Series
Genres
Publication
Hodder And Stoughton Ltd. (2007), Edition: First Edition, 416 pages
Description
Once, Special Agent Smoky Barrett hunted serial killers for the FBI. She was one of the best--until a madman terrorized her family, killed her husband and daughter, and left her face scarred and her soul brutalized. Turning the tables on the killer, Smoky shot him dead--but her life was shattered forever. Now Smoky dreams about picking up her weapon again. She dreams about placing the cold steel between her lips and pulling the trigger one last time. Because for a woman who's lost everything, what is there left to lose? She's about to find out. In all her years at the Bureau, Smoky has never encountered anyone like him--a new and fascinating kind of monster, a twisted genius who defies profilers' attempts to understand him. And he's issued Smoky a direct challenge, coaxing her back from the brink with the only thing that could convince her to live. The killer videotaped his latest crime--an act of horror that left a child motherless--then sent a message addressed to Agent Smoky Barrett. The message is enough to shock Smoky back to work, back to her FBI team. And that child awakens something in Smoky she thought was gone forever. Suddenly the stakes are raised. The game has changed. For as this deranged monster embarks on an unspeakable spree of perversion and murder, Smoky is coming alive again-and she's about to face her greatest fears as a cop, a woman, a mother . . . and a merciless killer's next victim.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member swl
This is a not-at-all-bad first book for CM, but it falls into the trap of so many popular crime novels where dialog seems stilted, characters clicheed or two-dimensional, and the serial killer a little been-there-done-that. It also has a level of violence and gore that, for me, was well in the
One other annoying thing is that CM has lots of passages where characters expound on criminology techniques, profiling, technology etc. at length, in a most unlikely fashion. I find this extremely grating. It ain't how anyone talks, and more than a dollop of realistic detail induces sleep. OTOH, other writers are able to work a great deal of fascinating information into their books with careful weaving and sprinkling.
I think most of the above is fixable, but I do hope CM doesn't waste his talent developing a James Patterson like series with boring and unbelievable protagonists.
What I did like: great pacing, a nice setup for the continuation characters, some appealing secondary characters. And most of all, a riff Smoky does on the "dark train", the place she goes to understand and conquer evil - I loved this. It's enough to separate her from the crowded field of tough female protagonists. Also loved the "Rules of Mom"...
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gratuitous camp: this is a plot that would have been more effective with a lighter touch.One other annoying thing is that CM has lots of passages where characters expound on criminology techniques, profiling, technology etc. at length, in a most unlikely fashion. I find this extremely grating. It ain't how anyone talks, and more than a dollop of realistic detail induces sleep. OTOH, other writers are able to work a great deal of fascinating information into their books with careful weaving and sprinkling.
I think most of the above is fixable, but I do hope CM doesn't waste his talent developing a James Patterson like series with boring and unbelievable protagonists.
What I did like: great pacing, a nice setup for the continuation characters, some appealing secondary characters. And most of all, a riff Smoky does on the "dark train", the place she goes to understand and conquer evil - I loved this. It's enough to separate her from the crowded field of tough female protagonists. Also loved the "Rules of Mom"...
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LibraryThing member dannalora
This is the kind of book that as I was reading it, I swear I've read it before. I think because it's so similiar to so many. Infact, the "bad guy" was the same person in a book that I read about a month ago. It was an ok read, but I little bit too much of the same-old, same-old.
LibraryThing member Cherylk
This was my first book by Cody McFadyen. It is a winner! The plot lines were intense, the characters had depth as well as very believable. Shadow Man is somewhat gory but if you don't mind that gore like me than you will really like this book. Smokey could really stand her ground throughout the who
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story. Talk about women empowerment. Remember this is coming from a book about a serial killer that was written by a man! That is saying something wonderful about Mr. McFadyen's writing style. You will not be sorry you picked up this book but instead will be sorry when it ends. Show Less
LibraryThing member debavp
This author was recommended by my local used bookstore and I had the book on the TBR for a while. A couple of people on LT raved recently about the first two books in the series so I decided to give it a try.
Very fast paced, grips you from the very start. Very, very dark story and although I
Very fast paced, grips you from the very start. Very, very dark story and although I
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figured it out midway, it was interesting to see how the good guys solved it. ANd to see the hero with a human as well as a dark side. Looking forward to the next installment. Show Less
LibraryThing member crazybatcow
This was recommended for a Reacher replacement. It certainly is nothing of the sort.
