Anatomy of Fear (Nate Rodriguez, #1) by Jonathan Santlofer

Anatomy of Fear (Nate Rodriguez, #1) Reviews

• 
  Teresa

  Um policial que segue todas as regras:
  um assassino em série e as respectivas vítimas;
  um herói com traumas do passado e uma polícia gira - com romance entre os dois (truca-truca incluído);
  dicas subtis para o leitor construir as suas próprias suspeitas e o suspense necessário para que o livro se cole às mãos;
  não abusa das conversas policias e as descrições dos mortos não são violentas.
  Como presente, a narrativa é acompanhada por uns desenhos do próprio Jonathan Santlofer, que enriquecem a leitura.
  
• 
  Elizabeth Ross

  I am not even sure why I bought this book. But I can say without doubts that I don't regret it even for a second. This book is really good!
  
  The surprises started right when I began reading and I guess that's one of the things I liked the most, because it never really stopped surprising me. And I am not talking about the regular surprises you can find in a Murder Mystery like who the next victim or the killer is. I am talking about surprises that you could have found in any genre and that allowed this book to stand out, to be different from every other book.
  
  So, let's start by the first, pleasant surprise, which was also the one that gave me the most joy. I had read the synopsis before starting reading the book and I knew Nate was a police sketch artist and that the assassin was a very troubled artist himself. But I never thought for a second that I would get the chance to see their drawings myself, I just assumed they would be mentioned and I would have to try to imagine them. But I did get to see the drawings. They appear as part of the story, complementing it and making it extraordinarily more realistic, in a way that Santlofer would have never achieved if they hadn't been included. But the joy those drawings gave me wasn't just about how much more realistic they made the story. It was also about that childish fascination and joy I was able to get.
  
  Let me explain. We all have those memories from when we were children that we cherish and love. When it comes to books, they are obviously about those moments when people you love read you this or that story while you delighted yourself with the pictures that filled the book. And when I got this book and saw all those pictures those were the memories that came to my mind and obviously it's not the same thing - please don't show the drawings in this book to any child because of my comparation, I don't want to be responsible for them needing therapy! -, but a part of my brain associated the two things in such a way that I would get incredibly happy just for the chance of seeing those drawings.
  
  So, my happy inner child was somehow not getting traumatized with those drawings while my adult self was delighted with the plot itself, which was really good and also different from the typical (although I can't say it is original, because I've seen other authors do this).
  
  The pace was a bit too slow in the beginning, but the chapters were so short that they would make up for that fact, making sure the book would never get hard to read. After all, I didn't need to bore me to death just in hopes of getting to the next chapter, because when the pace was starting to actually make me feel bored, chances are the next chapter was just a few paragraphs away.
  
  But despite the pace, the plot itself was good. I found myself drawn to the mystey, trying to find out who the murderer was before Nate and Terry and actually enjoying the story. I didn't even get mad I couldn't guess the murderer (it's one of those books where you just can't do that), because everything else was just incredibly great.
  
  And - surprise number 2! - somehow the reason why I got so invested in the story was actually the mix of Nate's first person PoV with other characters' third person PoV. Something that usually doesn't work for me but that Santlofer managed to make me enjoy. It was just so easy to get used to this mix; it was like no other choice wpuld have worked so well for this book. It made the story flow not exactly at the perfect pace but flow nonetheless, allowing me to feel invested in every single side of the story - the main plot line and the side plots -, which together make the story richer and much more interesting.
  
  Of course, having several characters sharing their points of view, even if in the third person, also makes it easier to connect with the characters. And I know, I know, I have said several times that when it comes to Mysteries, specially Murder Mysteries, I don't care that much about whether I like the characters or not. But it's always better when I like them! And I really like Nate and Terry and Nate's grandma is such a lovely old lady! And Terry's chief, whose name I kept forgetting while I was reading and therefore I can't remember right now, is an idiot, but even my dislike for him made reading this book much more interesting!
  
  Specially in the end, when that dislike was such a great asset for picking my curiosity and wanting to read the second book - I want to see that man burn! 🗡🗡 Literally Metaphorically speaking, of course.
  
