Dead of Night (Hidden Faces Series #3) | Brandilyn Collins

Dead of Night (Hidden Faces Series #3) | Brandilyn Collins | A multidimensional Christian suspense novel full of surprises

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Dead of Night (Hid...

	Dead of Night (Hidden Faces Series #3) Brandilyn Collins Zondervan, 2005 - 368 pages average customer review:based on 39 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

The Redding, California, area is terrorized by a serial killer with an unusual method for murder. Annie Kingston is called in to draw sketches of the victims' faces so they can be identified. As the body count rises, the pressure increases to find this heinous killer. The Sheriff thinks he's close--maybe too close. How can Annie?and her son? stay safe, as the killer closes in? Book Three in the Hidden Faces Series.

Read with your lights on!

Annie Kingston has once again been called to use her forensics drawing expertise in another case. This time a serial killer is targeting her home town. The killings though are took close for Annie and her family. There's pressure to find out who the killer is. Annie herself is not sure as there is limited evidence. Plus she is worried about her teenage son and the rebellious stage he is going through. Evil and wickedness are rampant in this town and the prayers of its citizens are needed to help them survive.

I've also read the first two books in this series, but I'm going to review this one first. Why? Because it was one of the best suspense books I have read this year. I was seriously creeped out while reading this book. I won't lie though. The first two books in the series while very good just didn't keep me up late at night because I was afraid to sleep. But this book however, wow. I wanted to keep the lights on! What's interesting is that there is absolutely no hint of who the actual killer is throughout the whole book. While the killer does have scenes before they are finally revealed, there is no indication at all that points evidence towards them. When I found out who it was, I flipped back trying to figure out when this character first appears but it seemed like they had always been there in the background. Reading the killer's monologues in between characters was like listening to nails on a chalkboard. You get so uncomfortable and irritated and want to scream. The thinking is so twisted and evil that it's deliciously scary. The final battle between the killer and Annie was bite on your nails, cover your eyes, hide beneath the covers all out suspense. The only minor complaint I had was that the killer never says to Annie why they did what they did and that we don't find out what happens to them. But I'm actually rather glad this wasn't written. I hate "last chapter confessions" because it is so unreal that the killer wants to divulge everything before they get caught. Seriously, now I know why Brandilynn's tag line is "Don't Forget to Breathe." This book totally took my breath away.

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A multidimensional Christian suspense novel full of surprises

Forensic artist Annie Kingston has a serial killer on her hands ---- hands that have no clue what the suspect looks like. But people who live in the area where the killer has been stalking female prey and dumping their bodies are in a near panic; the women are fearing for their lives and everyone is demanding that the authorities do more to catch the monster in their midst. The pressure on Annie is enormous. Not only is she called to each gruesome crime scene to sketch the faces of unidentified victims; she's also drawn into the investigation on a personal level when both a suspect and a body show up on her property.

As it turns out, these crimes are highly personal with regard to Annie. Her high-profile status, which had been secured in an earlier investigation (and, presumably, an earlier book), has placed her squarely in the killer's sights. What's more, her newfound faith in Christ rankles the killer to no end. Between each chapter, Collins gives the perpetrator an opportunity to reveal the chilling thoughts and motives that drive the violence, and it becomes evident early on that resentment toward the church and Christians is a prime factor behind the killing spree.

As if that wasn't enough, Annie's drug-abusing son is giving her fits, and a neighbor, the unmarried father of her daughter's best friend, is quietly and slowly revealing his attraction to her. Her life is complicated, to be sure, but as the investigation heats up, neither Annie nor Collins's readers can possibly be prepared for just how complicated it's going to get.

Despite all the big and little red herrings that crop up as the plot progresses, about a third of the way through the book I was sure I knew who the killer was, and it was not someone you'd ordinarily suspect. Much to my utter delight, I was wrong --- not even close, in fact. I can't begin to describe the pleasure I get from being mistaken about the doer when I'm reading a murder mystery, especially if the surprise ending doesn't feel contrived. That was the case here; Collins so adeptly disguises the killer's identity until the bitter, strychnine-laced end that when it was revealed, I felt simultaneously stunned and satisfied rather than tricked and cheated.

Collins also serves up some surprising insights and images that are only marginally related to the main plot but provide depth and texture to the overall story. In a scene in which Annie's daughter and her friend are simultaneously grilling cheese sandwiches and grilling Annie about another possible victim, Collins describes the resiliency of teenagers through Annie's thoughts: "Somehow they managed to turn their attention back to the priorities of the moment --- to cooking their sandwiches, sliding them onto plates, fetching drinks. Even as they pumped me for information about Karen --- not all of which I could give --- their demeanor settled like cellophane under heat, shrink-wrapped to fit this new reality." Images like that appear often enough to set Collins's writing apart from that of so many one-dimensional suspense authors.

Now to the faith part. As a new believer, Annie has a lot to learn, and this provides Collins with an opportunity to enlighten her readers as well. Her writing is not what you'd call preachy, but neither is the faith angle subtle. The primary "teaching" comes from a taped sermon that Annie listens to in her car, a slight variation on a device used by Christian writers who make their faith-related points through sermons delivered in church. To her credit, Collins does a good job of weaving the faith element in as a part of everyday life; it never felt intrusive or tacked on as an afterthought. Plus, it was pivotal to the plot, which made it even more appropriate for her to focus on.

For fans of Christian suspense, this one is up there in the stratosphere. In fact, I'm fairly confident that Collins has it in her to give an author like Patricia Cornwell a run for her money someday. She has that kind of potential.

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Brandilyn Collins... A Superb Author of Mystery and Faith

"Dead of Night," the third book in Brandilyn Collins' four-volume 'Hidden Faces' series, is as suspense-filled as any novel by any author who writes in this genre. Even though her previous works are superb, Ms. Collins somehow gets better and better. Highly Recommended!
--R. C. Howe (aka 'Toby Martin II).

Remember to breath

This is an awesome book. Brandilynn keeps you riveted to this book, very hard to put down. I can't wait for the next in the series.

Raising The Bar

In Dead of Night, forensic artist Annie Kingston finds herself mixed up in deadly game with a serial killer. Bodies of several young women have been discovered in Redding, California, and Annie has been called in to draw the unknown victims for identification. The latest body has been found just behind Annie's property, and it seems as if the killer may have Annie in the crosshairs. She must now work fast to not only protect another innocent victim, but also to save herself.

Not only does Collins raise the bar for other suspense authors, somehow she manages to make each installment better. Annie Kingston's first-person narrative effectively drives this series. Annie's struggles are real and we are able to relate with her as a parent and a Christian. As a single mom, Annie must juggle the demands of family with the intense responsibilities that come from working in law enforcement. On top of all of that, as a new Christian she faces an inward battle as she learns to rely on God completely. As Annie continually finds herself in the throes of danger, it is inspiring and encouraging to watch her faith increase.

Collin's writing is edgy, engaging, and absolutely thrilling. She knows how to take readers on a journey that will have them gripping their chairs and looking over their shoulders. This series is highly recommended for fans of suspense and mysteries, as well as those who love stories that challenge and inspire. (Originally reviewed as a series for Christian Library Journal)

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

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