It's too touchy-feely, too emotional, and there's way too much exploration of the psychology of many of the main characters. (I even checked to see if the author was female - thinking that might explain all the
The plot itself? well, even that is a bit too much... main character is assaulted and family is murdered, then her coworker/best friends are having emotional/family problems, and her buddy from high school is murdered and her goddaughter is... and so on and so on. Nobody has luck that bad.
It's too touchy-feely, too emotional, and there's way too much exploration of the psychology of many of the main characters. (I even checked to see if the author was female - thinking that might explain all the
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psychology going on.)The plot itself? well, even that is a bit too much... main character is assaulted and family is murdered, then her coworker/best friends are having emotional/family problems, and her buddy from high school is murdered and her goddaughter is... and so on and so on. Nobody has luck that bad.
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LibraryThing member kinselgto01
This Book was really good. I enjoyed the story, characters, and the atmosphere. The author had a great description for scenes and I was taken aback when I went through it. I liked it and I recommend it to anyone that loves thrillers with serial killers.
LibraryThing member youthfulzombie
A fantastic face-paced thriller, will definitely look for the next one by this author.
LibraryThing member kaylol
Whoever said 'Time heals all wounds' wasn't a cop.Amazing book. I've never read a better description of feelings and thoughts.
LibraryThing member the_hag
I checked this out based on a couple of glowing reviews I read, thinking it was going to be a gruesome, original thriller featuring a psychotic serial killer and his worthy FBI nemesis...and while it's all of this, it still manages to fall flat. It's clear that this is a first effort, but I'm not
The killer here is set up as Jack Jr; complete with similar brutal crimes with a modern twist...this killer strikes women who run independent pornography sites on the internet...his equivalent of the original Ripper's prey. Barrett is diminutive (4'40"), haunted, scarred and struggling to regain a hold on her life...she's also, according to the story line, top notch at what she does for the FBI. As the events are set in motion, Barret isn't sure that she's ever going to be able to return to her job and just as she's teetering between her old life and despair, Jack Jr pulls her back into her job and on the hunt for him by viciously killing her childhood best friend and tying her 10 year old daughter to the body for three days. The killer taunts the police and specifically targets Barrett, drawing her back into her job and taking her on a terrifying chase to catch him before he fulfills his promise to destroy her and those closest to her.
We are introduced to Barrett's team shortly before the initial heinous murder takes place...each of the four members of her team is stellar in personality, talent, looks, ect... Ultimately, the reader is left with the overall feeling that the group consists of nothing more than the most typical stereotypes of law enforcement personalities seen on TV and in movies today, which makes it hard to have sympathy for them, despite the authors repeated attempts to draw us in with what were meant to be heart-rending secrets that allow us into the secret core of each team member.
Overall, we have a compelling premise that falls down in the over use of the heinous-ness of the crime...we are given the same details about the nature of the killer and the intimate details of the crimes so many times that what should be shocking becomes boring and repetitive. Additionally, for me, there were numerous holes in the story that were beyond belief of what would normally happen as a matter of procedure for police and for the FBI and that added to the detail overload made this book less enjoyable than it might have been otherwise.
I give Shadow Man a C+, which means three stars. Like a movie lover deciding if I want to see the movie at the theater or wait until it comes out on DVD...this is a renter (check it out at the library or buy it used), it's entertaining and the premise is great, Shadow Man is definitely a page turning thriller but this is clearly not the best this author is capable of. I enjoyed it, but wouldn't add a copy to my permanent collection. I will look forward to reading him in the future as he polishes his skill...he's got great ideas and I think he's only going to get better with each book! Also, an additional note, this is graphically written...not for the faint of heart.
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for handing out five stars for a three star book. The premise of the book is solid, a brutal killer striking out in a Jack the Ripper vein (he even believes himself to be a descendent of the Ripper, continuing in his "good work") with a fixation on the lead characters, FBI agent Smoky Barrett, a physically and psychologically scarred woman still trying to come to grips with her own brutal rape and the murder of her family at the hands of a different serial killer. The killer here is set up as Jack Jr; complete with similar brutal crimes with a modern twist...this killer strikes women who run independent pornography sites on the internet...his equivalent of the original Ripper's prey. Barrett is diminutive (4'40"), haunted, scarred and struggling to regain a hold on her life...she's also, according to the story line, top notch at what she does for the FBI. As the events are set in motion, Barret isn't sure that she's ever going to be able to return to her job and just as she's teetering between her old life and despair, Jack Jr pulls her back into her job and on the hunt for him by viciously killing her childhood best friend and tying her 10 year old daughter to the body for three days. The killer taunts the police and specifically targets Barrett, drawing her back into her job and taking her on a terrifying chase to catch him before he fulfills his promise to destroy her and those closest to her.
