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A supernatural thriller from 'America's most popular suspense novelist' (Rolling Stone): his most chilling, gripping and original novel to date. The Face. He's Hollywood's most dazzling star. His flawless countenance inspires the worship of millions, and fires the hatred of one twisted soul. In the days before Christmas, this warped and dangerous star-hater has sent six very sinister messages to the Face, promising the opposite of a nice surprise for the festive season. The Face's security chief Ethan Truman, ex-LAPD, tracks down the messenger but not the source of the threat. Worse, Ethan doesn't know that the Face's ten-year-old son Fric, home alone most of the time except for the staff, is receiving calls from a pervert who says he's Moloch, devourer of children. Convinced he's next on the menu, Fric prepares a hiding place in the vast Bel Air mansion. This won't keep him safe from the unimaginable evil that's coming to get him, but it will take him beyond Ethan's protection when hell is unleashed. But Ethan is all that stands in the way of a ruthless killer -- and forces no one can understand, or control. With the truth as thin as celluloid, Ethan will face the secrets of his own tragic past and the unmistakable premonition of his own impending violent death as he races against time to solve the macabre riddles of a modern-day beast.
A Hollywood superstar and his young son become the targets of a malevolent force that threatens to destroy their lives during the Christmas season. Ethan Truman, a former LAPD officer turned security chief, must navigate the opulent but isolating world of a celebrity mansion to protect the star and his vulnerable son, Fric. As sinister messages escalate into direct threats, Ethan discovers that the danger is not merely human, but rooted in something far more ancient and incomprehensible. The narrative follows Ethan as he confronts his own traumatic history while racing to decipher the cryptic warnings of a predator who seems to exist beyond the boundaries of conventional reality.
This novel reflects the author's signature blend of high-octane suspense and metaphysical dread that characterizes his mid-career output. The narrative structure relies heavily on the juxtaposition of a vulnerable child's perspective against the cold, calculated threats of a faceless antagonist. Readers often note the atmospheric intensity of the Bel Air setting, which serves as a claustrophobic stage for the unfolding supernatural conflict. The work functions as a study in the fragility of fame and the persistence of past trauma, themes that frequently recur in the author's broader bibliography. The pacing is designed to maintain a constant state of unease, ensuring that the reader remains focused on the protagonist's struggle against forces that defy logical explanation.
Page Count:
688
Publication Date:
2003-01-01
Publisher:
Harpercollins Pub Ltd
ISBN-10:
0007130716
ISBN-13:
9780007130719
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