Das Flüstern der Toten

Violet Eyes #1

by Stephen Woodworth, Wolfgang Taschner (Herausgeber), Helmut Gerstberger (Übersetzer)

In a world where the dead can testify against the living, someone is getting away with murder.

To every generation a select few souls are born with violet-coloured eyes - and the ability to channel the dead. Both rare and precious, and rigidly controlled by a society that craves their services, these Violets perform a number of different social duties.

But now the Violets themselves have become the target of a brutal serial murderer - a murderer who has learned how to mask his or her identity even from the victims. Can FBI agent Dan Atwater, aided by Violet Natalie Lindstrom, uncover the criminal in time? Or will more of Natalie's race be dispatched to the realm that has haunted them all since childhood?

Genres: Mystery, Paranormal, Fiction, Thriller, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Horror

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Stephen Woodworth is the author of the New York Times bestselling Violet Series of paranormal thrillers, including Through Violet Eyes, With Red Hands, In Golden Blood, and From Black Rooms. His short fiction has appeared in such publications as Weird Tales, Realms of Fantasy, Fantasy & Science Fiction, Year's Best Fantasy, Black Wings IV and V, and Midian Unmade. You may find him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/stephen.wood....

Reviews

[Mir · Rating 2 out of 5]

The concept of the "Violets" with their ability to channel the spirits of the dead was interesting, and placing it in a murder plot that involved the FBI was fine, but the writing and characterization were pretty heavy-handed. The longer I read the more bored I got, and by halfway I was just continuing because I'd invested time and money and wanted to know who the killer was. The 'romance' was pretty cringe, too.

Note for romance fans: It's not very romantic, and also he'll die at the end, so.

[Repix Pix · Rating 2 out of 5]

La idea está bien pero el libro es tontísimo y aburridísimo.

[Linda Strong · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book several years ago and thought it was time for a re-read. I remembered most of the story, mainly because it's such a change of pace from what I normally read.

Natalie Lindstrom is a Violet. She's one of a group of select investigators who have the 'gift' of being able to interview victims of violent crime. This allows the victims to testify against their killers through the Violet.

But now someone is targeting all the Violets. Special Agent Dan Atwater is Natalie's bodyguard until the killer is caught.

At first, Dan is reluctant to touch Natalie, he was involved in a shooting and does not want any dead people contacting him through her. She doesn't think much of him, either. But they soon realize they are going to have to work together to get to the truth ... and danger comes from a source they never imagined.

I really enjoyed this series. I like the characters. I'm not too sure I would want a 'gift' like Natalie's, but she handles it well. Dan is such a guy! He has a wonderful sense of humor, but is dead serious when it comes to protecting those in his care.

The story is well-written. There are times I had to really call upon my imagination, but I was so caught up in the action, it didn't bother me much. I'm glad I took the time to re-read this one.

[Becky Churchman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh, I don't even know where to start with this. Cliché story about a fallen FBI agent who tries to redeem himself. Has to protect a woman, they end up falling in love (of course), and he dies. She ends up being pregnant with his child at the end. Gag me with a spoon. A suspense story should not be so obvious. I like the whole premise of the Violets, but every law enforcement officer in this story (cop, FBI, CIA) seems completely inept. The main character (FBI guy) seems so naïve.

Furthermore, the descriptions of the characters are terrible. "...in walked a Chinese American male..." Really? How did you just happen to know that? Did he have "Chinese American" tattooed to his forehead? Every character is described this way...except the white people. You know, because we can just assume they're white since he doesn't mention it. Kudos to the author for including a large multi-cultural/racial cast, but there's gotta be a better way of telling us these things.

[Yolanda Sfetsos · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to admit that the concept of this book totally grabbed me. After reading the blurb, I knew I wanted to read this book. And I loved it!

In this alternate universe, the Violets are people who can channel the dead. They are born with the skill and all have violet eyes. They also have some fascinating jobs within society and are actively expected to help out whenever the authorities need them. They are also closely monitored and controlled by the NAACC, and often testify in court by serving as conduits to the dead.

