Face of the Assassin
By David Lindsey

     Paul Bern is a forensic artist who reconstructs the likeness of victims whose features have been obliterated by accident or crime. He is living in Austin, Texas, trying to come to terms with the death of his wife. She was killed in a boating accident which left his goddaughter, Alice, with a brain injury, cognitive disconnection, which is the inability to recognize and understand the meaning of words.

     His routine is disrupted when an unknown woman brings him a human skull which she alleges is her husband's. She wants it reconstructed. In the process of reconstruction he realizes that the skull is identical to his own.

     Contacted by the government he learns that the skull belongs to his twin brother, Jude, who he didn't know he had. He is blackmailed into taking Jude’s place in a mission against a Middle Eastern terrorist group headed by the most feared terrorist, Ghazi Barda.

     Assisting him in his dangerous mission is beautiful agent, Susanna Mejca. Together they fight to thwart the terrorists. Their efforts are complicated and made more threatening by Vincente Mondragon who is seeking revenge for his face having been removed in a drug vendetta.

     The plot is a complex and compelling one. The psychological suspense is great, with Paul trying to retain his own identity while attempting to immerse himself in that of his brother. He must maintain an even balance to keep his sanity. The characters are well developed, each with his own flaws. Lindsey brings both Texas and Mexico alive with his descriptions. The action is fast moving with a shocking twist at the end.