We are introduced to Barrett's team shortly before the initial heinous murder takes place...each of the four members of her team is stellar in personality, talent, looks, ect... Ultimately, the reader is left with the overall feeling that the group consists of nothing more than the most typical stereotypes of law enforcement personalities seen on TV and in movies today, which makes it hard to have sympathy for them, despite the authors repeated attempts to draw us in with what were meant to be heart-rending secrets that allow us into the secret core of each team member.
Overall, we have a compelling premise that falls down in the over use of the heinous-ness of the crime...we are given the same details about the nature of the killer and the intimate details of the crimes so many times that what should be shocking becomes boring and repetitive. Additionally, for me, there were numerous holes in the story that were beyond belief of what would normally happen as a matter of procedure for police and for the FBI and that added to the detail overload made this book less enjoyable than it might have been otherwise.
I give Shadow Man a C+, which means three stars. Like a movie lover deciding if I want to see the movie at the theater or wait until it comes out on DVD...this is a renter (check it out at the library or buy it used), it's entertaining and the premise is great, Shadow Man is definitely a page turning thriller but this is clearly not the best this author is capable of. I enjoyed it, but wouldn't add a copy to my permanent collection. I will look forward to reading him in the future as he polishes his skill...he's got great ideas and I think he's only going to get better with each book! Also, an additional note, this is graphically written...not for the faint of heart.
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LibraryThing member HenriMoreaux
It seems I have the awesome super power of continually reading series books out of order; I first picked up The Face of Death and having read and enjoyed that then came to the realisation it was actually the second in the series and there was this book before it.
So naturally, when I came across
Really enjoy the realistically flawed but not useless female lead character.
It contains quite vivid descriptions of violence & the acts which the serial killer commits which may deter some however I found it was not over the top but added to the dark atmosphere of the story.
Will be looking for more Cody McFayden/Smoky Barrett in the future that's for sure.
So naturally, when I came across
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this I picked it up. Unfortunately it was somewhat spoilt having already read number 2 so I already knew who would survive etc. That being said however, this was still an excellent book.Really enjoy the realistically flawed but not useless female lead character.
It contains quite vivid descriptions of violence & the acts which the serial killer commits which may deter some however I found it was not over the top but added to the dark atmosphere of the story.
Will be looking for more Cody McFayden/Smoky Barrett in the future that's for sure.
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LibraryThing member marihawk
Not a big fan of first person/present tense POV, but somewhere around the quarter-mark, the story just sucked me in.
LibraryThing member caseycycling
Being a fan of mystery/thriller and crime fiction I am always on the lookout for books similar to works from Karin Slaughter or Lisa Gardner. This is how I found Cody McFadyen’s first book Shadow Man. The book is written in the first person perspective of Smokey Barrett; FBI agent, serial killer
The book is fairly fast paced after the first 50 or so pages that establish the back story as this is the first book with Smokey as a lead character. The story fits nicely in the mystery/thriller genre of serial killer hunting law enforcement lead characters. It is nothing ground breaking if you have read books in this style before. I have picked up the other three books in the series, and am excited to read them. It is definitely worth a read if you like a good crime fiction book with a medium amount of gore and violence.
Pros- Interesting introduction to lead character Smokey Barrett
Fast paced story without unnecessary side plots that are
only there to fill pages
Cons- Nothing ground breaking, just your typical FBI agent hunting
a serial killer story
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hunter, and victim of a horrific crime. Some reviews mention parts of the description and buildup of Smokey are a bit extreme and yes they are, but some embellishment is often needed to make these hero characters who they are.The book is fairly fast paced after the first 50 or so pages that establish the back story as this is the first book with Smokey as a lead character. The story fits nicely in the mystery/thriller genre of serial killer hunting law enforcement lead characters. It is nothing ground breaking if you have read books in this style before. I have picked up the other three books in the series, and am excited to read them. It is definitely worth a read if you like a good crime fiction book with a medium amount of gore and violence.
Pros- Interesting introduction to lead character Smokey Barrett
Fast paced story without unnecessary side plots that are
only there to fill pages
Cons- Nothing ground breaking, just your typical FBI agent hunting
a serial killer story
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LibraryThing member Patbilly
What a brilliant first novel! I am looking forward to future novels by Mr. McFadyan as he writes a great thriller without making one sit in the blood and gore. The reader is an observer, and an intimate one, yet doesn't contemplate becoming a victim. Thrilling to watch, but not creating personal
Keep those books coming!