When someone starts killing Violets, FBI agent Dan teams up with Violet Natalie to solve the murders, while also babysitting her to make sure she's kept save. As more of the people from Natalie's past turn up dead, it becomes obvious that she could be the next target. The longer Dan spends with Natalie, the more his reluctance to have anything to do with Violets fades.

The mystery of who and why the killer is targetting Violets was fantastically woven, with new clues exposed along the way that made it look as if Dan and Natalie were on the right track, only to be pushed in another direction. The red herrings were cleverly thrown in, and even when I started suspecting someone, I was suddenly pushed off course.

Through Violet Eyes is an intriguing and interesting book that sucked me in from the very beginning. The concept of the Violet's ability is amazing, every detail so planned out that by the final revelation, you can't help but nod your head and appreciate just how clever this book was. And the black room - where souls are trapped until they move on - is described so vividly that I got chills just thinking about it.

The end left me feeling a little melancholy. There's a shade of deep sadness, but the spark of hope intrigued me. Since this is the first book in a series, I can't wait to read more! This is a seriously great book.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mixed feelings on this one. I like the premise, being able to talk to the dead through the "Violets", but I had trouble accepting that these poeple would be forced into service and be bound to continue working through intimidation. I also never really understood what the motivation was for the killer and how his accomplice met her end. Since this is a first novel, I am inclined to give the second one a chance. While the first one wasn't horrible, the second one might be better and I did feel a connection with the heroine and I would like to know what happens to her.

[Majo's Library. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fué como un disparo.
Toda la fuerza y la potencia en las primeras páginas, para dejar luego un largo tramo de "dolor" aburrido.

Los Violetas, son personas (con ojos color violeta valga la redundancia) que tienen la capacidad de ver el momento de su muerte y reconocer al asesino, uno de ellos, la violeta Natalie Lindstrom junto con Dan Atwaker agente del FBI trabajarán juntos para perseguir y atrapar a un asesino en serie.

[Lucille P Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn't exactly a review. I hate to tell the story of any novel. Rather, I prefer to try and entice the readers to pick up certain books. If you like the psychic talents that many people believe are used by the more fortunate ones of the human race, then you'll like Stephen Woodworth's series on Violet Eyes.

I really liked Through Violet Eyes mainly because the criminals could not escape their victims as easily as we thought. The idea of a person being able to talk with the dead is not a new one, however, Stephen put a new slant to it, making me wish that his way of doing it was real. I own a copy of this book that a friend gave me many years ago and I kept it for my personal library. My daughters have read the book and enjoyed it. You will experience a wide range of emotions running from pleasure to pain and heartache.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I started reading this book I had the next three in the series on my TBR, immediately after finishing this book all of them went onto my posted books shelf. The story had such an interesting concept and plot and in the hands of a better writer it would have had the potential to be amazing, but this writer has more creativity than skill. It also seemed somewhat like torture porn in the descriptions of the deaths, it was somewhat like the writer, or the narrator at least, was enjoying what they were describing. It was frequent and off putting. Plus I don't understand the many mentions of a surprise ending, I figured out the who done it at least two thirds through the book but I had an inclining even earlier and the finale was a little unexpected but not shocking. It gets a three out of five from me.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty neat idea. In many ways, this book is structured like your standard catch-the-killer story, but with the twist of having the Violets, who can channel the spirits of the dead. For me, I would have liked to have more POV chapters from the Violet character, but that's just me. I'm a sucker for the, "oh, that's neat" part.

The world seemed to be structured such that having the phenomenon of the Violets was well thought-out and resonant in the culture.

Fast pace, and I didn't find myself thinking about the ham and cheese sandwich in the next room. Not earthshaking stuff, but a fun thriller. I may read another by this author.

BTW, turned on to the series from hearing the author read at World Horror, if that matters to anyone.

