A Tap on the Window by Linwood Barclay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Title: A Tap on the Window
Author: Linwood Barclay
Length: 500 pages
Publisher: New York; New American Library
Published: August 6, 2013
Genres: Fiction; Mystery Fiction

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My Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

Synopsis:
It's been two months since private investigator Cal Weaver's teenage son, Scott, died in a tragic drug-related accident. Ever since, he and his wife have drifted apart, fracturing a once-normal life. Cal is mired in grief he can't move past. And maybe that has clouded his judgment. Because he made a grave mistake driving home on a very rainy night. A drenched young girl tapped on his window as he sat at a stoplight and asked for a ride. And even though he knew a forty-something man picking up a teenage hitchhiker is a fool, he let her in the car--she was the same age as Scott and maybe she could help him find the dealer who sold his son the drugs that killed him. However, after a brief stop at a roadside diner, Cal senses that something's not right with the girl or the situation. But it's too late. He's already involved.
Soon Cal finds himself mired in a nightmare of pain and suspicion. Something is horribly wrong in the small town of Griffon in Upstate New York. There are too many secrets, too many lies. And Cal decides to expose those secrets one by one.

My Review:
This was my first Linwood Barclay book, and I have to say that I very quickly got my hands on another one of his books almost immediately after finishing A Tap on the Window. I had this book on the shelf for a rather long time before I started it, but once I did, it didn't come out of my hands for long, unless, you know, I had to get some sleep or something crazy like that! Other than for sleep and work, my nose was stuck in this book from beginning to end! I thought that it was such a great thriller with deep-seeded emotions wrought throughout.

Barclay does a wonderful job at keeping you guessing throughout the entire story, right up until the bitter end. He offers plenty of twists and turns, and makes you believe you've got it figured out, and that's when he throws you another curve! It is similar to the ups and downs of a roller coaster! Absolutely thrilling!

His characters are flawed, which I think makes them so much better to read about, because seriously, who always wants to read about the perfect person, with the perfect life, with the perfect spouse, and perfect house and job and everything else in the world? BORING...certainly not me! Cal and his wife are grieving parents, dealing with the hand of cards that life has recently dealt them, with raw emotions!

Barclay has given us a book with real life situations in it, something that could happen to you and I, so I think that is what made this book all the more pleasurable, knowing that this scenario could be a reality! Overall, I thought that this was a fantastic read and was kicking myself in the butt for taking so long to read it! I can't wait to read more from this author! I think he will quickly rise to one of my favorites!

Disclaimer:
I received this book as a First Reads book on Goodreads. I hereby express that this is my honest and unbiased opinion of this book!

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The Face Of Deception (Eve Duncan #1) by Iris Johansen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Title: The Face Of Deception
Author: Iris Johansen
Length: 480 pages
Publisher: Bantam
Published: June 1, 1999
Genres: Fiction; Mystery Fiction

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My Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

Synopsis:
An unidentified skull...

A trail of terrifying secrets...

And a woman whose talented hands could reveal the shocking truth...

As a forensic sculptor, Eve Duncan helps identify the dead from their skulls. Her own daughter murdered and her body never found, the job is Eve's way of coming to terms with her personal nightmare. But more terror lies ahead when she accepts work from billionaire John Logan. Beneath her gifted hands a face emerges from the skull he has given her to reconstruct—a face no one was ever meant to see. Now Eve is trapped in a frightening web of murder and deceit. Powerful enemies are determined to cover up the truth, and they will make certain that truth goes to the grave...even if Eve gets buried with it.

My Review:
The only regret that I have about this book is that I didn't read it sooner! This was the first book that I've read from Iris Johansen and I can assure you that it will not be my last. As soon as I finished this book, I made sure I put Book #2 in the Eve Duncan series, The Killing Game, on hold! This book was right up my alley, as I love forensics and am fascinated with this sculpting process!

The story was in depth, flowing smoothly, with twists and turns in every directions that you wouldn't expect. Just when you thought you knew what was going on, Johansen threw you for another twist. It was an interesting story to read about and kept me captivated throughout! I felt that the facts of the story were thoroughly researched and accurately depicted.

As for the characters, I loved Eve Duncan! I think that the characters were put together nicely to make a great balance in the story. I think that each characters puts their own advantage to the story, making it fill out nicely.

Overall, I very much enjoyed this read and can't wait to read more! I don't think that I will stop with the Eve Duncan series either. I can see Iris Johansen ranking right up there with Lisa Gardner on my favorite author list!

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