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nightmares of murder and mayhem the reader.Keep those books coming!
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LibraryThing member Patbilly
What a brilliant first novel! I am looking forward to future novels by Mr. McFadyan as he writes a great thriller without making one sit in the blood and gore. The reader is an observer, and an intimate one, yet doesn't contemplate becoming a victim. Thrilling to watch, but not creating personal
Keep those books coming!
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nightmares of murder and mayhem the reader.Keep those books coming!
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LibraryThing member jguidry
This was a very thrilling book. The action was non-stop from page one. The characters were interesting and I really liked their interaction. I thought the explanations of FBI techniques were fascinating--especially the interrogation techniques.
LibraryThing member Carol420
Shadow Man by Cody McFadyen
Smokey Barrett series Book #1
5★'s
What's It About?
Once, Special Agent Smoky Barrett hunted serial killers for the FBI. She was one of the best–until a madman terrorized her family, killed her husband and daughter, and left her face scarred and her soul brutalized.
Now Smoky dreams about picking up her weapon again. She dreams about placing the cold steel between her lips and pulling the trigger one last time. Because for a woman who’s lost everything, what is there left to lose? She’s about to find out.
What Did I Think?
By page 10 I knew this book was going to be special. It is a masterpiece of a thriller with characters that you can really care about and feel their suffering. The thriller aspects to the story are intense, dark and depraved with a special degree of evil and debasement. The plot was complex and suspenseful as well as being intriguing to watch the FBI team go from nearly no leads at all to cracking the case. The clues are there if you are smart enough to follow them. This will not be for all readers but those that like a little extra spicy kick in their books will devour it.
Smokey Barrett series Book #1
5★'s
What's It About?
Once, Special Agent Smoky Barrett hunted serial killers for the FBI. She was one of the best–until a madman terrorized her family, killed her husband and daughter, and left her face scarred and her soul brutalized.
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Turning the tables on the killer, Smoky shot him dead–but her life was shattered forever. Now Smoky dreams about picking up her weapon again. She dreams about placing the cold steel between her lips and pulling the trigger one last time. Because for a woman who’s lost everything, what is there left to lose? She’s about to find out.
What Did I Think?
By page 10 I knew this book was going to be special. It is a masterpiece of a thriller with characters that you can really care about and feel their suffering. The thriller aspects to the story are intense, dark and depraved with a special degree of evil and debasement. The plot was complex and suspenseful as well as being intriguing to watch the FBI team go from nearly no leads at all to cracking the case. The clues are there if you are smart enough to follow them. This will not be for all readers but those that like a little extra spicy kick in their books will devour it.
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LibraryThing member Olivermagnus
This is the first book in a series that features FBI Agent Smoky Barrett. When we meet her she's contemplating suicide while recovering from a vicious attack six months earlier by a psychotic killer who not only tortured her, but killed her husband and daughter. That would be bad enough, but she is
I won't say much about the plot of the book to avoid any spoilers. This is definitely not for the faint of heart. It's graphic, violent, gruesome, and contains some pretty foul language. I read a lot of psychological thrillers and I've rarely read a book that focuses on such an emotionally and physically scarred protagonist. I found the book to be fast paced and the characters well developed. I couldn't put it down and definitely recommend it to fans of intense thrillers in the style of Thomas Harris and Mo Hayder.
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soon informed that her best friend has been killed in a Jack the Ripper style murder. Oh, did I mention he left a note by the body, addressed to Smoky and signed Jack Jr.I won't say much about the plot of the book to avoid any spoilers. This is definitely not for the faint of heart. It's graphic, violent, gruesome, and contains some pretty foul language. I read a lot of psychological thrillers and I've rarely read a book that focuses on such an emotionally and physically scarred protagonist. I found the book to be fast paced and the characters well developed. I couldn't put it down and definitely recommend it to fans of intense thrillers in the style of Thomas Harris and Mo Hayder.
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LibraryThing member KAzevedo
Male writing 1st person female protagonist. Well written; horrific violence against women. Also loving passages about motherhood and love. Hard to reconcile.
Subjects
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2006
2008-04-15 (deutsch)
Physical description
416 p.; 7.05 inches
ISBN
0340840072 / 9780340840078
Other editions
Shadow Man: Smoky Barrett, Book 1 by Cody Mcfadyen (Paperback)