Stain of Guilt

by Brandilyn Collins

Book Overview

As I drew, the house felt eerie in its silence. . . . A strange sense stole over me, as though Bland and I were two actors on stage, our movements spotlighted, black emptiness between us. But that darkness grew smaller as the space between us shrank. I did not know if this sense was due to my immersion in Bland's face and mind and world, or to my fear of his threatening presence. Or both . . . The nerves between my shoulder blades began to tingle...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0310251044
• ISBN13: 9780310251040
• Release Date: September 2004
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Facing Another Killer

Six months after the events of BRINK OF DEATH, protagonist Annie Kingston returns in Book #2 of the Hidden Faces series. In the throes of her sixteen-year-old son's rebellion, Annie agrees to draw her most ambitious composite sketch yet - a fugitive update. Requiring every ounce of her skill, can she complete the drawing for the television show American Fugitive before the killer can get to her? I picked up STAIN OF GUILT unsure if Brandilyn could keep from re-hashing the plot of Book #1. I wasn't disappointed. Although starting a bit slower than BRINK OF DEATH, after a few chapters I was immersed in Annie Kingston's world. Spiritually, Brandilyn once again gently leads readers toward God (without preachiness) as we follow Annie's believable spiritual journey. The Hidden Faces series is a wonderful addition to Christian suspense fiction. With it's first person narration and thrilling storyline it has the feel of many secular crime novels, but without the swearing, excessive gore, and sex. I've already recommended it to a Sue Grafton fan. I am thoroughly hooked and eagerly anticipating #3, DEAD OF NIGHT available this spring.

couldn't put it down

I don't say this lightly but this is most likely the best written and most riveting novel I've read in a very long time. I had to tear myself away from reading only if I had to. I wanted to spend every moment reading it. It kept me in its grip the whole time. Brandilyn just keeps getting better and better as a novelist. I loved the first book in the series, and didn't know if she could out-do herself but she did. This is spellbinding.

Oh, boy!

Forensic artist Annie Kingston faces another challenge - make a drawing of a person who committed a double murder twenty years before. Popular television show American Fugitive had chosen this case for an upcoming program. The elusive fugitive is Bill Bland. Caught in embezzlement, Bland, an accountant, had been summoned to the home of business owner Don Terell for a confrontation. Also in attendance were Don's son, Edwin, and Peter Dessinger, employee. But their plans went horribly wrong, leaving two men dead and Bland on the run. Now, Edwin Terell and his mother, Emily, approach Annie to do an aging drawing of how Bland would look now. Their hope is that the American Fugitive TV show, along with Annie's drawing, would flush out Bland so he could be put behind bars for the twenty-year-old crime, and their long nightmare would come to an end. In order to do the updated face of Bland, Annie needs to learn all she can about the man. She needs to get inside his skin - his mind. What makes him tick? How would certain mannerisms affect how he would appear today? She needs to almost become Bill Bland. As she works, tension mounts. Annie can't shake memories of the consequences after the drawing she did for the killer of her neighbor Lisa Willit a year ago. Her entire family had been placed in jeopardy, living in terror. Would history repeat itself if she worked on this new face? Wasn't it enough that she, a single mom, had to deal with a rebellious teen son hell-bent on self-destruction? When Annie feels ready to start her composite, things begin to happen. Threats. Phone calls. Her neighbor Dave Willit, and local police detective Ralph Chetterling promise help and protection. But how can they? The nightmare begins again. Annie and her family are once more placed in harm's way. Annie Kingston is in an internal struggle with - or against - God. She resists the pull she feels, convinced she can survive on her own. When caught in desperate situations beyond her control, she bargains with God: "Help me now and I'll seek you later." Can she finally admit that she needs God? That she cannot do this alone? In STAIN OF GUILT, Brandilyn Collins has once again woven a sinister, complicated, tense story with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat. This book, the sequel to BRINK OF DEATH, in the HIDDEN FACES SERIES, is a masterpiece that supports Brandilyn's "brand" - Don't forget to B R E A T H E. If you like suspense thrillers, this is a book for you. If you're a bit timid - don't read it after dark - and sleep with a light on!

Another one I couldn't put down

Incredibly exciting reading. As in "Brink of Death," the novel opens like the gentle prelude to a symphony, then screeches off like a tire-burning corvette disappearing down the street. I started reading it Sunday afternoon and couldn't stop until I finished that night. Annie Kingston's character was complex, and I could relate to her inner fears, spiritual questions and maternal ferocity. She was not a superwoman performing feats of courage or displaying acute intellectual insight. She was a real woman like me or anyone else, caught in a dire situation. Her questions about God echoed what I asked when I was seeking Him, and the minor characters answered with gentleness, honesty, and empathy. The villain Bland was drawn with such vivid description that I could envision his face, hear his voice. He character had immense depth and richness. Annie literally crawled into his head and dragged the reader with her as she discovered who he was under the surface, what made up the mind of this ruthless man. Even the minor characters--Annie's children, her sister, etc.--had that aura of realism that made them colorful and varied. I could name someone I knew who reminded me of each character. This aspect drew me into the story quickly because I felt like I knew these people, they were familiar to me. There was a doozy of a plot twist near the end, and Brandilyn did a very good job leading up to it. However, I think I've read too much Agatha Christie, because I guessed the plot twist in the first quarter of the book. But that being said, it didn't make the ending any less heart-pounding, nail-biting, or satisfying. You don't really need to read the first book to enjoy this sequel, but "Brink of Death" does add to the backstory and introduces character relationships that, in this novel, are subtly shifting and growing. While "Brink of Death" was more plot-driven, "Stain of Guilt" is definitely more character-driven. It's primarily the cast of this play that keeps the reader's attention, with the story action as background movement. In all, I highly recommend this title. A very engrossing read.

High-paced Suspense--Sure to keep your heart pounding!

Book Two in the Hidden Faces series, STAIN OF GUILT, is a fast-paced roller-coaster ride with many twists and turns! Brandilyn Collins does it again as she brings readers back to visit Annie Kingston, forensic artist. The characters are so true-to-life, the plot is intriguing, and the pace is perfect. A wonderful follow-up to book one, STAIN OF GUILT is a suspense-reader's dream. For more of my reviews, visit my website at www.robinmillerbooks.com