[jenn *mother of dragon & snake* · Rating 4 out of 5]

February 2026

It's been years since I've read this book and it's been a while since I read an actual hold in your hand book. I've missed it I think.

I remembered that this series is about the paranormal and while I remembered some things there are quite a few things I completely forgot about. I'm glad I'm getting back into reading and already starting the next one.

_________________

I have read this series so many times when I was younger when I wanted something suspensful and legit kind of creepy.

I'm looking forward to reading these again as an adult to see if I still have the same love for them like I did as a kid.

[David Irons · Rating 5 out of 5]

The basic premise of this novel is ace. In a nut shell: psychics (Violets) are used to resurrect murder victims in police procedures to help find their killers. This idea is used to its fullest in this novel, weaving the idea through many scenarios that are imaginative and intelligent. The lead characters are likeable and engaging, and you really root for them as they try and uncover the identity of a serial killer targeting Violets. The whole book had a film noir crossed with a ‘90s thriller feel — it really should be a movie — an atmosphere you can almost feel on the page. I’m looking forward to reading the others in this series.

[Audrey · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story was interesting but I predicted the ending about halfway through.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I debated about how to classify this book because it doesn't fit the fantasy genre (no magic exactly, current day setting), nor the science fiction genre (only sort of science, current day - not future), so I settled on urban fantasy by default because it does fit the current day setting, but I think it might be better to think of it as an alternate reality mystery/thriller. (I probably need to just add a speculative fiction category and be done with it.)

Premise for the alternate reality: There are rare people all around the world naturally born with violet eyes (aka Violets) who can communicate with the dead. Or perhaps more accurately, who cannot ward off the spirits of the dead constantly trying to communicate to the world through them. The North American Afterlife Communication Corps (NAACC), as well as other organizations around the world, finds these people and trains them in their abilities. They then get jobs with various law enforcement agencies to help them solve murders, or become conduits for long-dead famous masters of the arts so that they can continue to create from the beyond. (And probably other things, too, but these are the only jobs mentioned so far.) Retiring from the NAACC to get out of one's assigned career is heavily discouraged.

In this book, the main character, Natalie, is brought in to assist the FBI in finding a serial killer targeting Violets. Somewhat creepy, but engrossing. All in all, a successful combination of two of my favorite genres. There are 3 other books in the series that I've added to my wishlist, too. I got the recommendation for this book from reading through back issues of Charles de Lint's book review column in the Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction when looking for new stuff I hadn't heard of, and it has paid off for me so far.

[StarMan]

VERDICT:   DNF at around 25%, then skimmed the rest. But lovers of off-kilter serial-killer mysteries may easily rate it 3+ stars.

No BIG spoilers below, if you've read the back cover blurb, inside blurb, and seen the cover art (purple eye*)

Not a bad concept:   there are only a few gifted (cursed?) Violets* in the world. They are being mysteriously slaughtered, one by one -- maybe because the Violets' job is to expose murderers. Or does the killer have unimaginable motives?

* because of course they are special, and have special eye color (I actually did not mind this trope at all in THIS book, even though it's overused in books today).

I made a guess at the killer/twist early on. Then I got bored with the slow progression and the somewhat inept detectives. The writing style was decent to good, but with some occasional phrases or passages that could have been improved or made more realistic. Or maybe this 2004 book just seems a tad bit dated (but again: not bad).

SUPER-SENSITIVE READERS: [will contain moderate but not surprising spoilers]:
At least one death of a child. Being a crime novel, there's also rape and other stuff (not super-graphic, from the parts I read, but more details than some squeamish readers may enjoy).

Anyway, not a bad book, and definitely something different in the way of a paranormal/fantasy mystery plot.

As I skimmed the end, seems I was right about the killer... but there's at least one big twist or plot development I did NOT see coming!

If forced to rate this book solely on the parts I read, I'd say ~2.5 stars (okay, and not without some merit). But lovers of odd mysteries may easily rate it 3+.

