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WITHOUT A FACE
“Fully engaging read from start to finish.”— Lorena Padureanu,
In 1967, Kurt and Alice are kidnapped late one night from their rural home. They fight back against their abductor, only to find that it’s a horrifying machine that only appeared to be human. Now, nothing about their quiet life is what it seems as they’re thrust into an unimaginable fight for survival in this riveting science fiction adventure.
A reality-warping thriller with a bruised heart
“I’d compare it to Blake Crouch’s Dark Matter in its interest in identity, reality, and the terror of being displaced from your own life, though Busch’s book feels more homespun, more mournful, and stranger around the edges.”— Literary Titan
Beguiling and immersive
“The excellent plot is presented as a mystery with light sci-fi elements, focusing on the tribulations of a couple fleeing from something that defies easy explanation. At the same time, subtle themes of love and what makes us truly human are a constant undercurrent in the narrative.” — Gaius Konstantine, Readers’ Favorite
For fans of Blake Crouch’s DARK MATTER, Tom Sweterlitsch’s THE GONE WORLD, and ALL OUR WRONG TODAYS by Elan Mastai
In 1967, Kurt and Alice are kidnapped late one night from their rural home. They fight back against their abductor, only to find that it’s a horrifying machine that only appeared to be human. Now, nothing about their quiet life is what it seems as they’re thrust into an unimaginable fight for survival in this riveting science fiction adventure.
A reality-warping thriller with a bruised heart
“I’d compare it to Blake Crouch’s Dark Matter in its interest in identity, reality, and the terror of being displaced from your own life, though Busch’s book feels more homespun, more mournful, and stranger around the edges.”— Literary Titan
Beguiling and immersive
“The excellent plot is presented as a mystery with light sci-fi elements, focusing on the tribulations of a couple fleeing from something that defies easy explanation. At the same time, subtle themes of love and what makes us truly human are a constant undercurrent in the narrative.” — Gaius Konstantine, Readers’ Favorite
For fans of Blake Crouch’s DARK MATTER, Tom Sweterlitsch’s THE GONE WORLD, and ALL OUR WRONG TODAYS by Elan Mastai
264 pages, Paperback
Published April 1, 2026
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July 17, 2026
Kicking off with a familiar name in news, Walter Cronkite, delivering sobering and all too relevant breaking updates regarding a deadly virus, author Lonnie Busch plays on readers’ reminiscing of the past as his latest book opens. Thrust back in time, with phones still corded to the wall, readers grapple Alice and Kurt’s reality as something seems off.
Immediately knocking readers off kilter, Busch instills fear as he sets the tone for another spectacular read. Blending science fiction with thrills, Busch is a natural at bringing terrifying realism to the world of science fiction.
Kidnapped from their own home, in the middle of the night, toured willingly through the very rooms they’ve spent their years, this stranger enters calmly and patiently as he leads Alice and Kurt to his car. Undisturbed by shotguns and knives, this stranger is unlike anything their mind can comprehend. As this dark, foreboding mystery unfolds, Busch saturates every moment with fear and a rising dread. With a chilling precision, Busch draws on sensory details to amplify the unease, from the ominous burning tip of a cigarette to the grinding of car gears, Busch crafts moments so vivid they crawl beneath the skin.
Escaping this stranger, Alice and Kurt wonder, barely alive, through the woods. After a life of not venturing far from home, this married older couple is suddenly forced on an adventure they never expected. Wondering and alone amongst a seemingly deserted landscape, weirdness and unexplained vastness greet them at every turn. Stumbling upon oddities, trying to make sense of the world they’ve found themselves thrust into, Busch captivates with this genre bending, fictional thrill ride.
Using his unique ability to push the limits of thought and perspective, Busch challenges readers to step beyond the familiar and confront ideas that unsettle, provoke, and ultimately expand our understanding of the universe.
Just when Alice and Kurt’s reality couldn’t get any stranger, Busch hurls us to the precipice as this plot explodes in a burst of unexpected brilliance. “Without A Face” concludes in the unmistakable way that has become synonyms with Busch’s storytelling, with endings both shocking and inevitable as his mind breaks the realities we’ve come to know. Rapidly becoming one of my favorite authors, the way Busch’s mind works, the way his plots unfurl, and the way his stories land is nothing short of phenomenal.
Immediately knocking readers off kilter, Busch instills fear as he sets the tone for another spectacular read. Blending science fiction with thrills, Busch is a natural at bringing terrifying realism to the world of science fiction.
Kidnapped from their own home, in the middle of the night, toured willingly through the very rooms they’ve spent their years, this stranger enters calmly and patiently as he leads Alice and Kurt to his car. Undisturbed by shotguns and knives, this stranger is unlike anything their mind can comprehend. As this dark, foreboding mystery unfolds, Busch saturates every moment with fear and a rising dread. With a chilling precision, Busch draws on sensory details to amplify the unease, from the ominous burning tip of a cigarette to the grinding of car gears, Busch crafts moments so vivid they crawl beneath the skin.
Escaping this stranger, Alice and Kurt wonder, barely alive, through the woods. After a life of not venturing far from home, this married older couple is suddenly forced on an adventure they never expected. Wondering and alone amongst a seemingly deserted landscape, weirdness and unexplained vastness greet them at every turn. Stumbling upon oddities, trying to make sense of the world they’ve found themselves thrust into, Busch captivates with this genre bending, fictional thrill ride.
Using his unique ability to push the limits of thought and perspective, Busch challenges readers to step beyond the familiar and confront ideas that unsettle, provoke, and ultimately expand our understanding of the universe.
Just when Alice and Kurt’s reality couldn’t get any stranger, Busch hurls us to the precipice as this plot explodes in a burst of unexpected brilliance. “Without A Face” concludes in the unmistakable way that has become synonyms with Busch’s storytelling, with endings both shocking and inevitable as his mind breaks the realities we’ve come to know. Rapidly becoming one of my favorite authors, the way Busch’s mind works, the way his plots unfurl, and the way his stories land is nothing short of phenomenal.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review