It is a story of street children in the chaotic slums of Accra (the capital of Ghana) and although it ends with a hopeful resolution for one child, the novel leaves an indelible impression that there is no future for thousands of others. I discovered it via Celestine’s review at Reading Pleasure but even so I was unprepared for the bleak world it represents with such chilling authenticity. ‘Reads like the polished effort of a genre veteran.Faceless by Ghanian author Amma Darko, is one of the saddest books I’ve ever read. ‘It is Symon’s copper Sam, self-deprecating and very human, who represents the writer’s real achievement’ Guardian
‘A plot that grabs the reader’s attention with a heart-stopping opening and doesn’t let go’ Sunday Times ‘Atmospheric, emotional and gripping’ Foreword Reviews
Faceless novel how to#
‘Vanda Symon’s work resembles Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series she knows how to tell a good story and the NZ setting adds spice’ The Times ‘If you like taut, pacey thrillers with a wonderful sense of place, this is the book for you’ Liam McIlvanney Perfect curl-up-on-the-sofa reading’ Kate Mosse
‘A sassy heroine, fabulous sense of place, and rip-roaring stories with a twist. ‘Fast-moving New Zealand procedural … the Edinburgh of the south has never been more deadly’ Ian Rankin ‘New Zealand’s answer to Siobhan Clarke’ The Times ‘Intense, dark and twisted, this is a fast and pulse-raising read that absolutely gripped me’ Jen Med’s Book Reviews ‘Tauter and tougher than Symon’s delightful Dunedin procedurals … superb’ The Times ‘Completely gripping … a poignant study of how our society shapes unlikely saints and monsters’ Eve Smith ‘A portrait of the underbelly of society, this is a deeply involving novel and a damn good thriller’ Paul Burke, NB Magazine ‘All the thrills of a brilliantly plotted crime novel with some interesting moral questions woven between the words. ‘Edgy, thrilling and terrifyingly realistic’ Lisa Hall ‘Powerful and brilliant writing that transported me to the other side of the world … a wonderful storyteller’ Helen FitzGerald Hard-hitting, fast-paced and immensely thought-provoking, Faceless – the startling new standalone thriller from New Zealand’s ‘Queen of Crime’ – will leave you breathless. In order to find her, Max is going to have to call on some people from his past, and reopen wounds that have remained unhealed for a very long time, and the clock is ticking… Nobody really sees Max, but he has one friend, and she’s gone missing.
Max is homeless, eating from rubbish bins, sleeping rough and barely existing – known for cadging a cigarette from anyone passing, and occasionally even the footpath. Now she’s tied up in his warehouse, and he doesn’t know what to do. Worn down by a job he hates, and a stressful family life, middle-aged, middle-class Bradley picks up a teenage escort and commits an unspeakable crime. ‘Fans of The Dry will love Vanda Symon’ Red Magazine
‘New Zealand’s modern Queen of Crime’ Val McDermid One of the best thrillers I’ve read this year’ Liz Nugent ‘Astonishingly good … compelling, horrifying, intriguing and entertaining. A shocking, race-against-the-clock, standalone thriller from the Queen of New Zealand Crime. A stressed, middle-aged man picks up a teenage escort and commits an unspeakable crime, unaware that a homeless man – her only real friend – will do anything to find her.
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