[Lyanne Quay · Rating 2 out of 5]

L'ho trovato di una cupezza incredibile, finisce male ed è pure scritto coi piedi. Ha dalla sua una notevolissima intelligenza nelle trovate che si ispirano alla tradizione esoterica rielaborandola. Ecco che la preghiera per allontanare la posseissione da parte degli spiriti diviene il mantram personale che riconnette l'individuo alla sua vera personalità. Ecco che la conoscenza del nome segreto dell'individuo , da parte dello spirito gli da la possibilità di prendere possesso del soggetto. Ecco che i medium diventano una razza. Che la permanenza degli spiriti presso ciò che hanno amato (l'evangelico là dove è il tuo tesoro, è il tuo cuore) diventa legame quantico tra oggetti ed ex possessori. Ecco che l'inferno è uno stanzone buio, riconnettendosi alle tradizione teologica dell'inferno come "assenza di Dio". La scrittura imprecisa e affastellata di aggettivazione inutile richiede una lettura a senso, liquida veloce e alla fine il romanzo ti porta ansiosamente verso un finale... il che per i 7 euro che costa, rende l'acquisto assolutamente giustificato. Il finale è tuttavia rabberciato: vi sopravvive solo la lezione magistrale sulla dinamica della purificazione delle colpe nell'al di là. Il movente dei delitti che rappresentano l'ossatura del thriller, invece non si delinea credibilmente, riducendosi allo stress dei medium che lavorano a Quantico. La struttura della rivelazione non esiste e l'incedere del romanzo, in linea cone le più recenti tendenze del thriller viene affidata al ripertersi di crimini sempre più spaventosi.

[Aiyana · Rating 5 out of 5]

There exist a small number of people - "violets" - with an unusual power: the ability to see through the eyes of the deceased. The justice system uses them to help catch and convict murderers. So it was probably only a matter of time before someone decided to take them out. But their identities are - or should be - a tightly held secret. How is the murderer tracking them down in the first place? And once the violets know they are targets, will they help with the investigation or simply do their best to disappear?

I picked up this book a dew years ago after hearing the author speak at a convention and being very impressed. The book does not disappoint. This is a mystery thriller, the kind you can't put down easily. Aside from the basic supernatural premise, the storytelling is realistic and intense, and should appeal to fans of Harlan Coben and Lee Child.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading through some of the reviews I was much less impressed than most of the other reviewers. I give him credit on two things - The concept was original and quite good and there is a twist near the end that surprised me completely, most authors would be too scared to do something like kill the hero. The only problem was the writing was not terribly good, average at best. I am a crime drama fan and I didn't get the nervousness or sense of dread for the victim as I usually do. It wasn't bad exactly but also not good. I see it's a series and I have no desire to read any more of the books but I am glad I read this one if for only the two points I do concede to the author. I like to see someone with guts, even if they aren't a great writer. It's too bad we don't really have people with this ability, it would make the justice system so much more efficient.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this world, Violets are people who can summon the dead and speak for them. They are highly valued by the NAACC and usually threatened by them to continue their work. In this story, Violets are being murdered. A faceless man comes to them and kills them. At first, the murders are simple, the bodies vanish. Then the murders become more bloody. Natalie, a violet, is assigned to Dan of the FBI. Together they are trying to hunt down answers. Each murder brings it closer to Natalie. During the investigation, they become close and then become involved. In the end, Dan can't protect himself and is murdered but he is able to save Natalie by inhabiting her body. The killer was Evan, her one time love, and his sidekick Sondra, who was dead and helping him. This is a series, but not sure if I will continue. Dan dying really bothered me.

