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Perfect Angel
A post-hypnotic suggestion reveals to Julia Mallet that the killer who turned the reunion of her college friends into a tragedy and left a psychic calling card is one of those same friends. Reprint.
376 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 1, 1997
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49 people want to read
About the author
Seth Margolis
14 books42 followersSeth is a writer whose most recent novel, THE SEMPER SONNET, will be published on April 19. He is the author of six earlier novels, including LOSING ISAIAH, which was made into a film starring Halle Berry and Jessica Lange.
Seth lives with his wife, Carole, in New York City. They have two grown children, Maggie and Jack. Seth received a BA in English from the University of Rochester and an MBA in marketing from New York University’s Stern School of Business Administration. When not writing fiction, he is a branding consultant for a wide range of companies, primarily in the financial services, technology and pharmaceutical industries. He has written articles for the New York Times and other publications on travel and entertainment.
Seth lives with his wife, Carole, in New York City. They have two grown children, Maggie and Jack. Seth received a BA in English from the University of Rochester and an MBA in marketing from New York University’s Stern School of Business Administration. When not writing fiction, he is a branding consultant for a wide range of companies, primarily in the financial services, technology and pharmaceutical industries. He has written articles for the New York Times and other publications on travel and entertainment.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 4, 2016
If I could use only one word to describe this book it would be superficial.
There was no real depth to any of the characters. even at the end we know very little about any of them - other than who the Wizard is. There is an attempt at a romantic liaison, which was not successful.
I found it impossible to connect with any of the characters, and I never once got that OMG I can't bear to put this book down feeling. There is very little if any scene setting, no atmosphere.
The plot showed plenty of promise and there were a few really good moments in Perfect Angel, but they were few and far between. Overall, I was hugely disappointed in this read and would not recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for the gift of a copy of Perfect Angel in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
There was no real depth to any of the characters. even at the end we know very little about any of them - other than who the Wizard is. There is an attempt at a romantic liaison, which was not successful.
I found it impossible to connect with any of the characters, and I never once got that OMG I can't bear to put this book down feeling. There is very little if any scene setting, no atmosphere.
The plot showed plenty of promise and there were a few really good moments in Perfect Angel, but they were few and far between. Overall, I was hugely disappointed in this read and would not recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for the gift of a copy of Perfect Angel in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
July 17, 2015
A grim prologue. A birthday party with a bit of hypnosis, quickly followed by suspicion, fear and murder. It was a bit of a slow starter but then the pace picked up nicely. Emily was a very irritating child to say the least and some of the other characters were annoying too. This was a pretty good thriller on the whole despite feeling a bit dated. Provided by publisher and Netgalley.
January 17, 2025
At Julia Mallet's 35th birthday celebration, a harmless party game goes terribly awry. The next day Julia's neighbor is brutally and senselessly slain--the first victim of a psychopath who will kill again and again. And the maniac has left a calling card that only Julia can read--the result of a post-hypnotic suggestion she inadvertently lodged in the subconscious minds of her closest friends the night before. And now Julia knows without a doubt that one of the six people she loves and trusts most in the world is a murderer.
I was quite surprised with this book, it was really great and better than I had expected. It had that ‘Agatha Christie’ element to it, where there were 13 to dinner, but who is the murderer. In this case who is the murderer after the hypnotist releases something bad unknowing. I never guessed who it was and all the characters alibis are very weak. There is a love interest too between Julia and Ray the detective on the case, but is it going to be a happy ending for Julia ? Well I’m not saying but I would highly recommend this book as it was a fab read.
I was quite surprised with this book, it was really great and better than I had expected. It had that ‘Agatha Christie’ element to it, where there were 13 to dinner, but who is the murderer. In this case who is the murderer after the hypnotist releases something bad unknowing. I never guessed who it was and all the characters alibis are very weak. There is a love interest too between Julia and Ray the detective on the case, but is it going to be a happy ending for Julia ? Well I’m not saying but I would highly recommend this book as it was a fab read.
February 8, 2021
Enjoyed this because even though I knew the reasons behind the murders I didn't know who until the end and what a twist to the end. It kept me guessing and wanting to find out who.
July 12, 2015
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review.
The Madison 7: Gail, Richard, Julia, Paula, Martin, Marianne & Jared attended college together and had been friends since. Julia has a party and they want her to hypnotize them like she did in college so they could relive there college days. Nobody knew it would unlock a serial killer buried deep in the psych of one of the seven.
Ray is the detective assigned to the investigation. He has his own demons but believes from the beginning the hypnosis Julia put the seven under at the party is the key to solving the case.
The investigation uncovers secrets each of the college friends wished to remain buried and tears friendships apart.
Throughout the book I jumped from suspecting one person to the next of being the killer. It kept me reading to discover who the actual killer was. The underlying relationship between the detective & Julia was a story within itself.
The Madison 7: Gail, Richard, Julia, Paula, Martin, Marianne & Jared attended college together and had been friends since. Julia has a party and they want her to hypnotize them like she did in college so they could relive there college days. Nobody knew it would unlock a serial killer buried deep in the psych of one of the seven.
Ray is the detective assigned to the investigation. He has his own demons but believes from the beginning the hypnosis Julia put the seven under at the party is the key to solving the case.
The investigation uncovers secrets each of the college friends wished to remain buried and tears friendships apart.
Throughout the book I jumped from suspecting one person to the next of being the killer. It kept me reading to discover who the actual killer was. The underlying relationship between the detective & Julia was a story within itself.
December 30, 2015
I received a copy of this book from the publishers in return for an honest review ... the book was brilliant. Thoroughly enjoyed the twisted turns of the serial killer called the Wizard. Seven people are party to a "hypnotic" event which changes the lives of other people in fatal ways.
The characters are drawn clearly and you feel very involved with them and their human flaws. The plot is taut and engaging .. exactly what a good thriller should be.
Highly recommended, will be looking out for more books by this author.
The characters are drawn clearly and you feel very involved with them and their human flaws. The plot is taut and engaging .. exactly what a good thriller should be.
Highly recommended, will be looking out for more books by this author.
October 19, 2016
Nederlandse titel: Dodelijk ritueel
De knipperlicht relatie tussen Julia en Ray had totaal geen meerwaarde of diepgang.
Ik vond de schrijfstijl ook niet heel prettig.. Wat misschien ook wel te zien is aan de tijd die het duurde om dit boek uit te lezen. Door de wisselende reviews heb ik toch besloten door te zetten, maar als ik eerlijk ben interesseerde het me allang niet meer wie het nou gedaan had.
Ik raad dit boek niet aan.
De knipperlicht relatie tussen Julia en Ray had totaal geen meerwaarde of diepgang.
Ik vond de schrijfstijl ook niet heel prettig.. Wat misschien ook wel te zien is aan de tijd die het duurde om dit boek uit te lezen. Door de wisselende reviews heb ik toch besloten door te zetten, maar als ik eerlijk ben interesseerde het me allang niet meer wie het nou gedaan had.
Ik raad dit boek niet aan.
April 27, 2015
This story kept me on the edge of my seat from the first chapter to the very end! Unlike most mysteries, the ending was superb in that after you find out who the killer is ... the story keeps going and gets even better, adding more depth to the story. I was equally enthralled in the time setting ... phonebooths, CD's - no internet. Brings me back to the greater times in life.
July 19, 2015
I could not finish this book simply because of the way it was formatted. It was hard to discern who was talking or who the focus was on. One sentence you will be reading about one character or following one conversation, and the next it was a totally different person/conversation on a totally different topic. This made it difficult to follow the story.
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February 10, 2017Ned. Titel: dodelijk ritueel
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews