Jeffery Deaver Books

Author Jeffrey Deaver does it again! This is an immensely entertaining, page turning read for all thriller enthusiasts. The story line centers around an unknown killer unleashed upon Washington, D.C.. Known as the "Digger", this maniacal killer proceeds into D.C.'s Metro Station at 9:00 AM on New Year's Eve 1999 and begins a shooting spree that leaves many dead. The Digger has been instructed by an unknown criminal mastermind accomplice to kill hordes of people at clocked intervals on the eve of the millennium, unless a twenty million dollar demand for ransom is met. The ransom note is the only communication from this criminal genius who alone can control the actions of the killer. D.C.'s mayor agrees to pay the staggering ransom, but on the way to the drop, the accomplice appears to have been killed in a freak traffic accident. Who can now stop the "Digger" from his appointed rounds?

Enter Parker Kincaid, document examiner extraordinaire and former FBI agent. Kincaid has been called back as a consultant to assist the FBI who need to stop the killer before he kills again. Kincaid is a wonderful, fully fleshed character. A single parent with his own share of troubles, he is as interesting as is Lincoln Rhyme, another of Deaver's characters around whom several of his books have revolved. Interestingly enough, Rhyme has a cameo appearance in this book which should give Deaver's fans an added kick while reading this book. Like Rhyme, Kincaid is a master of deductive reasoning and is a thinking person's detective. It is interesting how his analysis of the ransom note provides clues for the FBI to follow up in their quest to stop the killer before it is too late.

The book is filled with numerous plot twists and turns, which should provide even the most jaded devotees of thrillers with a satisfying read. This action packed book keeps the reader guessing. Just when you think it's all over, you are yet once again surprised. The only criticism is that the end of the book strains the imagination. It almost borders on the absurd. Yet such is Deaver's writing that this does not impact unduly on the absolute enjoyment one will get from reading this book. It is a riveting read!

Author Jeffrey Deaver does it again! This is an immensely entertaining, page turning read for all thriller enthusiasts. The story line centers around an unknown killer unleashed upon Washington, D.C.. Known as the "Digger", this maniacal killer proceeds into D.C.'s Metro Station at 9:00 AM on New Year's Eve 1999 and begins a shooting spree that leaves many dead. The Digger has been instructed by an unknown criminal mastermind accomplice to kill hordes of people at clocked intervals on the eve of the millennium, unless a twenty million dollar demand for ransom is met. The ransom note is the only communication from this criminal genius who alone can control the actions of the killer. D.C.'s mayor agrees to pay the staggering ransom, but on the way to the drop, the accomplice appears to have been killed in a freak traffic accident. Who can now stop the "Digger" from his appointed rounds?

Enter Parker Kincaid, document examiner extraordinaire and former FBI agent. Kincaid has been called back as a consultant to assist the FBI who need to stop the killer before he kills again. Kincaid is a wonderful, fully fleshed character. A single parent with his own share of troubles, he is as interesting as is Lincoln Rhyme, another of Deaver's characters around whom several of his books have revolved. Interestingly enough, Rhyme has a cameo appearance in this book which should give Deaver's fans an added kick while reading this book. Like Rhyme, Kincaid is a master of deductive reasoning and is a thinking person's detective. It is interesting how his analysis of the ransom note provides clues for the FBI to follow up in their quest to stop the killer before it is too late.

The book is filled with numerous plot twists and turns, which should provide even the most jaded devotees of thrillers with a satisfying read. This action packed book keeps the reader guessing. Just when you think it's all over, you are yet once again surprised. The only criticism is that the end of the book strains the imagination. It almost borders on the absurd. Yet such is Deaver's writing that this does not impact unduly on the absolute enjoyment one will get from reading this book. It is a riveting read!

Author Jeffrey Deaver does it again! This is an immensely entertaining, page turning read for all thriller enthusiasts. The story line centers around an unknown killer unleashed upon Washington, D.C.. Known as the "Digger", this maniacal killer proceeds into D.C.'s Metro Station at 9:00 AM on New Year's Eve 1999 and begins a shooting spree that leaves many dead. The Digger has been instructed by an unknown criminal mastermind accomplice to kill hordes of people at clocked intervals on the eve of the millennium, unless a twenty million dollar demand for ransom is met. The ransom note is the only communication from this criminal genius who alone can control the actions of the killer. D.C.'s mayor agrees to pay the staggering ransom, but on the way to the drop, the accomplice appears to have been killed in a freak traffic accident. Who can now stop the "Digger" from his appointed rounds?