  Speaking of the ending, what a great way to finish a book! And to tell you about it, I need to divide the ending in two parts - the discovery of the murderer and the open ending. The discovery of the murderer and the whole rush against time was P-E-R-F-E-C-T! I loved it and I couldn't put the book down until I finish. And then there's also this open ending side of it, that is more about the characters and the side plot lines. It just left so many questions unanswered and me desperately wanting the next book to get those answers.
  
  After all this you can see why I liked this book so much. There's nothing I didn't like aside from the pace. And I haven't even told you about the last (and most unexpected) surprise!
  
  Magic is such a great element to have in Fantasy books and I would love to see a Murder Mystery happening in a Fantasy world filled with magic, because things would get even more messy, complex and interesting. But while I can't find a Murder Mystery like that, I will stick with those happening in the real world, where there's no magic. Which translated means - inserting magic in a book like that will not work for me, because it will feel too unrealistic; you are in the real world, your character should be ruled by the real world laws of nature.
  
  However, this is theory. And in the real life, there's always some exception to the laws of our theory that completly destroy it. Well, ladies and gentlemen and non-binary people, I have the pleasure to present to you the book that destroyed my theory - Anatomy of Fear!
  
  Santlofer introduced some magical elements in his story and if you read it, there's no way you can deny that fact. But they are so discreet and for some reason feel so right that you can't help but getting along. I think the main reason why it was so easy for me to accept those magical elements was the fact that just like me Nate wasn't buying them at first. And just like Nate, I grew to accept them and believe them, because how else could all these things have happened?!
  
  And this last sentece was what I am talking about when I say it was the most unexpected surprise. Me accepting the magical elements if the rest of the book was good, just so my joy wouldn't be ruined would be a surprise (there are these certain things I am just really stubborn about), but me accepting the magical elements and making sense out of them?! Santlofer has a big talent, that's for sure!
  
  Overall, this is a really great book for any lover of Murder Mystery books, that will fascinate you. It has all the things a good murder mystery book needs - a thrilling crime, a complex murderer and a great plot that will keep you hooked - and even more. It is unique, different from all the other books of the genre and definitely deserves you to give it chance!
  
  SCORE: 4.50 out of 5.00 stars
  
  You can also find this review on my
  blog
• 
  Πάνος Τουρλής

  Η αστυνομικός Τέρι Ρούσο, επικεφαλής μιας Μονάδας Ανθρωποκτονιών της Αστυνομίας της Νέας Υόρκης στο βορειοκεντρικό τμήμα της πόλης, μπλέκεται σε μια υπόθεση κατά συρροήν δολοφονιών, όπου πάνω στα πτώματα βρίσκεται πάντα ένα κομμάτι χαρτί με το σκίτσο του εκάστοτε πτώματος, αριστοτεχνικά σχεδιασμένο και αρκετά λεπτομερές, κάτι που δείχνει ότι η δολοφονία ήταν αρκετό καιρό προσχεδιασμένη. Αυτή η υπόθεση είναι βούτυρο στο ψωμί του Νέιθαν Ροντρίγκεζ, ενός αστυνομικού που παράτησε σύντομα την ενεργό δράση κι έγινε σκιτσογράφος, μισός Εβραίος και μισός Πορτορικανός στην καταγωγή. Μόνο που δεν έχει απλώς ταλέντο στο σκίτσο αλλά κάτι σαν έκτη αίσθηση και καταφέρνει να αποδίδει πιστά τα πρόσωπα, λες και μιλάει νοητά μαζί τους. Οι δυο τους αγωνίζονται να εντοπίσουν έγκαιρα τον δολοφόνο, παράλληλα σχεδόν με την εξιχνίαση από μεριάς FBI, που ανακατεύτηκε μιας και η υπόθεση ανήκει πλέον στα δικά τους χωράφια. Επίσης, η πλοκή ανατρέπεται, όταν ο δολοφόνος ανακαλύπτει ότι ο Νέιθαν είναι στα ίχνη του και τον παγιδεύει για τους επόμενους φόνους!
  
