THIS BOOK WAS SORT OF STRANGE IN A GOOD WAY, BASICALLY IT WAS A GOOD READ I COULD'NT STOP READING.IT. THE PROFILER ALWAYS .GETS HIS MAN. THIS HAD A TWIST IN IT AND THAT KEEPS THE PAGES TURNING ( )

The impaled bodies of two male victims are discovered in a cemetery with the cryptic message “I have returned” on their torsos. When the impaled body of a criminal defense attorney is subsequently found, the killer is given the nickname The Impaler, named for Vlad the Impaler, upon whom Bram Stroker’s Dracula was based. This is the first case for FBI agent Sam Markham since his promotion to Raleigh, North Carolina. Markham, still grieving his wife’s death, tries not to be distracted by the execution date of her killer looming in the near future. He immerses himself in the investigation, frustrated by the lack of DNA or trace evidence at each crime scene. He begins to suspect the serial killer’s reason for impaling his victims has nothing to do with Vlad Tepes but is connected to a stolen Babylonian seal and the god Nergal, guardian of the underworld. At first the victims seem to have nothing in common but Markham finds a connection and he and his team begin to close in on their killer whose kills are escalating and who always seems one step ahead of them. As Markham zeroes in, he’s unaware the Impaler is now focused on him.

Funaro came out swinging with The Sculptor and does not disappoint his readers with The Impaler. Although some scenes are gruesome, they are intrinsic to the plot and well-executed. The characterization of the serial killer is fascinating as the reader learns of past traumas he experienced that formed him into the deranged monster he is. One sympathizes with Markham and his ongoing bereavement of his wife’s violent death. The plot is complicated yet so well-written readers will not have trouble following along. Rarely does this reviewer read a book that captures the attention so thoroughly. Characterization, plot, and dialogue excel. Funaro proves himself worthy of status on the best-seller list with this intense, electrifying thriller which deserves more than 5 stars. ( )

Another well-researched, frightening serial killer mystery from Gregory Funaro. Sam Markham appears again as the sadly damaged FBI agent hunting for a serial killer dubbed (incorrectly) Vlad the Impaler. This is a prequel to The Sculptor, so we are actually "introduced" to Sam as agent, even though we've met him before.

This book gave me nightmares because The Impaler (the General, Edmund)is a sick, scary man! (I often wonder about authors who have the imagination to devise such damaged characters. Where does THAT come from?!) But what makes Mr. Funaro's books a cut about your typical serial killer novel is the knowledge you gain along the way. In The Sculptor I was fascinated by Michelangelo's life & facts about his era I never heard before. In The Impaler, I learned more about Vlad the Impaler & his techniques than I really ever wished to know. And there is mixed in historical & mythological information that is not found in your average novel. All of these facts, are intricately woven with the back-story of The Impaler to compose a dense, plot and jaw dropping resolution. Add to that Sam's own tragedy that he must deal with, and you have a fascinating, can't-put-it-down novel.

Thank you Gregory Funaro, for the opportunity to read this book. I can't wait for another!(less) ( )

I really jumped into this book wanting to really engross myself in the pages, because it takes place in the town I was born and raised. However, Gregory Funaro did a better job on his debut book The Sculptor. The reason I was not as enchanted with this book like I wanted to be was because the villain was a little too quirky for me. Having a psychotic villain is one thing, but one who is constantly hallucinating and going off into different realms after a while caused me to become a little disconnected and bored with that character.

As I was going through the novel I began to get a little tired of reading names like Ereshkigal over and over, and the complex algorithms that the killer was doing in his mind to make all the dots connect. It rang in my head like the horrible Jim Carey movie, "The Number 23". If 9 and 9 is 18, and we multiply by the circumference of Jupiter and then do a mass quantitative matrix of pi then subtract eggs we'll get a Venn diagram of tiramisu! Also, I think throwing in a few pictures of the symbols may have fixed this issue for me.

Oddly enough The main protagonist was way more developed in the first book, yet in this book felt extremely stale for some reason. No, offense Mr. Funaro I know that writing a book can be a very painstaking process, but in my opinion The Impaler just wasn't my cup o' tea. The Sculptor had me genuinely worried for the main characters, but in writing a prequel, lets just say my overall concern for Sam Markham's life and well being was at a negative 10. I never had any of those moments where I'd say to myself, "Oh wow, how is he going to get out of this situation. He's probably going to bite the dust or be really scarred up after this altercation." Reason being: I already read "The Sculptor", and Markham had no visible problems, limp, disfigured face, etc..

Perhaps on Gregory Funaro's next book he can come up with a more developed main character and perhaps a villain I will enjoy seeing toppled, rather than feeling like "Meh, thank goodness it's over." ( )

The Impaler is the second book by Gregory Funaro and is a prequel of sorts to The Sculptor, which I was privileged to read and review earlier this year. I say, "prequel" merely because it takes place about three years prior to the events of The Sculptor and features FBI agent Sam Markham. But otherwise this is very much a stand-alone book and the reader does not need to read one to appreciate the other.

Wow, what a novel! I've read thrillers of all sorts for over 10 years and have learned to spot the winners from the also-rans. Gregory Funaro writes winners and this one is truly a gem in this crowded field. The plot concerns the above mentioned FBI agent and his journey to catch a serial killer. Sounds like a million other plots out there but that is just about all that is "normal" about this novel. It's not your typical thriller plot of "killer commits crime; sleuth spends two thirds of novel finding clues; sleuth closes in on killer; sleuth catches/kills killer after nearly blowing it." Instead this is a very intricate plot with multiple layers to the main characters and is not at all predictable.

And it's an absolute page turner. I finished the last 200 pages in one sitting because I just had to keep going.

I think what truly sets this novel apart is the depth of characterization the author brings to the bad guy. In his first novel, The Sculptor, Mr. Funaro does an incredible job with developing the bad guy character but in this one, he truly goes above and beyond. We get to experience the Impaler's very life from childhood to present day from his point of view and, indeed, he almost becomes a protagonist himself. And this is one baaad dude. For a reader to feel like they understand him and his motivations, despite his nature, (like I did) is a great feat for a writer to pull off.

I will say that this novel is not for the faint of heart. There are lots of bloody, violent scenes, horrifying even in their detail but it is absolutely necessary to portray the events realistically. The pacing of the book is awesome; a lot happens but the furious pace is interspersed with excellent back-story building and scene setting. Much as I thought his first novel was fantastic for a new author, this one proves Gregory Funaro deserves to stand with the great writers of the genre. ( )