For FBI Special Agent Smoky Barrett, her colleague’s wedding is cause for celebration. Until a woman staggers down the aisle—incoherent, wearing only a white nightgown. A fingerprint check determines that she’s been missing for nearly eight years. Her coldly efficient captor toyed with her mind and body, imprisoning her, depriving her of any contact with the outside world. As Smoky fits together … together the pieces of what remains of the victim’s fractured life, a chilling picture emerges of a cerebral psychopath who doesn’t take murder personally, never makes a mistake, follows his own sinister logic, and has set the perfect trap.
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I didn’t realize when I downloaded this book that it was indeed number four in a series. However, I did not miss much by not having read numbers one through three first. McFadyen does a superb job of giving the reader enough information to make this fourth installment read smoothly. FBI Special Agent Smoky Barrett (and I suppose if I had read one through three I would know why she is called “Smoky”) is an incredibly talented and brave agent. Abandoned puts Smoke through a living hell, and with her past horrible experiences, I was amazed at her ability to compartmentalize and get through this latest horror. The story is a combination of the solving a present crime, but also involves researching many “cold” cases. Smoky’s team is well written, and I felt like I knew enough about each member. Well done, and I would highly recommend this author and his books. He writes a female character surprisingly well!
This is not a book to read at 2 AM.
Frighting scenarios, spooky thinking on the part of the evil one.. Surprise ending
4th book of the Smoky Barrett series – she is in charge of an FBI office in LA, and the has a dark past – so good
Nothing!
All of his books were great! I just wish he would continue!!!!
Love all of these books. Wish that there were more!
“Not all evil is an accident. Sometimes it is grown in a dark cellar under a dark sun, tended by a dark gardener with a hoe made of bone.”
In this 4th book of the Smoky Barrett series, the action starts right at the beginning as FBI Agent is just finalizing her wedding to new husband Sam. A woman with a shaved head and wearing a bloody nightgown is dropped off at the curb among the law enforcement guests and starts screaming.
This starts FBI Special Agent Smoky Barrett and her team on the trail of a type of psychopath who they haven’t run into before – one who is merciless but businesslike.
Soon another long-time missing person is dumped in plain sight and the chase is on.
I liked this thriller, as twisted as it was. Author McFadyen is a gifted writer of dark psychological thrillers.
I’m now off to read the 5th and final (as far as I know) book in the series THE TRUTH FACTORY, which I just found out about. There was quite a gap between this book and the 5th book (from 2009 to 2016) and I don’t know why but I hope the author didn’t lose any of his momentum.
I enjoyed this book, but I recommend reading the books in order.
What a read!! Tough book to put down. Illustrates just how many horrible things that can happen without society’s awareness.
If you like scary, twisted, psychological stories, this is a great book to read. Once you start, it is hard to put down. Very disturbing, twisted plot. Harrowing to think that husbands could actually participate in something this evil….