  Ένα δυνατό αστυνομικό μυθιστόρημα, με διαρκή κλιμάκωση της αγωνίας και έναν πρωτότυπο τρόπο αφήγησης: παράλληλα με την πλοκή, έχουμε και τα ίδια τα σκίτσα των πτωμάτων, ζωγραφισμένα από τον συγγραφέα, Τζόναθαν Σαντλόφερ! Εκπληκτικές γραμμές, τρομερή δύναμη στο σκίτσο του, ο συγγραφέας και ζωγράφος δίνει μιαν άλλη διάσταση στο θρίλερ, μιας και δε φείδεται συναισθημάτων. Αρκετές φορές ανατρίχιασα με την πιστότητα και την αληθοφάνεια των εικόνων που έκανε το χέρι του! Ίσως βέβαια ακριβώς λόγω των γνώσεων ανατομίας, η περιγραφή κάπου ξέφευγε, δηλαδή αν κάποιος έλεγε ψέματα ή άλλα έλεγε και άλλα εννοούσε ο Νέιθαν το καταλάβαινε περιγράφοντας τους μυς του προσώπου με ιατρικούς όρους για να τεκμηριώσει την άποψή του, εκεί ψιλοχάθηκα. Μου άρεσε η γιαγιά του καλλιτέχνη Ροντρίγκεζ, η οποία ήταν πιστή της Σαντερία (αφρικανική θρησκεία με έντονα στοιχεία θρησκευτικού συγκρητισμού) και με βαθιά πίστη αλλά και ένα έντονο τρίτο μάτι, κάτι που μεταδόθηκε και στον εγγονό της.
  
  Κατά τα άλλα, έχουμε αρτηριοσκληρωτικούς καρεκλοκένταυρους που θέλουν αποτελέσματα, αγνοώντας την πραγματικότητα, μια γυναίκα διευθύντρια που αγωνίζεται να επιβιώσει σε ανδροκρατούμενο περιβάλλον χωρίς να κάνει λάθη που θα της στοιχίσουν τη θέση, ο Νέιθαν έχει ένα δύσκολο παρελθόν (ο αστυνομικός πατέρας του δολοφονήθηκε από έμπορο ναρκωτικών), Νέιθαν και Τέρι έχουν τα δικά τους διαπροσωπικά σκαμπανεβάσματα, ο δολοφόνος είναι ρατσιστής και μέλος μιας οργάνωσης μίσους, από αυτές που έχουν κατακλύσει τις Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες και όχι μόνο και το τέλος είναι συναρπαστικότατο! Επιπλέον, αφήνει μια πόρτα ανοιχτή για να συνεχίσει η σειρά με πρωταγωνιστή τον σκιτσογράφο αστυνομικό και σε επόμενο βιβλίο!
  
• 
  Book Madness (Elif Tazegül)

  Kitapta çok klasik bir ırkçılık işlenmiş. Böyle kitapları sevmiyorum. Bu sefer katil güya önceden cinayeti hayal edip resmini çiziyor ve ona göre öldürüyor. Çizdiği resmi de cesedin üstüne bırakıyor. Konu olarak sıkıcıydı evet. Yazar ruhani bir hava katmaya çalışmış. O da bana sıkıcı geldi. Genel itibariyle yazımı, baskısı güzel olsa da konudan kaldı 😵
• 
  Effie Saxioni

  Τέλος για την Ανατομία του φόβου.Πολύ ωραίο,σαφώς μια πρωτότυπη ιδέα να σκιτσάρει και να γράφει ταυτόχρονα ο συγγραφέας ταυτόχρονα με μια αστυνομική ιστορία με σωστή δομή.Το θεματάκι που είχε ο δολοφόνος δεν ήταν κάνα πρωτότυπο,όμως αναλύθηκε τόσο όσο,χωρίς να γίνει κουραστικό.Το "Παραφυσικό" στοιχείο,η δύναμη της πίστης,η διαίσθηση,η ενόραση κλπ που υπάρχουν σε σχέση με τον ήρωα και τη γιαγιά του,κάθε άλλο παρά ενοχλητικό ήταν,γιατί δικαιολογήθηκε λόγω καταγωγής της γιαγιάς😉😉.Μπορεί να μην ήταν κανένα τρελό αριστούργημα που θα θυμάμαι για πάντα,αλλά ελλείψει αρνητικών στοιχείων.....ταρατατα ταρατατατα......5⭐
• 
  matilde

  muy buen libro, los dibujos le suman mucho.
• 
  Froso Koust

  Ωραια πινελιά τα σκίτσα....κάτι πρωτότυπο....εύκολο διαβαστο κλασική αστυνομική υπόθεση όχι και τίποτα σπουδαίο.
• 
  Rodrigo

  Libro entretenido pero que no me llego a enganchar del todo. 5/10
• 
  Sandie

  A serial killer is stalking the streets of New York. He leaves his victims posed, a sketch of their murder left on the bodies. Detective Terri Russo is the lead detective on the case and she knows she needs help. This killer is different from the usual gang killings and domestic violence cases she gets where the killer is fairly easy to find. She recruits someone from within the department she thinks can help.
  