Enter Parker Kincaid, document examiner extraordinaire and former FBI agent. Kincaid has been called back as a consultant to assist the FBI who need to stop the killer before he kills again. Kincaid is a wonderful, fully fleshed character. A single parent with his own share of troubles, he is as interesting as is Lincoln Rhyme, another of Deaver's characters around whom several of his books have revolved. Interestingly enough, Rhyme has a cameo appearance in this book which should give Deaver's fans an added kick while reading this book. Like Rhyme, Kincaid is a master of deductive reasoning and is a thinking person's detective. It is interesting how his analysis of the ransom note provides clues for the FBI to follow up in their quest to stop the killer before it is too late.

The book is filled with numerous plot twists and turns, which should provide even the most jaded devotees of thrillers with a satisfying read. This action packed book keeps the reader guessing. Just when you think it's all over, you are yet once again surprised. The only criticism is that the end of the book strains the imagination. It almost borders on the absurd. Yet such is Deaver's writing that this does not impact unduly on the absolute enjoyment one will get from reading this book. It is a riveting read!

this was a heart warming book. It gave me a lift when I read it. Reccommended reading for anyone.

This book is exceptional. It is well written with characters that are true to life. The plot is absolutely engaging. I really like that there was a glossary of terms for those of us who are forensically challenged. I found it difficult to do anything until I knew 'who did it'.

Good job Mr. Deaver. You have a fan for life.

The Rhyme Killers would be a great book to read after the Bone Collector.
It too has the great suspense you love to find in a mystery.

Lincoln Rhyme has been retired, ever since a falling beam at a crime scene, left him a quadriplegic. Now, Lincoln is bed ridden, with his only human contact being a man named Thom. He dreams of killing him self, when some thing new, to occupy his time.

A serial killer, called the Bone Colector, is terrorizing the city of New York. With every person he kills, he leaves behind evidence that will lead to the next victim. Unfortunetly, this is only half the work, and Rhyme needs some one to do the crime scene for him.

Enter Amelia Sachs. Sachs is a model turned cop, who has several problems of her own. At first, she, like most people, is able to see past Rhyme's physical handicap, and be disgusted by his personality. But, Lincoln and Amelia will have to work together, to defeat a man who knows every one of Lincoln's tricks, and whose final victim, is Lincoln.

Notable Charecters Introduced: Lincoln Rhyme, Amelia Sachs, Thom Lastname, Lon Sellitto, The Bone Collector.

The character of the Bone Collector is extremely spooky. As already stated in numerous other reviews, this is an excellent story that keeps the reader turning pages as fast as possible. The characters, especially Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs, are developed enough that I have already begun to read another Deaver story starring Lincoln Rhyme: I want to know more about them. I won't give a synopsis as so many other reviewers have dutifully done. I just recommend this fast-paced, spine-chilling mystery/adventure novel to everyone!

Lincoln Rhyme is a suicidal quadriplegic whose main ambition for the past year has been to find a way to kill himself. Amelia Sachs is a patrolwoman on the brink of getting out of patroling the streets due to chronic arthritis.

Together they are brought together as a madman terrorizes New York. Reluctantly, they trudge through the crime scenes, looking to piece together crime scenes that a littered with subtle clues as to what will transpire next. The pieces of the puzzle must be put together as the clock ticks, another victim is certain to die.

Throughout the story, a rather strange connection is made between Rhyme and Sachs. Deaver makes no attempt to shield the graphic nature of the murders, or attempted murders, or the struggles of a quadriplegic to live life. This is a well researched, very well written book.

Highly recommended book.

My mom loaned me this book (she reads all of his books) and I loved it! It was so intriguing and suspenseful. I loved the characters and even the characters flaws that caused them to want to be `top dog' in the rescue/investigation. Immediately after I read it I was ready to read it again, but my mom wanted it back. LOL

A hostage situation, set in an old slaughterhouse that is dark and sinister and smells of death. Bad enough already! But to have the hostages deaf children and their teachers was genius as the whole communication aspect is turned on it's head.

I found the characters compelling, even the bad guys!
Having finished it, I feel I have far more understanding of the complexities of a hostage situation and far more insight into the experiences of the deaf.

A thriller that stands out!

This Book is one of my favorite books I have ever read. I raed this book in two days and I am not a person who reads a lot but this book is so good in my opinion, I gave it to some of my friends and they all read it just as fast as I did if not faster. This book is filled with suspence, action, turns and twist and the plot is really well written. I also really enjoyed the story line it was very intriguing.

Jeffrey Deaver never ceases to satisfy. As usual I couldn't put it down.

