THE TWELFTH CARD by Jeffery Deaver
Any time you get the chance to read a new Lincoln Rhyme novel by Jeffery Deaver, grab it! Deaver is the master of creating amazing plotlines and sustaining the believability and likeability of his characters. His latest book, THE TWELFTH CARD, is Deaver at his best and this book will grip and hold you from page one to the last one.
Lincoln Rhyme has been at the heart of Deaver stories for some time now. He also gained prominence in the film "The Bone Collector" where he was played by Denzel Washington. He is a quadriplegic forensic scientist who works out of his home with a variety of assistants including Amelia Sachs (immortalized in the film by Angelina Jolie).
His latest case concerns an attempted rape/murder of a young girl named Geneva Settle. She is a high school student doing a research project on one of her ancestors, a man named Charles Singleton. The assassin is a deadly calm man named Thompson Boyd. He kills without remorse or regret.
Rhyme and Sachs have to go to the past in order to find a motive for this attack in the present. And while they are busy hunting for that motive, the killer is getting ready to strike again. And this time he is determined not to miss.
There is always suspense in a Deaver book and this one is no exception. Each page crackles with excitement and each new chapter brings more confusion and more anticipation. The facts are all plausible but Deaver gives them a twist and a shake that manages to keep the reader off guard and off the scent. Just when you are thoroughly confused, Deaver resolves it all with total understanding and explanation.
One thing to keep in mind too is that although the book is a story of suspense, the love story between Rhyme and Sachs is always there and always at the heart of the enjoyment of the book. You think that Deaver is giving short shrift to this aspect of his plot until the very end of the book and wow! he hits you with a heart-stopper.
For intricacy of plot, admirable and enjoyable characters, and just pure skill at fashioning a mystery; you can't beat Jeffery Deaver. He is an amazing writer who has earned his fame and acclaim. If you haven'' been a reader of his stories, jump in there and get going. If you are already a fan then you will be pleased to know Deaver is back and better than ever with THE TWELFTH CARD.
THE TWELFTH CARD is published by Simon and Schuster. It contains 397 pages and sells for $25.95.