether she's just imagining connections. The hidden star of the book is Florence itself - without indulging in superfluous descriptions, the author evokes the atmosphere of the city and its characteristics so well you can almost taste and smell the place.This is the first book of Lucretia Grindle's I've read, but I'll definitely be looking for more!
—L.j. Hutton
Lucretia Grindle ist eine meiner besten Entdeckungen der letzten Zeit und "Faces of Angels" das dritte ihrer Bücher, die ich gelesen habe (Villa Triste, Lost Daughter). Während die Handlung eher langsam und harmlos beginnt, baut sich unterschwellig zunehmend ein gruseliges Gefühl auf - ganz so, wie die Protagonistin das Gemälde "Primavera" von Boticelli beschreibt...Bei kritischer Betrachtung finde ich die Psychologie des Täters nicht wirklich glaubwürdig, Teile der Geschichte sind etwas klischeehaft und kitschig, aber es war so extrem spannend, dass ich trotzdem gern 5 Sterne gebe.Bei diesem Buch lohnt es sich wirklich, auf einem Tablet mit Internetverbindung zu lesen: ich habe mir alle Gemälde angesehen, die erwähnt werden, ein paar YouTube-Videos der Boboli-Gärten usw. - das hat den Lesegenuss noch kräftig erhöht.
—Netti