This has to be one of the best thrillers i have read; I finished reading it within 24 hours and then couldn't stop thinking about the characters. Even though I didn't find the 'love story' between Arthur Potter and Melanie to be at all credible this didn't spoil the story for me. Highly recommended if you're looking for a good page-turner that makes you think.

One of the best novels that I have listened to this year and perhaps the best Lincoln Rhyme mystery to date.

What would you do if you woke up one day to discover that your bank accounts were at zero, your mortgage unpaid according to the bank, your car repossessed even though you'd paid it off, and your job terminating your employment because your most recent drug test came back positive even though you've never used drugs a day in your life? Even worse - what if you were arrested with slam dunk evidence for a murder you didn't commit? The Broken Window is just that - a series of murders committed by a sly and highly intelligent criminal that has access to all of the data for every person in the United States. But to the shock and horror of those arrested, he has managed to frame innocent people for the murders by planting evidence that corresponds to their recent purchases. Your favorite condom brand? He'll use it in a rape. Your favorite beer? Will just happen to be in the tread of the shoeprint he leaves behind - with your shoe brand and size!

Lincoln Rhyme has his attention brought to this scary serial killer because his cousin winds up arrested for a brutal stabbing. Lincoln hasn't been in contact with this cousin for many years, but has trouble believing that he could be a murderer. With his partner Detective Sachs and the others that typically assist Rhyme in solving crimes, they trek through the layers of physical evidence and transfer evidence in an effort to learn something about their latest adversary and try to stay one step ahead of the man that knows everything.

This thriller is Deaver at his finest. He hasn't written a Lincoln Rhyme novel this strong in a while. The bad guy is super scary, the premise frighteningly possible, and the pages just turn and turn and turn. This is a book that will be difficult to put down at night but could cause nightmares for the faint of heart. This book references past cases, characters, and killers as well as foreshadows books to come. A fantastic thriller!!

This book was excellent; one of those thrillers that keeps you on the edge of your seat page after page. Easily one of Deavers' best novels to date! Gritty characters, unpredictable plot twists.....In terms of forensic thrillers, Jeffrey Deaver is truly one of the best authors around right now. A master of his craft!

No spoilers

As I've said in my last several Deaver reviews, this book is another example of Deaver being Deaver. Sometimes I wonder if it's even possible for him to come up with a boring and tedious story--especially after eight books in the Lincoln Rhyme series alone--but of course, it is not.

I'd have to say that my favorite thing about The Broken Window is what has been my favorite thing about all of Deaver's novel (both within and outside of the Rhyme series) ever since I first stumbled upon them, and that is how it is the perfect balance between an easy read and captivating story. While some easy reads are so primitive and simplistic as to not be entertaining, and some captivating stories are so complex they require absolute concentration, this novel has some elements of both, so that whether you're in your private study or the middle of Newark International Airport (like I was while reading parts of this), you'll still be enthralled either way.

Basically, as is the case with any Deaver novel at this point in the series, if you never read any of it, go back and start at the beginning (of the Rhyme series at least) with The Bone Collector. Otherwise, if you've gotten this far, why are you even reading this review? You know you're going to read and enjoy anything by Deaver so why bother?

PS: His stand-alone novels are just as good. My personal favorite is still the first Deaver book I ever read that got me hooked, called The Blue Nowhere. Read it!

I have often commented on reading a Deaver novel, that I would not want this man's nightmares. He is solidly on his game in his latest Lincoln Rhyme novel.

Others have gone into great detail about the pieces of the puzzle that the paraplegic crime scene investigator, Lincoln Rhyme and his intrepid sidekick and lover, Amelia Sachs must piece together.

The villian (there is always a villian) in this piece is "the man who knows everything." Through his access to people's identities he is able to commit crimes and have others blamed for them. How he gets this acess and what drives him is the meat of this book and the less revealed about the plot, the better, I believe for future readers.

All one needs to know is that this is Deaver, still at his best, with a pot boiler of a story which has more twists and turns than a Le Mans race course and which will also get the reader thinking about the technology of our times, its use and its abuse and what that can mean to all of us.

Don't let this one slip by you.

One of the best novels that I have listened to this year and perhaps the best Lincoln Rhyme mystery to date.