  Nate Rodriguez is the police sketch artist. His portraits, done not by the computer but freehand by him as he interviews the victim, are so lifelike that it they are like arrows pointing directly to the criminals. Nate isn't sure exactly how it works but as he talks to the victims, his mind is able to visualize what they are saying and he is able to draw a face more accurate than the victim can describe. He has an art degree along with a criminal psychology one. He went through the police academy but the street didn't suit him and he has been a sketch artist for most of his police career. Can he and Terri stop this killer?
  
  The author of this novel, Jonathan Santlofer, is also a talented artist. Along with the text, he has illustrated the action with his sketches of what the killer and Nate both would draw. These images help the reader see how Nate's work could be of value to the police effort. This book won the Nero Wolfe Award for best novel and Santlofer's art is displayed in museums such as the Metropolitan Museum Of Art and The Art Institute Of Chicago. The interplay of text and images give added dimension to the story as does the relationship that grows between Nate and Terri. This book is recommended for mystery readers.
• 
  Jesús Cardeña Morales

  No me ha gustado del todo. Prefería la trilogía anterior.
  Me siento un poco estafado en este libro, porque cuando te venden un libro realista policíaco y al final termina siendo una pseudohistoria ciencia-ficción con tintes esotéricos y donde el que pillen al criminal se logra gracias a unos poderes extrasensoriales del protagonista... lo siento, pero no me lo trago.
  La historia es un despropósito de principio a fin, aparte de que los protagonistas es imposible empatizar con ellos. ¿Dónde ha quedado esa Kate McKinnon de las anteriores novelas? En serio, esta novela para ser la última que ha escrito el autor, parece la primera.
  Lo único que ha impedido que le pusiera menos de tres estrellas es que es muy buena idea acompañar a la lectura con ilustraciones y fotos. Pero nada más.
• 
  GreekReaders

  Από τα βιβλία που παίρνεις "στην τύχη" και τελικά προκύπτουν να είναι μια επιτυχημένη αγορά.
  
  Κυλάει πολύ γρήγορα, διαβάζεται εύκολα χωρίς ιδιαίτερες απαιτήσεις για απόλυτη συγκέντρωση, ένα μεγάλο τμήμα του, μάλιστα, το διάβασα κατά τη διάρκεια ταξιδιού. Η υπόθεση είναι πρωτότυπη, καθώς δεν είναι μόνο η αστυνομικός η κεντρική ηρωίδα, αλλά και ένας σκιτσογράφος! Μέσα στις σελίδες του, λοιπόν, βλέπεις και τα σκίτσα που περιγράφονται στην εκάστοτε σελίδα, εξαιρετική σύλληψη από τον συγγραφέα, αξίζει μπράβο! Πέντε αστέρια από εμένα, για ένα βιβλίο που έθεσε ψηλά τον πήχη για τα επόμενα της σειράς.
  
  Μ.
• 
  Alejandro

  Mi rating oficial seria como de 3.5 estrellas. El libro te gana por esta innovadora forma de contar una historia (O por lo menos hasta ahora no había leído algo así). Si te llega a mantener en suspenso varías ocasiones. Sin embargo siento que al inicio tardas en acostumbrarte a cómo salta de un tipo de redacción a otra, hay situaciones que creo se pudieron omitir o no darle tanta importancia para que no se sintiera tanto la ficción y algunos personajes creo q merecían más desarrollo que otros. Lo recomiendo, pasando los primeros capítulos ya logra atraparte, es una buena historia que fácil podría estar en un capítulo de Criminal Minds.
• 
  Ana Nabais