[Jax O · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first book by Stephen Woodworth. I was very impressed by this story, it was unlike anything else that I have read recently. This is definetly a recommendable book. It held quite a realistic view of societies view of the unknown. Dan's hestiatance with Natalie due to his fear of her ability was one that anyone could relate. I was pleased that he found a way to over come his stereotypes to really care for Natalie. It also interested me the effects of their ability was enough to make some of them crazy in the end, which it is quite believable if you were to spend your whole life talking to ghosts. I just learned that this book is part of a series called 'Violets'. I wonder if there will be just as good.

[T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an absolute delight. My friend, Leslie, and I picked it up at random, and it just goes to show that diamonds are out there in the offline world that deserve more love than all the hyped books combined.

I began a little reluctantly, I will admit, but it took no time at all for me to sink into the world and bathe in the narrative. The writing was tight without being dull, and it read very easily, very quickly. Straightforward yet stylish. Perfectly paced. So good, even from the get-go, and only improved from there.

With a very charming ending. :]

10/10 will continue the series.

[Nina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fast-paced alternate-reality thriller. There are people with violet eyes who can channel the dead. The "violets" can be used for anything from channeling long-dead composers and artists (presumably to continue their work) to bringing back the murdered to point out their killers. Natalie, one of our main protagonists is one of the latter. Except now it is the "violets" who are being targeted and she has to figure out who wants them dead. It was an enjoyable read. This series will probably become my guilty pleasure. I'm looking forward to reading the next one.

[Katarina Pisarova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice twist on a ghost story.
Nathalie "BOO" Lindstrom is a Violet. A "conduit" for the dead. A government "employee" who helps put criminals where they belong.

Only what is going to happen when someone starts picking off Violets one by one? Who is this mysterious killer? Will Boo and her FBI shadow Dan Atwater be able to stop him before its too late?

Realy liked the twist in the plot in this book.
If you like a good mystery and are a fan of fantasy try reading this.
I was not disappointed by this book

[Claudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Scary -- in this future time, 'Violet Eyes' have special powers to contact the dead. They use this power to become 'expert witnesses' at trials for violent crimes...they can connect with the victims and speak through them, reliving their deaths. But now, someone is killing off the Violet Eyes....An FBI agent attempts to protect Natalie, a Violet-Eye...they will both go to the very limits of human effort -- and beyond -- to stay save and together...

This is faster moving that King or Koontz, with the same punch of shock, horror, and blood.

[Elle Drue · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this book after a friend suggested it. It definitely wasn't my usual cup of tea. There were some vaguely interesting parts, but overall I found the whole novel boring. There was nothing special about it. The underlining romance wasn't very believable, and I found the characters to be deeply underdeveloped. The "twist" ending was very unexciting. I'd recommend this only if it gets made into a movie.

[Debbie is on Storygraph · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating premise and a completely realistic portrayal of the bureaucracy that would surround the government control of the power to be conduits between the dead and the living. And the twist ending really threw me. It took me a little while to get into the story but once I sat down and actually read it, I got caught up in the story and finished it in a few hours. I loved it.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half of the book is a tight, well-written thriller. There is a sense of mystery and dread and I was really hooked.

The second half is disappointing. It is rushed and the ending is abrupt. It is such a shame, especially considering the excellent first half.

Perhaps Woodworth could have spent more time or pages to flesh out the second half.

[Dascha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this concept! Violets are conduits to souls or dead people that haven't moved on. But what a life! Souls constantantly "knocking" in your head & trying to inhabit YOU to finish business on earth. And worse yet a govt entity using them & forcing them into servitude using their gift. Paranormal meets good mystery writing!

[Sarita Hammond · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED this book. Just my kind of fantasy. Completely different from anything i've read and that made it all the more exciting. I love a good murder mystery and this was that plus strange fantasy...nicely wrapped together.
The ending was a little sad for me, but still good. I'm excited to read the next book.

[Ben Loory · Rating 3 out of 5]

a well-written and fast-moving paranormal thriller, reminiscent of one of my favorite (mostly unknown) SF classics, philip jose farmer's Traitor to the Living. interesting concepts stacked like bricks and then thrown really hard at the main character.