What would you do if you woke up one day to discover that your bank accounts were at zero, your mortgage unpaid according to the bank, your car repossessed even though you'd paid it off, and your job terminating your employment because your most recent drug test came back positive even though you've never used drugs a day in your life? Even worse - what if you were arrested with slam dunk evidence for a murder you didn't commit? The Broken Window is just that - a series of murders committed by a sly and highly intelligent criminal that has access to all of the data for every person in the United States. But to the shock and horror of those arrested, he has managed to frame innocent people for the murders by planting evidence that corresponds to their recent purchases. Your favorite condom brand? He'll use it in a rape. Your favorite beer? Will just happen to be in the tread of the shoeprint he leaves behind - with your shoe brand and size!

Lincoln Rhyme has his attention brought to this scary serial killer because his cousin winds up arrested for a brutal stabbing. Lincoln hasn't been in contact with this cousin for many years, but has trouble believing that he could be a murderer. With his partner Detective Sachs and the others that typically assist Rhyme in solving crimes, they trek through the layers of physical evidence and transfer evidence in an effort to learn something about their latest adversary and try to stay one step ahead of the man that knows everything.

This thriller is Deaver at his finest. He hasn't written a Lincoln Rhyme novel this strong in a while. The bad guy is super scary, the premise frighteningly possible, and the pages just turn and turn and turn. This is a book that will be difficult to put down at night but could cause nightmares for the faint of heart. This book references past cases, characters, and killers as well as foreshadows books to come. A fantastic thriller!!

This book was excellent; one of those thrillers that keeps you on the edge of your seat page after page. Easily one of Deavers' best novels to date! Gritty characters, unpredictable plot twists.....In terms of forensic thrillers, Jeffrey Deaver is truly one of the best authors around right now. A master of his craft!

No spoilers

As I've said in my last several Deaver reviews, this book is another example of Deaver being Deaver. Sometimes I wonder if it's even possible for him to come up with a boring and tedious story--especially after eight books in the Lincoln Rhyme series alone--but of course, it is not.

I'd have to say that my favorite thing about The Broken Window is what has been my favorite thing about all of Deaver's novel (both within and outside of the Rhyme series) ever since I first stumbled upon them, and that is how it is the perfect balance between an easy read and captivating story. While some easy reads are so primitive and simplistic as to not be entertaining, and some captivating stories are so complex they require absolute concentration, this novel has some elements of both, so that whether you're in your private study or the middle of Newark International Airport (like I was while reading parts of this), you'll still be enthralled either way.

Basically, as is the case with any Deaver novel at this point in the series, if you never read any of it, go back and start at the beginning (of the Rhyme series at least) with The Bone Collector. Otherwise, if you've gotten this far, why are you even reading this review? You know you're going to read and enjoy anything by Deaver so why bother?

PS: His stand-alone novels are just as good. My personal favorite is still the first Deaver book I ever read that got me hooked, called The Blue Nowhere. Read it!

I have often commented on reading a Deaver novel, that I would not want this man's nightmares. He is solidly on his game in his latest Lincoln Rhyme novel.

Others have gone into great detail about the pieces of the puzzle that the paraplegic crime scene investigator, Lincoln Rhyme and his intrepid sidekick and lover, Amelia Sachs must piece together.

The villian (there is always a villian) in this piece is "the man who knows everything." Through his access to people's identities he is able to commit crimes and have others blamed for them. How he gets this acess and what drives him is the meat of this book and the less revealed about the plot, the better, I believe for future readers.

All one needs to know is that this is Deaver, still at his best, with a pot boiler of a story which has more twists and turns than a Le Mans race course and which will also get the reader thinking about the technology of our times, its use and its abuse and what that can mean to all of us.

Don't let this one slip by you.

The short story format isn't very popular these days, with the exception of contributions to "Ellery Queen" and "Alfred Hitchcock's Mysteries" magazines, both of whom published these stories before they were collected for this book.
Deaver is a master of crime novels, with beaucoups of books under his belt, the most famous being the Lincoln Rhyme series, who makes an appearance in a Christmas twisted tale here.
Of course, the catch is to try to figure out the classic whodunnit, but Deaver doesn't make it easy. He isn't afraid to leave out certain clues or mislead us far away from the actual crime. Indeed, as he states in his forward to the sequel "More Twisted", which is just as good, he revels in the magician's tactics of making you watch the left hand while the right hand does all the dirty work.
Some characters get what they have coming to them, most don't, but it's still a great read because Deaver does his research homework brilliantly. He is one of the smartest writers out there, and could be a forensics expert or a detective as good as his character Lincoln Rhyme. But his imagination is his trump card, and the stories hold up well after repeated visits because of it.
I compare this work to the ultra-classic short story compilation of Kurt Vonnegut's, "Welcome To The Monkey House". While Vonnegut didn't do much crime stories as such, if any, he did have a vivid eye for detail and character development, which Deaver also possesses.
Short stories could become a lost art, but as long as Deaver can keep us interested, it still survives.