  Gostei imenso deste livro, o autor tem uma escrita muito agradável e sendo desenhador acrescenta aquele pormenor visual dos seus desenhos o que torna o livro ainda mais apelativo.
  Nate Rodriguez é um desenhador freelancer que trabalha para a policia fazendo retratos a partir das descrições das vitimas, é dotado de uma intuição que o faz desenhar fielmente o rosto dos criminosos.
  A detective Terri Russo vai requisitar a sua ajuda num caso de um assassino que deixa sempre um desenho junto aos cadáveres.
  Enquanto vão desvendando este enigma Nate vai ser confrontado com a verdade que procura há 20 anos, o assassínio do seu pai, também ele detective e que nunca foi resolvido.
• 
  Shauna

  To be honest, 3.5 stars but not enough to push it to 4. It was weak in the beginning on structure. The story seemed to struggle with its characters and direction. The longer I read it seemed to settled into a better rhythm (either that or I got use to the author’s writing style).
  
  As a portrait artist I loved the artistic elements that are in this book, both in the story and the visual elements. It adds a unique touch to the novel and brings the creator’s two loves together.
  
  I am very interested in reading the next Nate Rodriguez book.
• 
  Miss Wingfield

  Πραγματικά αγάπησα το συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο. Ήταν μια αγορά εντελώς τυχαία και μου κάνει ακόμα εντύπωση το πως αποδείχτηκε τόσο καλό. Το πάντρεμα της αφήγησης με τα σκίτσα , ευφυές, οι χαρακτήρες συμπαθέστατοι και αρκετά ολοκληρωμένοι, η λύση ικανοποιητικότατη. Η γραφή απλή και μεστή. Ένα από τα αστυνομικά που θα θυμάμαι. Ανυπομονώ να ξανασυναντήσω τον Νειτ και την Τερι!
• 
  Filipe Bica

  Neste livro temos um assassino em série que deixa uma ‘marca’ muito característica nos locais do crime: desenhos. A investigação conta com a ajuda de um ex-polícia que se dedica a retratos robot feitos à mão. Gostei muito da maneira como Santlofer adicionou as imagens para tornar a parte visual mais fácil.
  Contudo, achei a narrativa um pouco confusa e demasiado descritiva.
• 
  Selin Yazıcı

  önemli bir meseleyi basit bir konu ve süslenmiş bir kitapla anlatılması kitabın kendini okutmasına olanak sağladı. polisiye kitaplarını okuduktan üç ay sonra genel hatları dışında detay pek hatırlayamam ancak bu kitaptaki süsleme olayları bu durumu tamamen ortadan kaldırıp akılda bırakıcı kılmış.
• 
  Robertus

  An interesting novel with lots of great figure and face drawing. A combination of suspence, mistic, and police investigation. In many part, we can found some unexpected and surprised event or incident. For me, it's a new experience in reading a novel and a must try one.
• 
  Linda

  I liked the mythical side of Nate Rodriquez NYPD sketch artist. Unfortunately reading it in paperback the sketches he drew were not always easy to see well. The story was a little slow. I see more of these were written so I might try another one in this series.
• 
  Nenas

  Comprei este livro meio às cegas numa feira de usados sem qualquer expetativa e acabei por me surpreender. Não é o melhor policiar/thriller de sempre mas ainda assim é um bom livro com uma escrita e um enredo que dão imensa vontade de ler mais e mais. Gostei (3,5 estrelas)
• 
  Giovanna Zuluaga

  Un concepto diferente en cuanto a los libros que acostumbro leer, te mantiene en continuo suspenso y está cuidadosamente escrito.
• 
  Julie

  This story has an interesting concept and I love the mystery.
• 
  Ioanna Kel

  A nice reading. I could give 5 stars if it didn't have all these spiritual details :)
• 
  Virginia Flores

  Nunca había leído a este autor, pero me ha gustado. Es un libro entretenido, y sin duda podrías leer más obras de Jonathan Santlofer☺️
  
• 
  Lyna M. Perez

  Interesting story. Loved the sketches. The main character is a bit flat in personality but it still reads okay. I loved his grandmother. It has short chapters that made me want to keep reading.
• 
  San Hernan

  No me va este rollo de dibujitos, no está hecho para mí.
• 
  Anna Zhylenko

  It's an interesting, dynamic, easy to read book.