This book was absolutely fantastic. It left me breathless and longing for more. The stories were intricately plotted and no matter how hard I tried, I could never guess the outcome.

What I loved best was that it was a collection of short stories. I could, in my down time, read a story and then get on with my day. Or, if I am in the middle of a book which I am laboring to get through (will never leave a book unfinished), I can pick up this book to get me all excited and motivated again.

Again, this book is a wonderful book. Well done Mr. Deaver.

Unfortunately, the main flaw of this book is that most of the stories are nearly identical. I'd say that 75% of them deal with a husband or wife planning to kill their spouse, and then the tables get turned and the good guy ends up being the bad guy. Also, the characters from each story are so similar that they all blend together. They're all middle-class suburban WASPs without much personality, and no real reason to care about any of them. The stories themselves aren't bad, but they sure aren't great, either. There are one or two stand-outs which truly did surprise me at the end, but with the other stories I found myself either knowing the plot twist long in advance or just not caring about what happened to any of the characters. This is one of those so-so books which you can read on the plane or at the beach and then forget about.

I am a big fan of Jeffrey Deaver, I think he is very clever and original in his work, and deserves the readership that he has garnered over the last few years.

Yet this collection did little for me. I tried to like the stories and they were at times ok, but I just found myself trying to guess the sting in each tale and not really relating to the story at all. The stories were not enough for me to get involved and to care about what was happening.

This is for the ultra-serious Deaver fan, while others would do better to look at his Lincoln Rhyme series which are brilliant.

As someone who have been teaching English at college in Japan for some time, I was always seeking for a good "authentic" material, which is at the same time instructive and entertaining. This book turned to nicely meet both criteria in the classroom with vibrant colloquial expressions and intriguing plot lines. Unlike other textbook materials accompanied by ubiquitous problems and exercises, Twisted made an instant hit among the students although not without big challenges. For students unfamiliar with American crime novels, the sheer volume of size was a big barrier. Plus cultural and social dimentions were a stumblig block as well. For how much familiar are the expressions or names to non natives like us: COPS, Roseanne, HBO, Give him one-way ticket..., burning bushes, Victoria's Secret and so on. Especially the "yellow diamond" in "The Fall Guy" was the hardest nut to crack. The students and I assumed it to be some precious stone featured in a song of Michael Bolton, which, according to our native colleague turned to be a mere road sign. Anyway based upon the intensity of my students' attitude, I seem not to have mistaken the choice of textbook this semester and I will certainly encourage to read further into a Lincoln Rhyme feature for their summer break fun.

It's been 4 years since I picked up Twisted Vol 1 and I still remember the kick I got from flipping the pages. Somehow, that kick is missing in Vol 2 but nevertheless, it is still a fairly good read.

I am a Jeffery Deaver fan and have read all of his novels. I looked forward to his short stories in this collection and was not diasppointed. He is a master storyteller with interesting twists. He also has a chapter where he shares some of his techniques with the reader. I am reminded of another short story master named O'Henry, but Deaver succeeds in making his endings truly twisted in ways O'Henry never did. If you enjoy short stories, and are a Deaver fan, or just would like to become acquainted with him, you should definitely read this collection.

I really enjoyed this collection of Dever stories. But they did get kind of predictable by the end. But did anyone else note the stupid editorial errors in the story "Copycat"? It will not reveal anything to note that the names of two characters change during the story. Wallace Grodon turns into Gordon Wallace, and then changes back several times. And Andy Clark becomes Andy Carter. PLEASE - if publishers want us to pay $8 for a paperback the least they could do would be to have an editor who has an IQ greater than that of a tree stump.
Terence Hines

Deaver is the modern master of the unpredictable short story. His first short story collection, Twisted, was phenomenal, and this second volume is perhaps even better. Reading these stories is the literary equivalent of riding the biggest, baddest roller coaster - fun, scary, surprising, and over so fast you can't wait to get to the next one.

Couldn't pass up more of Mr. D's twisted stories. Settings are all over the US and Europe; time periods are the late 1800's to the present. Characters include an inept Sherlock Holmes, a fake reverend, a mystery writer, and Lincoln Rhyme. Just remember to not speak too loudly when using your cell phone in public. And let's hope there's no police detective as stupid as the one the author created.

Of course, no story is as it seems at the beginning. So I knew to look for the twist and always found it. But I'm ready for a full length novel or Lincoln Rhyme story now.